罪人與盲者：中國文學中光明與黑暗的象徵體系

光明與黑暗作爲一種象徵體系，被人類寄託種種不同的意義。而在前近代中國士人的文學書寫中，該象徵體系呈現爲一種獨特的形態：光明與黑暗的二元對立圖式與君臣關係的圖式重合在一起。士人將帝王比擬爲光明，而將不受帝王信任、懷才不遇的自己，比擬作身處黑暗之中的「罪人」與「盲者」。「罪人」與「盲者」的象徵表現反映了前近代中國士人對君臣關係形態的獨特認識，同時也作爲一種生存策略，被士人用來規避與權力的衝突、守護內在精神世界。本文圍繞士人將自己比擬作罪人與盲者的文學作品展開考察，闡發中國文學中光明與黑暗的象徵體系及其意義。

關鍵字

罪人；盲者；光明；黑暗

並列摘要

Light and darkness have long been used as symbols in human culture, carrying with them a variety of meanings and implications. In the literary writings of modern Chinese scholar-officials, this symbolization took a unique form: the dichotomy between light and darkness came to coincide with the relationship between the monarch and his ministers. In such writings, the monarch is compared to the light, whereas the scholar-officials themselves, whose talents were unappreciated or had fallen out of favour with the ruler, are likened to sinners or the blind, enshrouded in darkness. The imageries of sinners and the blind reveal a unique perception of the monarch-minister relationship among modern Chinese scholar-officials, which served as their survival strategy to avoid conflict with the power and safeguard their inner spiritual world. This article surveys the literary works of the scholar-officials who employed such imageries and explores the symbolization of light and darkness in Chinese literature.