紅學索隱派的比附方法與觀念

To Search for the Hidden Meanings of Dream of the Red Chamber' --A Study on the False Comparing Method and Concept of this School

紅學索隱派形成的原因，從根本上來講，是評者的認知仍侷限在文學作品必以史事為描寫對象的觀念中。此種詮釋傳統可以上溯至漢儒對詩經各篇「本事」之搜求比附，尤其是古典小說，原本即帶著「野史」的性質與模擬史書的敘述方式，像與〈紅樓夢〉差不多同時的〈儒林外史〉依然如此即可證明。再加上清朝的學術風氣，像章學誠即有「六經皆史」的說法，史學取代經學是中國思想史上重要之轉折，所以對一切作品的詮釋就有從史實著眼的傾向。落在〈紅樓夢〉本身創作與評論來看，早期此書流傳時作者刻意的自我隱匿，所以「知人論世」（對作者及其所處歷史環境之了解）此詮釋文本的基本課題即無法展開；但〈紅樓夢〉卻又深深吸引著許多人探索的目光，勉強詮釋的結果就是將知人論世的課題放在書中可能影射的歷史人物與其故事上來搜尋，所以「滿清權貴說」就出現了。此說優點在於提供若干清朝史例以印證書中賈府炬赫之可能，其中賈寶玉即寫納蘭容若的說法也具有一些說服力，總之，可促進對類似的典型權貴家庭與典型癡情人物的了解，但對納蘭容若的歷史認識絕對不能等同於對賈寶玉的文學認識。至於清末民初的索隱家，因為「排滿」的時代風潮高漲，所以對〈紅樓夢〉本事的追求就放在康熙的朝政，甚至擴大至明末清初漢族被滿族征服的歷史上；他們認為〈紅樓夢〉是遺民文學，寫作動機是反清復明。但仔細察看此說兩本代表作，其索隱內容卻與「反清」之前提不能符合；蔡作著力於賈府人物與仕清漢臣之比附，縱然果真如此，描寫仕清漢臣是否可以達成「反清」的宣傳效果，頗令人懷疑。沈、王之作則在「反清復明」的前提下，隱藏著窺探宮闈秘史的欲望，其背離前提之情形更加顯豁。由此可知清末民初的索隱者將「反清復明」的詮釋前提當成無法迴避的道德使命或民族主義的情感責任；而索隱內容與此前提的落差是否也間接證明〈紅樓夢〉文本並不適合膺任政治的使命？甚至到了五○年代的台灣，仍有人持孤臣孽子之心繼續著相同的詮釋立場。雖然在詮釋學上，詮釋者必然帶著自己的歷史性，而且歷史性有時可以為文本帶來新的意涵，但這是基於詮釋者與文本對話的結果，絕非詮釋者一廂情願只是利用文本來宣洩自己的民族情感與意識；何況沒有兩位索隱家在細部的比附上是完全相同的，所以每出現新的索隱著作等於增加一次歧異（diversion），不但不能增強影射的說服力，反而再一次減損其立論基礎；例如當賈寶玉影射愈來愈多的歷史人物，很可能反證作者並無意影射任何特定的歷史人物。甚且就根本上來說，〈紅樓夢〉作者有極高的虛構意識，其刻意與之前或同時仍在模仿歷史書寫的古典小說作一明顯區隔，所以原先對待古典小說的詮釋觀念與方法，例如尋求歷史的比附、猜測作者寫作的政治動機，皆不相宜。此後的索隱家大抵不出「純歷史考証」（如邱世亮《紅樓夢影射雍正篡位論》）、「反清復明的民族主義」（如潘重規諸多著作）、「清宮秘史」（如霍國玲、霍紀平《紅樓解夢》三種詮釋立場。

Why do so many scholars try to search for the hidden meanings of Dream of the Red Chamber? They believe that literary works should be based on history. As a matter of fact, Chinese classical novels are somehow in the nature of unofficial records; they usually imitate the historical works in their narrating ways. An Unofficial History of the Scholars, a novel about the same time as Dream of the Red Chamber, is a good example. Furthermore, the atmosphere of the scholarly world of Ching period--for instance, Chang Xue-cheng's opinion of 'the Six Classics are all history'--promotes the scholars to interpret all kinds of works from the viewpoint of history. In the case of Dream of the Red Chamber, as the author conceals himself on purpose, it's difficult for the readers to investigate any important facts from his life, his background and environment. But the scholars are so interested in Dream of the Red Chamber that they still try to suggest a certain person or event from the novel and make far-fetched conclusions and false assumptions without true basis. For example ' there are the theory of 'the nobility of the Ching Dynasty', the theory of 'the literature of the old people of past regime', etc. But as we know, there are a confusing variety of opinions. If more and more figures are suggested to be Jia Bao-yu, maybe we can say that the author has no intention to suggest any one of them. Basically speaking, Dream of the Red Chamber is a fiction.