清末民初翻譯言情小說研究--以林紓與周瘦鵑為中心

Early Twentieth-Century Chinese Translations of Foreign Love Stories: A Case Study of Lin Shu and Zhou Shoujuan

潘少瑜(Shaw-Yu Pan)

指導教授 ： 柯慶明

國立臺灣大學/文學院/中國文學研究所/博士(2008年)

https://doi.org/10.6342/NTU.2008.02448

摘要

本論文旨在以林紓和周瘦鵑為焦點，探討清末民初的翻譯言情小說之內涵意義，為近現代中國文學之研究提供一新途徑，不僅以大量的原始資料彌補學界對此課題認識之不足，同時也在中西文化和文本的對照之中，反省中國傳統言情小說和婚戀觀念的特色，了解近代中國言情文學以及婚戀觀轉變的軌跡。

綜觀清末民初的中國小說界，啟蒙理想與商業營利可謂兩股主要的影響力量。在清末時期，中國知識分子為求國家富強，積極向西方學習，他們原先的目標在於軍事科技、法政方面，而甲午戰爭失敗的慘痛教訓，使得他們逐漸了解到人文社會科學知識的重要性，轉而多引進人文思想方面的著作。梁啟超提出「小說界革命」的呼籲，希望能夠經由通俗易懂的小說來啟迪民智、推廣新學，在此情況下，小說被視為一種「蒙學教科書」，而站上了中國文學舞台的中心。梁啟超的論點得到當時大多數知識分子的支持，他們大量譯介外國小說，希望以此教育民眾，並作為中國作家創作小說的範本。

新興的現代都會上海，以其龐大的閱讀人口、先進的印刷技術、較為寬鬆的言論自由空間、繁榮的新聞出版事業，成為清末民初時期生產小說的大本營。清末民初的翻譯小說多採用意譯方式，此種做法隱含了一種以中國文化為本位的意識和力求通俗易懂的目的，忠實地再現外國文本並非清末小說翻譯者致力的主要目標，他們真正要追求的，乃是迅速而大量地生產讀者容易消化理解的譯本，並且獲取高額的利益。從清末民初的小說讀者群構成分子來看，「小說界革命」的啟蒙理想遭遇了挑戰。梁啟超、康有為等人心目中的「新小說」的「擬想讀者」為亟需教育改造的下層階級老百姓，然而實際上具有足夠的教育程度能夠閱讀「新小說」的讀者，卻都是社會的中上階層人士。

古文家林紓熱烈響應梁啟超的理念，翻譯了一百六十餘種外國小說，這些譯書廣受讀者歡迎，其中佔最大宗者為言情小說，它們是一批最能凸顯啟蒙理想和商業營利之間複雜關係的文本。這些以愛情為標榜的「文化暢銷名牌產品」，多半是由極具商業性格的當代外國暢銷書翻譯而來，作者的原意雖未必在於教育大眾，然而書中所夾帶的種種關於西方社會文化的知識和觀念，以及男女戀愛過程和婚姻生活細節的描寫，卻隨著它們而進入了中國讀者的視野之中。對那些對西方文化和新式的「自由結婚」感興趣的讀者而言，翻譯言情小說不啻為一種娛樂性極高的婚姻戀愛的「啟蒙教材」。

在清末的社會文化脈絡中，愛情不僅是一種促銷小說的商業手法，更成為中國與西方溝通的重要媒介。林紓的第一部翻譯小說《巴黎茶花女遺事》造成了相當大的轟動，經由此書的影響，中國讀者逐漸開展了世界性的眼光，了解到西洋人的「心」。《茶花女》一方面符合中國傳統小說裡士與妓的戀愛故事典型，配合清末上海對妓女生活的關注興趣，為中國讀者提供了足夠的熟悉感和安全感，另一方面又以描寫異國的繁華世界引起讀者的好奇，原本具有威脅性的西方文化，在此成了無害的消費商品，讀者對西方的焦慮和恐懼因而獲得緩解。林譯《茶花女》的成功，不但提高了小說和小說家在中國的身價地位，也引發了言情小說的創作熱潮，後續模仿之作層出不窮，許多學者把《茶花女》看作是近代言情小說的濫觴，也是新舊文學轉變的關鍵。

林譯言情小說意外地衝擊了中國傳統的倫理道德，其中尤以《迦茵小傳》為最。相對於包天笑譯本的巧為彌縫，林紓忠實譯出《迦茵小傳》故事女主角未婚懷孕情節的做法，引起了衛道人士強烈的不滿。這部通俗言情小說以愛情挑戰傳統禮教的枷鎖，它對青年學子的影響，未必在於鼓勵情欲的放縱，而是激起一種對於為愛犧牲或為情而死的嚮往。這種精神在哈葛德的《紅礁畫槳錄》裡也可見到：此書一方面歌頌精神戀愛的高尚純潔，另一方面譴責以獲取財富地位為目的的婚姻觀，許多探討婚姻與愛情之衝突的鴛蝴派小說，實可謂脫胎於此。林譯言情小說的女主角們自我犧牲的愛情，使得她們「因愛成聖」，對她們而言，愛情不僅是一種崇高的生活價值，甚至帶有宗教意涵。這種愛情觀乃是西方十九世紀以來發展出的浪漫愛，透過暢銷的林譯言情小說，影響了千千萬萬的中國讀者，並成為日後社會改革的先聲。《不如歸》將愛情和愛國情操結合的話語模式，成為中國言情小說作家的靈感泉源，它上接清代俠義小說「兒女英雄」的想像，下開鴛蝴派言情小說的靈感，其影響力未必在《茶花女》之下。

林紓的小說創作模仿了部份的翻譯小說情節，但卻又因為中國文學傳統的制約，而將悲劇故事改寫為大團圓的喜劇，並且摒棄時興的書信體或日記體敘事手法。相對而言，林譯小說對其他作家的影響則要大得多：他們以書信體或日記體來實驗第一人稱敘事的寫作技巧，用三角戀愛的情節來暗喻在中西文化中左右為難的心境，而《不如歸》書中「以殉國為殉情」的主題，更是給予他們極大的啟發。林譯小說抒情敘事的高超技巧影響了許多鴛鴦蝴蝶派作家，這些後生晚輩對林紓十分敬重，他們之間也有著相當密切的聯繫。不論是從文學風格、作品的發表園地、私人的交情等各方面來看，晚年的林紓與鴛鴦蝴蝶派都可說是同路人，他們也都是五四文人亟欲打倒的對象。

傳統才子佳人的喜劇故事在清末民初逐漸失去對讀者的吸引力，鴛蝴派作家們體認到，小說中的有情人不必終成眷屬，悲劇性的愛情本身即有特殊之美感和韻味，足以讓人低迴不已。鴛蝴派大量創作「純情」的哀情小說，他們筆下的男女主角們皆能潔身自好，這種「精神戀愛」未必代表作家們的膽怯或迂腐心理，而是一種新的對愛情的認識，顯示了西方浪漫愛情觀的影響。

鴛蝴派「哀情巨子」周瘦鵑對當代流行文化和出版市場有著高人一等的掌握能力，他透過大量的短篇言情小說翻譯和創作，影響了不計其數的青年男女對愛情的看法，而他所編輯的刊物，也為讀者提供一個跟當代西方交流對話的虛擬平台。周瘦鵑的著譯言情小說是跟他個人的情感創傷與浪漫愛情觀緊密相關的，對照他的翻譯和創作小說，我們可以明顯地看到二者之間的密切呼應與聯繫：在翻譯小說方面，周瘦鵑為了建構一個浪漫的哀情世界，大刀闊斧地刪改那些不符合他的愛情觀的段落，修飾人物個性，同時使用色彩豐富強烈的形象、誇大而感傷的語言，以及即興的評論，來增加讀者閱讀的趣味。周瘦鵑的翻譯哀情小說為中國小說引進了勇於為愛犧牲的男性人物典型、戲劇化的死亡場景，以及「為情而死」的浪漫想像，一方面強調個人自主的意志，展現一種對獨立主體性的追求，另一方面則翻轉了中國傳統的倫理位階，將愛情視為生命意義之最終寄託。在創作小說方面，周瘦鵑則塑造了為情瘋狂的「情癡」形象，歌頌男女之間高尚純潔的精神戀愛，並且採用基督宗教的意象和觀念來作為小說的點綴。在周瘦鵑創作的言情小說中，「情死」的場景展現出一種迥異於中國傳統的精神內涵，對他而言，世俗的倫理道德不過是陪襯，而愛情才是最高的「道德」和救贖，所謂「生命誠可貴，愛情價更高」的價值觀，早在五四前夕的周瘦鵑的著譯言情小說裡，即已做了「通俗劇」式的呈現。

以林譯和周譯為代表的清末民初翻譯言情小說的社會文化意義，主要在於以愛情為最高的生活價值、釐清愛情和婚姻的關係、結合愛情與愛國論述等方面，而這些言情小說中所描寫的淒美「情死」場景，以及媒體對「同命鴛鴦」新聞的關注，則間接助長了將私人的戀愛悲劇當作一種公眾「表演」的風氣。愛情的神聖化和商品化之間的弔詭結合，成為林譯小說、鴛蝴派文學、乃至於現當代的通俗言情文學與消費文化得以繁榮興盛的不二法門，值得我們深思探討。

關鍵字

林紓 ； 周瘦鵑 ； 近代翻譯文學 ； 言情小說 ； 浪漫愛 ； 鴛鴦蝴蝶派

並列摘要

This dissertation focuses on the Chinese translation of foreign love stories that Lin Shu and Zhou Shoujuan rendered during the early twentieth century, especially the period before 1919. My purpose is to explore the content and significance of these texts in order to provide a new perspective for the research of modern Chinese literature. By comparing the Chinese translations and the original texts, I reflect on the characteristics of traditional Chinese romance and ideas of marriage and love, along with traces of their transformation.

Both the ideal of enlightenment and commercial benefit were crucial aspects to the publication of Chinese fiction in the early twentieth century. Liang Qichao argued that fiction should be enlightening and useful for the improvement of Chinese society. His theory of the “Revolution of Fiction” won the support of many Chinese intellectuals, who took fiction as a kind of “textbook for the masses” and translated numerous foreign works in order to set examples for Chinese writers. On the other hand, the power of economics on the writing and translating of literature can be observed in Shanghai, the center of fiction production in the late Qing and early Republican period. It shows a power that was stronger than the lesson that Liang preached and turned the development of fiction into something that was motivated more by financial interest. Liang’s ideal of the “Revolution of Fiction” was also challenged by the fact that the readers of these texts were highly educated instead of the illiterate people who desperately needed to be enlightened.

Most of the translated works during this period follow the principle of “sense for sense,” instead of “word for word.” The translators’ strategy implies a Chinese-centered mentality and a wish for popularization: they wanted to produce translations that were easy to understand and therefore profitable. Being the most important translator of fiction in the late Qing, Lin Shu rendered over 160 foreign novels and short stories into Chinese, about a quarter of them romances. These foreign love stories are the best demonstrations of the complex relation between the enlightenment ideology and the desire for commercial profit. Most of them were translated from contemporary best-sellers, and though the authors’ intentions may not have been educational, the trivial messages of Western culture and the descriptions of heterosexual relationships and marriage in these books were eye-opening to many Chinese readers. In other words, these translated works offered an alternative enlightenment and became a kind of “textbook” for readers who were concerned about “free marriage.”

In the social context of late Qing China, romantic love was not only an efficient way of selling books, but also an important mediation between China and the West. La Dame aux camélias, the first novel that Lin Shu translated, was immensely influential. It helped readers turn their eyes to world literature and begin to understand the Westerners’ “heart.” On the one hand, this love story corresponds to the traditional Chinese model of a “scholar and prostitute love affair,” so it could provide readers with a certain sense of familiarity and security; on the other, it describes an exotic European world and transforms the threatening Western culture into a commercial product that could be easily consumed, so that the readers’ anxiety could be resolved. According to many literary historians, the success of La Dame improved the social status of novelists in China and opened a new era of romance writing.

The most controversial romantic novel that Lin Shu translated was Haggard’s Joan Haste. Unlike Bao Tianxiao, the first translator of this story, Lin translated it loyally, and therefore it struck many conservative critics as being immoral, because the heroine conceived an illegitimate baby. However, the major influence that this novel exerted on the young generation was not necessarily a loose attitude towards premarital sex, but a desire to sacrifice for romantic love. The same idea can be detected in another Haggard novel, Beatrice. This story celebrates the wonders and purity of spiritual love and condemns any marriage that is merely a trade. Most of the heroines in Lin Shu’s translated romances are self-sacrificial and are therefore “canonized for love” – in other words, love has such a great value in their lives that it even becomes a “religion” for them. This idea of romantic love was developed throughout the nineteenth century in the West and promoted by Lin’s translations in China; it eventually influenced thousands of Chinese readers and provoked a social reform. As for the Japanese novel Nami-Ko, its integration of a patriotic spirit into a romance inspired many modern patriotic love stories.

Lin Shu and the Mandarin Duck and Butterfly writers are closely related in many ways, including their literary styles, their choice of certain foreign stories to be translated, the magazines that publish their works, etc. Lin was highly respected by the Butterfly writers, and the Butterfly magazines provided Lin with a secure space for his works after the May Fourth literary movement. The dynamics among Lin, the Butterfly writers and the May Fourth writers are complicated, and the most interesting case is Zhou Shoujuan, the so-called “master of melancholy romance.”

Zhou Shoujuan was deeply influenced by Lin Shu’s translations, he inherited and expanded Lin’s territory in his own translation career and had a great impact on the young generation of the early Republican years. Zhou’s writings and translations corresponded to his own traumatic experience of love. The idea of romantic love dominates Zhou’s numerous translations and writings and created a fashion of love-worship. By various translation strategies, such as adapting the original texts, modifying the characters, embellishing the erotic-sentimental ambience, hyperbolizing descriptions, and adding exclamations, along with melodramatic presentations of love and death, Zhou created a highly charged fictional world of romantic passions and beauty that was extremely attractive to contemporary Chinese readers. Zhou’s translations of melancholy romance introduced a new vision of love: here, love is exalted above traditional Chinese morality and ethics, and thus represents a deep longing by the individual for his own independent subjectivity. In this sense, Zhou’s idea of love is comparable to that of the May Fourth writers.

To conclude, Lin Shu and Zhou Shoujuan’s translations of foreign love stories show a high regard for romantic love. They clarify the relation between love and marriage and integrate the idea of romantic love and patriotic discourse. The fantastic scenes of “dying for love” in these stories, along with the contemporary media’s interests in “fate-bound mandarin ducks,” promoted the practice of “performing love” in public. The paradoxical combination of the sanctification and commercialization of romantic love was the major reason why Lin Shu’s translations of romance, Butterfly literature, and the modern popular romance flourished.

並列關鍵字

Lin Shu ； Zhou Shoujuan ； modern literary translation ； romance ； romantic love ； Mandarin Duck and Butterfly School

參考文獻

（美）馬克夢（R. Keith McMahon）著，劉孟哲譯，〈現代中國前夕的性相結構——中國男性的多妻政治〉，《清華中文學報》1期，2007年9月，頁327-349。

呂立德，〈林琴南與桐城派〉，《正修學報》11期，1998年，頁1-16。

胡曉真，〈知識消費、教化娛樂與微物崇拜—論《小說月報》與王蘊章的雜誌編輯事業〉，收入梅家玲編，《文化啟蒙與知識生產：跨領域的視野》，台北：麥田，2006年，頁121-156。

梅家玲，〈教育，還是小說？—包天笑與清末民初的教育小說〉，收入梅家玲編，《文化啟蒙與知識生產：跨領域的視野》，台北：麥田，2006年，頁81-119。

黃錦珠，〈與社會感、道德感融合的寫情小說——論《恨海》〉，《中正大學中文學術年刊》創刊號，1997年11月，頁281-302。