論明清小說對建文、永樂朝宦官形象之書寫

The Portrayal of Eunuchs during Jianwen and Yongle Eras in Ming-Qing Novels

漢、唐之外，明朝是中國另一宦官活躍的時代。一般相信，燕王在「靖難之變」中受益於宦官的幫助，因此重用這群刑餘之人。宦官在內戰中發揮的效用，以及「鄭和下西洋」的事蹟，在明清小說中呈現出什麼樣的面貌？將是本文所關注之議題。《女仙外史》中，宦官各為其主，是在史乘隻言片語之外的形象補充；《承運傳》則大書歷史上神秘的剛鐵（綱昺），使之成為開國之功臣。而《西洋記》由宦官這樣的邊緣人物在邊緣地帶遊歷，屬於「事」重於「人」的創作傾向。小說家何以如此書寫名聞遐邇的大璫鄭和？此中既有藝術方面的考量與制約，也展現某些反諷的筆法，倘若與其他以建文、永樂朝為背景的作品進行對讀，或可看出一些曲折的皮裡陽秋。

It is generally believed that because King Zhu Di of Yan received help from the eunuchs during the Jingnan campaign, he leaned heavily on their support upon ascending to the throne. And this also made the Ming dynasty become another period in China comparable to the Han and Tang dynasties wherein eunuchs held considerable power. In addition to the Jingnan campaign, Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Ocean, which were important events from the Jianwen to Yongle eras, were also led by eunuchs. What are the images of eunuchs serving Jianwen Emperor and Yongle Emperor in Ming-Qing novels? Official historical records rarely mention eunuchs, but The Unofficial History of Female Immortals has expanded their roles, depicting their loyalty to the masters of different factions. The Biography of Mandate of Destiny narrates the story of a mysterious eunuch named Gang Tie (Gang Bing) in history, portraying him as the progenitor of the Yongle era. The Record of Eunuch San-Bao’s Voyage to the Western Ocean allows eunuchs as marginalized characters traveling through marginalized regions, yet the author’s predilection for depicting events takes precedence over shaping characters more rounded. Why did the author write about the famous eunuch Zheng He in this way? Beyond artistic considerations, a comparative analysis with other works set in the Jianwen to Yongle eras will reveal a layer of irony in this narrative.