“审美性”与“体贴”——论《红楼梦》的女性文化意涵

Aestheticism and Comparison: the Attitude of the Female Gender in Dream of the Red Chamber

《红楼梦》是中国最具性别反省向度的一部小说 ,本文从观察小说大观园女儿国中的群体生命面向的特色 ,以及此中人们之间的关系这两个层面入手 ,并参之以西方女性主义关怀伦理学的观点 ,以呈现女性文化的特色。《红楼梦》所构建的“女性文化” ,呈现了一个“审美”的生命面向 ,此中人的存在或者是从事的活动 ,都带着一种当下的、偶兴的 ,以及充满意趣的审美性。他们也用这样的美感来观照自己与他人 ,所以 ,群聚本身并不明显地通向一个具有如传统儒家价值的目标意义。而也在这样的审美特质上 ,他们彼此之间也发展了一种超越功利性与实用性的“体贴”关系。在这种关系里 ,他们有别於父权的上下名位序列的关系 ,而构作了一个平面网络关系 ,彼此之间互为主体 ,当他们以对方为主体而全心挹注在对方身上时 ,温暖的情谊便在其中流动。《红楼梦》呈现的女性文化对比著男性文化总带有较多的理想色彩 ,因为那是一个超越了名位阶级的人人为主体的平等关系 ,以及不带功利与道德价值判定的审美世界。自然 ,我们也可从中解读出文本中对於传统男性文化的反省 。

Among the Chinese novels, Dream of the Red Chamber (Hongloumeng) is the most concerned with feminine gender. This paper deals with the character of life aspect and relationships in the female world of “Prospect Garden” (Daguanyuan), and also concerns feminist caring ethics. The feminine gender in Dream of the Red Chamber represents aestheticism. The characters in this female world of “Prospect Garden” exist and act for the present, accidental, out of pleasure. They treat themselves and others with an aesthetic attitude. That is why their actions are not aimed at fulfillment of Confucian values, but instead aimed at aesthetics. More over, they also develop caring relationship that goes beyond pure utilitarianism. They constitute a compassionate relationship of equality, therefore not the Confucian patriarchal hierarchy. The others are considered as equally important subjects, which make that warm emotional feelings can flow among them. The feminine gender in Dream of the Red Chamber shows more interest in utopist ideals and not so much in practical reality. The readers can discover that the writer of this novel himself is longing for these utopist female ideals.