重評李日華《南西廂記》

Re-commenting the Southern West Chamber of Li, Jih-Hua

明代劇作家李日華《南西廂記》自問世以來，實在罕見對它有所肯定的評價，連帶對它的研究也不多。本文認為應不全然如古人所評，其中可商榷處亦復不少，筆者首先列表統計南北《西廂》曲牌數之多寡，從表中數字所透露之訊息，推測方便南方吳人清唱演出是其改編動機，曲文之刪繁就簡是其改編原則。明乎此，繼而以十一例論其得失。發現某些曲文之弊，或古今共見，不容多所迴護，然竊以為有些情節更動，卻是補了王實甫《北西廂》之罅漏，或有曲文、情節疑義（不一定是敗筆），李日華以己意疏通明朗化，後者之功過較有爭議，但悉以「創作」標準論斷其功過，難免過激或不公。經由諸例之探討、舉證，可以探知李日華改編的原則與透過此一原則所達到的由雅奧繁密趨於通俗朗豁的文字風格傾向，其苦心應不容抹煞！

Since the Southern West Chamber of Li, Jih-Hua, a dramatist of Ming Dynasty, was published, there were seldom positive evaluation and studies. This text believes that the criticism of ancient people is not exactly true, and there are many parts which need to be discussed. The author lists the number of tunes of southern and northern West Chamber. According to the numbers in the list, it is supposed that the adaptation motive is to be convenient for southern Wu people to sing and perform, and the adaptation principle is to condense and simplify the tunes. Therefore, the success and failure of the Southern West Chamber were discussed with eleven examples. Some faults which couldn’t be covered were found and known by ancient and modern people. However, the author thinks that some changes of the plot actually complement the deficiency or doubtful interpretation (not really faulty expression in writing) in tunes and plot of the Northern West Chamber of Wang, Shih-Fu. Li, Jih-Hua used his own opinions to make the Northern West Chamber coherent and clear. Although the merits and faults are controversial, it is too drastic or unfair to criticize the merits and faults with“original”standards. Via the discussion and proof of these examples, we could tell the adaptation principles and the writing style trend from elegance and complication to vulgarness and clearness that he got by these principles. Thus, his effort should not be eliminated.