晚清海外旅人的倫敦印象──張祖翼《倫敦竹枝詞》與晚清海外遊記的對照

The London Image of Late Qing Dynasty Overseas Travelers: A Comparison of Zhang Zu Yi's London Bamboo Words and Overseas Travel Notes

倫敦為英國首都，晚清旅人造訪之際，正是英國國力鼎盛時期，西方文明已於城市中具體展現。張祖翼《倫敦竹枝詞》以近百首詩的篇幅，透過竹枝詞詩句短小、並列長注的方式描寫倫敦。從斌椿、張德彝、王韜到郭嵩燾，張祖翼以前的中國旅人多半於遊記中強調倫敦的正面形象，倫敦被塑造為內外兼美的理想城市。《倫敦竹枝詞》藉由詩句與注文的矛盾斷裂，顛覆既往美好形象，並利用大量的音譯詞強化異國情調。張祖翼筆下的倫敦印象，外在表象文明進步，內在本質卻無比低落，藉由強化倫敦女子的裸露特質，他將倫敦形塑成春色滿城的慾望空間，卻也更加彰顯了自己的侷限與不安。

London is the capital of the United Kingdom. In the days when late Qing Dynasty travelers visited London, of the Great Britain was at its peak. Zhang ZuYi's London Bamboo Words contains nearly 100 poems, describing London through short verses and long notes. Travelers before Zhang ZuYi included officials (Bin Chun, Zhang Deyi and ZhiGang)、Minister Guo Songtao and private traveler Wang Tao . Most of these Chinese travelers emphasize the positive image of London in their works. London is described as an ideal city in terms of both internal and external, such as a wonderland with magnificent fantasy or a definite and specific civilization metropolitan.
London Bamboo Words by Zhang Zuyi presents a city with positive external appearance (civilization and progress) but degrading internal essence, by employing the contradictions between verses and notes. Under the poet's erotic gaze, the image of London's women is severely distorted, and through their nudity, Zhang Zuyi deepens the city's corrupting qualities, shaping London into an exaggerated space of eroticism.