十八世紀晚期法國氣味觀點的轉變

The Change in the Perspective of Odour in Late Eighteenth‐Century France

劉冠宏(Kuan‐hong Liu)

《新北大史學》 32期 (2023/01) Pp. 1-10

摘要

本文旨在討論十八世紀後期，展開工業化之後的法國，人們對氣味的觀點發生改變與積極消除臭味的原因。中世紀與近代早期的法國，不管是城市或是鄉村都充斥著各種臭味，但人們卻未積極消除惡臭。而十八世紀後期起，不只政府推動規範環境整潔與氣體循環的法令，民間社會也展開數次除臭工作，人們的嗅覺大規模地「覺醒」。過去關於工業革命影響的研究，往往聚焦於對經濟生產模式、階級、家庭的影響，忽略了對環境與氣味的影響。嗅覺史研究範疇不只包含了氣味發生了什麼改變，也包含了不同時代的人們如何思考氣味，以及人們如何應對不同的氣味。本文試圖從中世紀至十八世紀末之間法國的醫學概念、文化與經濟生產模式的面向切入，揭示崇尚香味並排斥臭味不是法國人自古皆然的心態，而是工業化後上述面向發生改變的結果。

關鍵字

嗅覺史 ； 氣味 ； 法國工業革命 ； 感官史 ； 年鑑學派

並列摘要

This article discusses the reasons why the French changed their perspective of odour and strove to eliminate the foul odours in the late eighteenth‐century France. The air of towns and countries in medieval and early modern France were foul; however, the French did not try to eliminate the unpleasant smells. Since the late eighteenth century, not only did the French government implement several policies and laws on the cleanness of environment and the circulation of air, but the French people also participated in the odour elimination movements. The olfactory senses of French people seemed to have a great "awakening". Previous researches on the impacts of Industrial Revolution usually focus on the mode of economic production, class and family etc., ignoring those on environments and odour. History of olfaction involves not merely in the change in odour, but also in how people in different time thought about odour and their reaction. This article attempts to cut in the issue from the medical, cultural and social aspects. It reveals that fragrance adoration and odour rejection were not embedded in French mentality from the past, but results of the social transformation after the Industrial Revolution.

並列關鍵字

history of olfaction ； odour ； French Industrial Revolution ； history of sensibilities ； the Annales School