兩個世界的遇合－－重讀李漁《蜃中樓》

Encounter and Fusion of Two Worlds: Li Yu's Shenzhong Lou

本文從空間上「兩個世界的遇合」為思考點，探討清初李漁《蜃中樓》如何「紐合」柳毅傳書、張生煮海「兩個雜劇」文本成為「一個傳奇」文本：在劇中人物的空間移動方面，呈現出仙（虛）、凡（實）人物錯位互置：柳張二生從「現實世界」出走，往「超現實世界」進行英雄冒險；龍女們則亟欲掙脫「超現實世界」的束縛，最終於「現實世界」安宿；「超現實」龍宮猶如「現實世界」中家庭、國家的縮影，反映了傳統社會的思想與體制。在人物配置方面，亦「兩兩」對照、儼然呼應：雙生雙旦，隱隱成為作者追尋自我價值與人生定位時的「分身」；錢塘龍，則代表了包含李漁在內的傳統社會中失意不得志的士子，其他龍王則代表讀而優則仕、按圖規畫人生理想的士子，「兩者」亦為對照呼應；天帝上仙，則象徵至高無上、統合秩序的最高權威，正和龍王們形成「上行」、「下效」的社會結構，兼以「超現實」人物指涉「現實」社會；再結合《蜃中樓》中的「序文評語」，運用洛浦神話、治水時事等意象與「文本」之間遙相呼應，彷若清初「讀者」與「作者」相互對話，似乎暗指出同處於「明」、「清」鼎革劇變的人們內心深處不得已的苦心孤詣。《蜃中樓》以恍惚瑰異的神話愛情故事，兩個文本、兩個世界的遇合，隱喻了李漁在跨越亡國界線之後，如何在現實生活中安身立命的生命書寫。

This paper examines interactions between the real and the illusory worlds in Li Yu's Shenzhong Lou, which combines two zaju texts, The Tale of Liu Yi and Chang Boils the Sea, into one chuanqi text. In the spatial movement of the characters, the play shows the interposition of the fairies (the illusory) and the humans (the real) : Liu and Zhang move from “the real” world to “the illusory” world for their heroic adventures. On the other hand, the dragon ladies are eager to break free from the constraint of “the illusory” world and eventually to settle in “the real” world. The Dragon Palace in “the illusory” world is a miniature establishment of the human family and country, reflecting systems and thoughts of the traditional Chinese society. In the aspect of characterization, the play presents several pairs of contrast and parallel. The two pairs of heroes and heroines embody the author's divided pursuits of self-value and orientation in life. The Dragon King of the Qiantang River stands for the frustrated scholars like Li Yu, while other Dragon Kings represent the lucky scholars who were able to follow the track of ideal life in the traditional sense. The Emperor of Heaven and the immortals in the upper realm are the supreme authorities who bring all into order, while other Dragon Kings follow suit on a lower standing. Together these fairy/illusory figures form a society with a hierarchy that corresponds to the human/real one. In the text, three elements---the preface to Shenzhong Lou, its use of the River Luo myth, and references to the contemporary events of flood control---work together to reveal the desperate inner struggle of the people facing the drastic dynastic change from the Ming to the Qing. Shenzhong Lou is a fantastic mythical love story that combines two older texts and two worlds and allegorizes Li Yu's search for a sensible modus Vivendi living in the real world after his state perished.