「驅魔」與自我重置：作為暢銷商品的李漁劇作及其雙重話語

“Exorcism”and Self-Reconfiguration: Li Yu’s Plays as Best-Sellers and their Dual Discourse

清代初年，中國江南商品經濟在經過短暫沉寂後，迅速得到恢復。李漁身兼暢銷書作者和文化事業經營者，既要顧全文人規範，更要追逐市場喜好，不同價值觀的齟齬，激發出其創作的特殊風貌。這涉及關注視野的改變，並直接驅動了新的寫作手法。
本文首先說明促使李漁放棄舉業，重置人生，選擇成為名士和出版商的時代環境。市井趣味與文人價值的對峙，表現為「顯」和「隱」並存的「雙重話語」，他一方面服膺並發揚文人傳奇原有的「才子佳人」框架和「敘事程式」，另一方面，以各種極具「話題性」的戲梗，拉出觀看「才子佳人」的另類視角，在描述上羼雜各種情色暗示，並不時對文人行徑和價值觀大肆嘲諷。
正如哈契翁（Linda Hutcheon）針對「諧擬」（parody）手法提出的「驅魔」（exorcism）說，李漁對「文人傳奇」這種帶有強烈主流意味和體例規範的文學體製，採取刻意為之的「差異性模仿」。他將文人對事功的追求淺俗化和功利化，提出先「道學」，而後「功名」，而後「風流」的論調。他對戲劇技巧的自覺及出色表現，顛覆了文人戲曲「詩文傳統」的審美追求。並基於「市場意識」，提出「消愁」的戲劇功能論，更符合當時演劇文化和市井觀眾心的理需求，為戲曲開創了全新的局面，成為晚明清初文人傳奇創作巔峰期的重要面向。

During the early Qing dynasty, following a short period of dormancy, China’s Jiangnan commodity economy experienced a swift revival. Serving as both a creative author for marketable books and a manager in the cultural industry, Li Yu had to balance market preferences with the norms of literati. The discord between these values inspired the distinctive style of his creations, leading to a change in focus and the development of new writing techniques.
This article initially explores the circumstances that led Li Yu to abandon his career, reconfigure his life, and choose the path of becoming a celebrity and publisher. The clash between the tastes of the general public and the values of the literati is evident in the‘dual discourse’characterized by the coexistence of what is‘explicit’and‘hidden.’On the one hand, Li Yu adheres to and preserves the original‘talents and beauties’framework and‘narrative formula’of literati legends. On the other hand, through the use of highly‘topical’comedic elements, he presents an alternative perspective when viewing‘talents and beauties.’His descriptions skillfully incorporate a blend of various erotic innuendos, and he frequently indulges in bold mockery of the behaviors and values of literati.
Similar to Linda Hutcheon’s theory of‘exorcism’for the‘parody’technique, Li Yu adopts the‘literati legend,’a literary system with strong mainstream connotations and stylistic norms. He engages in deliberate‘differential imitation.’Li Yu simplifies and applies a utilitarian approach to the literati’s pursuit of merit, prioritizing‘morality’first, followed by‘official career,’and then‘romance.’Li Yu’s awareness of dramatic skills and outstanding performance subverts the aesthetic pursuit of the‘poetry tradition’of literati opera. Grounded in‘market awareness,’he proposes the theory of the drama function of‘eliminating sorrow,’aligning more closely with the drama culture of that time and meeting the psychological needs of the general public audience. This innovation created a new landscape for opera, marking a significant aspect of the peak period of literati’s legendary creation in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.