隨著明代通俗小說的崛起,開始有了許多人對「淫詞小說」表示懷疑,認為通俗小說可能會破壞社會風俗、亂人心。到了清代,批判通俗文化已經是個常見的論述;道德家斥責「愚民」過於輕信小說的內容,同時也哀嘆文學活動的墮落。雖然乾隆時期的四庫全書活動和文字獄,已經受到很多研究者的注目,但對於清朝前期禁毀書的情形,一般只專心於莊廷龍的《明史》慘案,或是提到反清的文字獄。然而,除了這種政治性的案例之外,清朝前期也有另外一種禁書的興起,即基於文化、道德上的因素而被禁止的書籍。此外,清初關於「淫詞小說」的論述,也與明末以來的議論之間,有著不少連接。本文首先觀察自努爾哈赤到雍正時代,滿洲統治者對中國文化抱持的觀點,以及其對淫詞小說的禁止。其次,本文會探索淫詞小說如何反映明末的一些社會、文化趨勢。最後,本文則討論明末清初各種不同立場的人物,如何看待小說的好和壞。透過這些關於淫詞小說的禁止和論述,不僅可以看出政治界對當時城市奢靡文化的態度,同時也能對照出文化和思想界人物,對於社會「問題」的反應。
Following the spread of popular fiction in the Ming Dynasty, “excessive” or erotic fiction became a target of official and public concern, with many believing it had the power to destroy social morality and corrupt people’s hearts. By the Qing Dynasty, this type of criticism had become a common occurrence, and moralists berated the gullibility of the populace and bewailed the degradation of literary activity. Although the Qianlong era’s “Four Treasuries” activities and literary “inquisitions” have received much attention, there has been less focus on the increasing focus on culturally—rather than politically—offensive content in the early Qing. This paper will first explore the development of early Qing cultural policy and prohibition towards fiction, and then turn to look at some of the ways that the banned fiction was interacting with and reflecting certain cultural trends, as well as violating social mores. Finally, we will look at some of the views that the members of the public and of the literati held towards the rise of fiction and the influence of the popular culture sphere.