论英国文学中的“中国信札”传统
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摘要
"东方信札"是随着东方文化影响力的提升而在欧洲文学中衍生出的一种特殊文类。其中,"中国信札"更是成为18世纪英国文学中的一种突出现象。霍拉斯·沃尔波尔的《叔和信札》开创了英国文学中以中国人作为观察者兼批评家,进行中西文化比较的传统;哥尔德斯密斯的《世界公民》集中体现了18世纪欧洲启蒙学者汲取中国文化的特点,即一方面受到耶稣会士尊儒排佛斥道倾向的影响,另一方面出于反抗宗教蒙昧和推翻君主专制的需要,而突出了儒家学说中的理性精神和伦理意识。G.L.迪金森的《约翰中国佬的来信》则堪称"中国信札"传统在20世纪最出色的余响。通过考察"中国信札",可以在思想史的背景中揭示西方知识分子汲取中国文化的阶段性特征,从一个崭新的视角呈现中国文化在西方社会向现代转型过程中的独到作用。
The "oriental letters"belong to a special genre deriving from the European literature due to the upgrading of the oriental cultural impacts; among which,the "Chinese letters"became a prominent phenomenon in the British writings of the 18 th century. Particularly,Horace Walpole's work A Letter from Xo Ho has established a tradition of comparison between Chinese and Western cultures by pretending to write from a Chinese observer and commenter viewpoint in the British literature. Then The Citizen of the World by Oliver Goldsmith reveals the concerns of the European Enlightenment scholars for the positive traditional Chinese culture. The Letters from John Chinaman by G. L. Dickinson can be seen the most remarkable echo of the tradition of writing the"Chinese letters". Through the demonstration of these"Chinese letters",the features are revealed for a period that Western intellectuals have absorbed some Chinese concepts,hence providing a unique perspective to evaluate the contribution of Chinese culture during the transformation of the Western social into modern society.
The "oriental letters"belong to a special genre deriving from the European literature due to the upgrading of the oriental cultural impacts; among which,the "Chinese letters"became a prominent phenomenon in the British writings of the 18 th century. Particularly,Horace Walpole's work A Letter from Xo Ho has established a tradition of comparison between Chinese and Western cultures by pretending to write from a Chinese observer and commenter viewpoint in the British literature. Then The Citizen of the World by Oliver Goldsmith reveals the concerns of the European Enlightenment scholars for the positive traditional Chinese culture. The Letters from John Chinaman by G. L. Dickinson can be seen the most remarkable echo of the tradition of writing the"Chinese letters". Through the demonstration of these"Chinese letters",the features are revealed for a period that Western intellectuals have absorbed some Chinese concepts,hence providing a unique perspective to evaluate the contribution of Chinese culture during the transformation of the Western social into modern society.
引文
(1)参见雷蒙·道森《中国变色龙---对于欧洲中国文明观的分析》,常绍民、明毅译,中华书局2006年版。
(2)William Temple,“Of Heroic Virtue”,The Works of Sir William Temple,Vol.III,London,p.334.
(3)(7)(8)安田朴:《中国文化西传欧洲史》,耿昇译,商务印书馆2013年版,第47、608、608页。
(4)钱林森:《“外国作家与中国文化”丛书“前言”》,宁夏人民出版社2002年版,第9页。
(5)葛桂录:《雾外的远音---英国作家与中国文化》,宁夏人民出版社2002年版,第307页。
(6)J.W.M.Gibbs ed.,The Works of Oliver Goldsmith,London,1885~1886,IV,p.281.
(9)Adrian Hsia ed.,The Vision of China in the English Literature of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries,Hong Kong:The Chinese University Press,1998,pp.162~163.
(10)Horace Walpole,Letters of Horace Walpole,IV,Oxford,1903,p.55.
(11)英文标题为Description of the empire of China and Chinesetartary,together with the kingdoms of Korea and Tibet;containing the geography and history of those countries.
(12)伏尔泰在大量著作中论及中国,如《中国人、印度人和鞑靼人的信札》《印度史片断》《世界通史片断》《〈罪行与惩罚〉一书评注》《中国人的谈话录》和《论利用约翰·卡拉死亡的机会而采取的宽容措施》等。
(13)J.W.M.Gibbs ed.,The Works of Oliver Goldsmith,London,1885~1886,II,p.416.
(14)《中国信札》中的中国哲学家全名为李安济·阿尔坦基(Lien Chi Altangi)。李安济与沃尔波尔《叔和信札》中叔和通信的对象北京友人同名。李安济的通信对象北京友人冯皇之名,则得自于托马斯·格莱特(Thomas Gueullette)有关达官冯皇的幻想作品《达官冯皇的奇遇:中国故事集》。第二封信中西西福(Xixofou)和费普西希(Fipsihi)二名则得自伏尔泰的作品。
(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)Oliver Goldsmith,Collected Works of Oliver Goldsmith,Vol.II,Oxford:Oxford University Press,1966,pp.13~14,p.85,pp.176~177,p.298,p.454,p.351.
(21)《礼记》卷二一,孙希旦撰《礼记集解》(中册),中华书局1989年版,第582页。
(22)《孟子·梁惠王》(上),朱熹注《四书集注》,王华宝整理,凤凰出版社2005年版,第225页。
(23)钱林森:《“外国作家与中国文化”丛书“前言”》,宁夏人民出版社2002年版,第9页。
(24)(25)E.M.Forster,Goldsmith Lowes Dickinson,New York:Harcourt,Brace and Company,1934,p.147,p.142.
(26)罗素:《中国问题》,秦悦译,学林出版社1996年版,第10页。
(27)克利福德·吉尔兹:《地方性知识》,王海龙等译,中央编译出版社2000年版,第19页。
(2)William Temple,“Of Heroic Virtue”,The Works of Sir William Temple,Vol.III,London,p.334.
(3)(7)(8)安田朴:《中国文化西传欧洲史》,耿昇译,商务印书馆2013年版,第47、608、608页。
(4)钱林森:《“外国作家与中国文化”丛书“前言”》,宁夏人民出版社2002年版,第9页。
(5)葛桂录:《雾外的远音---英国作家与中国文化》,宁夏人民出版社2002年版,第307页。
(6)J.W.M.Gibbs ed.,The Works of Oliver Goldsmith,London,1885~1886,IV,p.281.
(9)Adrian Hsia ed.,The Vision of China in the English Literature of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries,Hong Kong:The Chinese University Press,1998,pp.162~163.
(10)Horace Walpole,Letters of Horace Walpole,IV,Oxford,1903,p.55.
(11)英文标题为Description of the empire of China and Chinesetartary,together with the kingdoms of Korea and Tibet;containing the geography and history of those countries.
(12)伏尔泰在大量著作中论及中国,如《中国人、印度人和鞑靼人的信札》《印度史片断》《世界通史片断》《〈罪行与惩罚〉一书评注》《中国人的谈话录》和《论利用约翰·卡拉死亡的机会而采取的宽容措施》等。
(13)J.W.M.Gibbs ed.,The Works of Oliver Goldsmith,London,1885~1886,II,p.416.
(14)《中国信札》中的中国哲学家全名为李安济·阿尔坦基(Lien Chi Altangi)。李安济与沃尔波尔《叔和信札》中叔和通信的对象北京友人同名。李安济的通信对象北京友人冯皇之名,则得自于托马斯·格莱特(Thomas Gueullette)有关达官冯皇的幻想作品《达官冯皇的奇遇:中国故事集》。第二封信中西西福(Xixofou)和费普西希(Fipsihi)二名则得自伏尔泰的作品。
(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)Oliver Goldsmith,Collected Works of Oliver Goldsmith,Vol.II,Oxford:Oxford University Press,1966,pp.13~14,p.85,pp.176~177,p.298,p.454,p.351.
(21)《礼记》卷二一,孙希旦撰《礼记集解》(中册),中华书局1989年版,第582页。
(22)《孟子·梁惠王》(上),朱熹注《四书集注》,王华宝整理,凤凰出版社2005年版,第225页。
(23)钱林森:《“外国作家与中国文化”丛书“前言”》,宁夏人民出版社2002年版,第9页。
(24)(25)E.M.Forster,Goldsmith Lowes Dickinson,New York:Harcourt,Brace and Company,1934,p.147,p.142.
(26)罗素:《中国问题》,秦悦译,学林出版社1996年版,第10页。
(27)克利福德·吉尔兹:《地方性知识》,王海龙等译,中央编译出版社2000年版,第19页。