秦汉相人术对汉代史传人物书写的影响

Face Reading and the Characterization of Historical Figures in Han Dynasty

相人术至秦汉时期已发展成熟,是汉代学术体系的组成部分,属“形法”术之一。汉代史传载录了大量有关皇室成员及将相参与相人术活动的史料,这些史料客观上反映了汉代皇室及士人阶层对相人术的价值认可与接受。在《史记》《汉书》及《东观汉记》的各类人物形象中,皇帝、皇后、将相与相人术的关系最为密切,而两汉的政治生态也主要由这三者构成。从汉代史传记载的相人术分析两汉政治人物群体的形象塑造,除了奇相附会以强化帝王受命而王的政治神话之外,汉代的外戚专权及人才选拔往往也受到了相人术的影响,同时,也使得《史记》《汉书》在叙述历史过程中,客观上丰富了其神秘性的文学色彩。

Face reading was one of the‘xing fa’methods in Han Dynasty.The historical biographies of the Han Dynasty recorded a large number of historical materials about the face reading activities of the top politicians,which strengthened the literary representation of the characters.Among all characters in the Historical Records,the Book of Han and Dongguan Hanji,emperors,queens and generals,of which the political ecology of the two Han Dynasties was mainly composed,were closely related to the practice of face reading.Based on the record of the practice of face reading in the historical biographies to analyze the characterization of politicians,we can see political myths as to emperors were destined to be emperors as they had special face signs,as well as the effect of face reading practice on talents selection and the situation of power monopolized by queens relatives.The record of the practice of face reading enriched the mysterious literary flavor of The Historical Records and the Book of Han.