微調「從一而終」——從《右臺仙館筆記》論俞樾的婦女觀及其呈顯的社會意涵

A Slight Adjustment in “Single-mindedness”: Yu Yue’s View on Women and the Social Implication Presented in You Tai Xian Guan Bi Ji

俞樾為清末著名的經學家，在小說創作方面的成就，亦粲然可觀，所著《右臺仙館筆記》取材廣博，記載各地的市井風情，對於晚清社會現象之揭露，頗有獨到見解。尤其俞樾長期關注婦女議題，《右臺仙館筆記》記載有關婦女故事雖主要集中在前四卷，且多摘錄自《耳郵》，卻有重申和強調其重要性的意味。基本上，俞樾承襲男性為尊的思維，利用傳統禮法制約女性，使朝向孝女、烈婦、賢妻、良母等典範邁進。其內涵，卻是在標榜從一而終的原則下，寬容看待女性追求自主婚姻風氣蔓延情形，較有人情味地評論慕清、悔婚或私奔者現象。隱含透過慎選婚嫁對象的過程，削弱父母之命、媒妁之言的力量，強化女性對婚姻有主宰權的思想，而當婚後被要求得從一而終時，自然就變得合乎情理。據此，除得見俞樾的婦女觀之外，故事中反映的社會現象，同時能作為清代婚姻史和社會史的研究參考，則《右臺仙館筆記》的價值也由此呈現。

Yu Yue is a renowned scholar in Jingxue studies in late Qing dynasty and also reaches prominent achievement in novel creation. His You Tai Xian Guan Bi Ji covers wide ranges of materials and reports oradinary life in various areas, which provides unique viewpoints on the exposure of social phenomenon in late Qing. In particular, Yu Yue pays long-term attention to women issues; although the stories about women reported in You Tai Xian Guan Bi Ji mainly center on the first four volumes and are mostly excerpted from Er You, it conveys the implication of reasserting and emphasizing its significance. Basically, Yu Yue inherits the thinking of “privilege on men” and uses traditional etiquette to confine women and makes them move toward the paragon of dutiful daughter, chastity women, gentle wife and virtuous mother. Its connotation, however, parades a merciful attitude toward the spreading of women’s pursue of autonomy of marriage under the principle of single-mindedness. It comments on the issue of women’s willingness to marry a dead man, regret of marriage or elopement with a heartier perspective. It implies that through the process of cautiously choosing the mate, the powers from parents and match makers are weakened, and the thought that women can dominate their marriages is strengthened. Therefore, when they are asked to follow single-mindedness, it becomes fairly reasonable. Accordingly, Yu Yue’s view on women can be realized, and the social phenomenon reflected in the stories can also be served as references for the research on histories of marriage and society in Qing dynasty. In light of this, the value of You Tai Xian Guan Bi Ji is highly manifested.