「e考據」卮言：從曹雪芹叔祖曹荃的生辰談起

Some Remarks on E-evidential Research: The Case of Cao Xueqin's Great-uncle Cao Quan's Date of Birth

近年有關大數據或數位人文的討論風起雲湧，許多人都在努力探索以之開創文科新機遇的可能性，或爭取在此一新興領域的話語權，本文透過曹寅為何稱寅年生的仲弟曹荃為「卯君」，以及曹荃誕辰的「花生日」究竟為何日之小小個案，嘗試以「e考據」之法具體操演如何藉由銳利的問題意識和海量的數據資料，用趨近竭澤而漁的態度讓材料有機會發聲，並透過旁證或對比的方式合理解開文本中可能的矛盾。筆者因此論證曹寅乃因對弟弟的友愛與期許，而在詩詞中以蘇軾稱弟蘇轍為「卯君」之用典代稱，而非因其生於卯年，且據曹家的捐監咨文和曹寅的〈寄二弟生辰〉詩，曹荃應誕於康熙元年壬寅歲的二月十五日（北京地區的花朝節），該對其生年及生日的新探索，皆釐清或訂正了先前紅學界的認知。而類此善用e世代環境的學習模式，應可大幅深化我們對古典世界的理解，並對文本有更細緻且正確的掌握。

Big Data and Digital Humanities have become heated topics recently. Scholars either use them as means to broaden the horizons of the humanities or to try and secure authority in this newly established field. Through an investigation of Maojun 卯君, the nickname Cao Yin 曹寅 chose for his younger brother Cao Quan 曹荃, who was supposedly born in the year of Yin, and of Cao Quan's exact date of birth, which was alleged to be the same day as the huashengri 花生日, this article demonstrates the effectiveness of e-evidential research methods in resolving contradictions by filtering materials necessary for contrastive studies from a large amount of data under the guidance of clearly defined research questions. Using e-evidential research methods, we arrive at two conclusions. First, contrary to the previously held belief that ''mao'' 卯 in ''Maojun'' indicates the year in which Cao Quan was born, this article argues that Cao Yin nicknamed Cao Quan ''Maojun'' out of brotherly love and the high expectations he held for him. This was the very nickname Su Shi 蘇軾 had selected for his younger brother Su Che 蘇轍. Second, according to the Cao family's juanjian 捐監 records and Cao Yin's poem titled ''Ji erdi shengchen'' 寄二弟生辰, Cao Quan was born on the 15th day of the second lunar month in the year 1662, the day when Beijing residents celebrated the Huazhao 花朝 Festival. The case of Cao Quan's date of birth shows that e-tools allow us to attain a better understanding of the ancient world and ancient texts.