论《红楼梦》的“断纹焦尾”与艺术思维的整体性

On the Relationship Between the“Duanwen and Jiaowei”in Dream of the Red Chamber and the Holistic Artistic Thinking of Cao Xueqin

一方面,《红楼梦》文本存在“断纹焦尾”现象,另一方面,曹雪芹艺术思维具有鲜明的整体性特点。前八十回的断纹现象并非断简残编,它们往往指向家族盛衰或风月情孽这两条主线,分属于这两条或平行、或交叉的叙述声音。程、高所续后四十回,以重建与前八十回的“接榫”为己任,但由于艺术水平和思想水平的不同,在一些重要的关目上反而消解了前八十回的预设。曹雪芹对全书人物命运和故事走向有着全盘的掌控,成竹在胸,通过设置种种映射机制,使用各种艺术手段,将不同的人物、事件统摄为一个近乎全息关联的艺术整体。“断纹焦尾”的文本特点与鲜明整体性的艺术思维的同时存在,给读者带来特别的阅读体验。深入了解《红楼梦》的成书过程,并以程、高所续后四十回为考察参照,才能充分认识《红楼梦》的小说史意义,恰如其分地评估《红楼梦》的艺术价值。

On the one hand,there are some incomplete phenomena in the text of Dream of the Red Chamber(fragmented plots and an unresolved ending).On the other hand,Cao Xueqin had a precise overall design for the structure of this novel.The plot in the first eighty chapters follows the rise and fall of the family and love storyline.The last forty chapters of the sequels by Cheng Weiyuan and Gao E diverge from the assumptions of the first eighty chapters.Cao Xueqin had a comprehensive control over the fate of the characters and the direction of the story in the entire book,and was well versed in it.He integrated different characters and events into a holographic artistic whole by setting up various projection mechanisms and using various artistic techniques.The incompleteness of the text and the completeness of the author’s artistic thinking coexist in this novel,offering readers an unique reading experience.Only by deeply understanding the process of writing Dream of the Red Chamber and using Cheng and Gao’s continuation of the last forty chapters as examination parameters,can we fully understand the historical significance of Dream of the Red Chamber and appropriately evaluate its artistic value.