Karl F. A. Gützlaff and Western Biographies Entering Modern China

郭實獵與西方傳記文體進入近代中國

陳恩維(Enwei Chen)

《漢語基督教學術論評》 32期 (2021/12) Pp. 7-36

摘要

In the 1830s, Karl F. A. Gützlaff (1803-51) wrote a large number of Chinese biographies. These biographies can be classified into three categories: the first were Biblical biographies, which were independently published in Chinese books. The second were the historical biographies of Western figures, which were mainly contained in his historical works. The third were the modern biographies, published in ＂Sing Poo＂ [biograpgy姓譜] column in Eastern Western Monthly Magazine. Despite their wide circulation at that time, these numerous biographies mentioned above have never been carefully researched. This paper focuses on the stylistic form of the biographies, traces the course of their development, analyzes their artistic characteristics, and explores their influence on the genre of Chinese modern biographies. The paper points out that biblical-based biographies of Christian figures and saints take narrative as an acceptable form. The historical biographies not only follow the Western tradition of integrating biography into history, but also absorb the stylistic features and artistic skills of ancient Chinese biographies. And the single biographies of political figures were separated from the historical biography, fully and vividly narrate the life of the characters and become a type of character-centered life writing that differs from previous historical biographies. Although relatively rough in art, the biographies written by Gützlaff played a pioneering role in introducing Western biographies into China, mixing the respective artistic skills and aesthetics of Chinese and Western biographies, thus gradually promoting the integration of Chinese and Western biographies and the modern transformation of Chinese biographies.

關鍵字

Karl F. A. Gützlaff ； Biblical biographies ； historical biographies ； modern biographies ； modern China

並列摘要

一八三○年代，為了傳播福音和介紹西方文化，來華普魯士新教傳教士郭實獵（1803-51）撰寫了大量中文傳記，其主要類型有三種：一是基督教人物傳記，共計十二種，以著作形式單獨發行。二是西方人物史傳，主要存在於其歷史著作中。三是現代傳記，刊載於《東西洋考每月統記傳》「姓譜」欄目。然而，由於史料、視野、學科等限制，國內外學術界對郭實獵所撰中文傳記研究極少，更少人分析其文體類型和文體價值。本文在對郭實獵傳記作品進行文體分類的基礎上，追蹤其發展歷程，分析其藝術特徵，在近代語境中評估其文體影響和歷史地位。文章認為，郭實獵所撰基督教人物傳記，脫胎於聖經，取法乎聖徒傳記，將敘事作為基本表達方式。其所撰人物史傳，不僅遵循了西方將傳記融於歷史之中的傳統，而且吸收了中國古代傳記的文體特點和藝術技巧，兼具古今中外傳記之美。而其報載單篇政治人物傳記，將傳記從史傳中獨立出來，完整生動記敘人物生平，是以人物生命書寫為中心的現代傳記。郭實獵所撰中文傳記雖然在藝術上還比較粗糙，但嘗試將東西方傳記的文體規範和藝術技巧鏈接起來，促進了中、西傳記文學的交流和互動，一定程度上引發了近代中國傳記文體的現代轉型。

並列關鍵字

郭實獵 ； 聖徒傳記 ； 史傳 ； 現代傳記 ； 近代中國

參考文獻

American Tract Society. Eleven Annual Report of the American Tract Society. New York: The Society’s House, 1836.

American Tract Society. Thirteen Annual Report of the American Tract Society. New York: The Society’s House, 1838.

Ai Han Zhe 愛漢者. Dong xi yang kao meiyue tongji zhuan 東西洋考每月統記傳[Eastern Western Monthly Magazine. Edited by Huang Shijian 黃時鑒. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company, 1997.

Ai Han Zhe 愛漢者. Jiushizhu yesu jidu xinglun zhi yaolüe zhuan 救世主耶穌基督行論之要略傳[History of Jesus Christ]. Singapore: Jianxia Shuyuan, 1834.

Ai Han Zhe 愛漢者. Moxi yanxing quan zhuan 摩西言行全傳 [Life of Moses]. Singapore: Jianxia Shuyuan, 1836.