在異域回眸中國：劉大任袖珍小說的文化反省

本文以劉大任袖珍小說為主要討論範圍。異域，兼表這些作品中思考的場景、起點與方式，由差異而形成對比，由對比而見出特性，由對比揣摩立場的游移與變化；回眸，則表思想活動時的回顧、反省性，或眷戀之故，或為了認清與再確認；中國，在回眸中，所見的故鄉，也是心情與文化的故鄉，以是為其作品中不斷回歸的主題。論者已夥，本文擇其尚未被深論的篇目和主題，並加有機的組織，分論四個子題，既與當代中國人處境息息相關，同時也是文化交涉時的衝擊點：科學與宗教、「中國／人，遺忘在美國／世界的邊緣」、閃爍在鬥爭中的人性光輝、文化型態之爭衡與和解。小說中有著對科學、宗教的反省與包容；雖描寫政治種種不堪，對政治、鬥爭的幻滅感，也同時呈現人性中不待教而自發性的善意；痛惜近代中國及中國人的屈辱和流浪姿態，描寫其邊緣與雜碎的實況，突顯文化主體的失落、及文化追逐下的集體遺忘；並從文化衝突的兩代、三代拔河，以及在文化優劣等爭衡中，能以交錯融合的方式和解，達至圓熟的境界。

關鍵字

劉大任；《劉大任袖珍小說選》；文化論述；科學；宗教；人性

並列摘要

The essay aims to examine the short short stories of Liu Daren Liu. These stories delineate his experience of looking back on China from a foreign land. The foreign land is the basis of the setting, the starting point, and the modes of reflection in the stories: the differences in locales create contrasts, present distinctive features, and lead to changes in perspective. Looking back involves reflectiveness of thought, nostalgic affection, and the hope to recognize and reaffirm one's cultural identity. China, as Liu looks back, is not merely a native land, but a spiritual and cultural homeland; therefore, it becomes a recurring theme in his stories. As Liu's works have been much discussed, this essay will focus on the themes and sections which have not been deeply explored and classify them into four categories, which are not only closely related to the predicament of contemporary Chinese people but also illuminate the points of conflict in cross-cultural interaction: 1. Science and religion; 2. China/Chinese and the sense of being forgotten in the margins of America and the world; 3. humanity reaffirming itself through struggles; and 4. the competition and reconciliation of cultural differences. It is finally argued that Liu expects to reconcile the cultural conflicts on these four accounts to achieve eventual harmony.