礦脈、鐵路與龍脈──論晚清小說中的風水敘事

Mineral Veins, Railways and Dragon Veins: On Feng Shui Narratives in Late Qing Novels

本文論光緒21年至34年成書出版的晚清小說風水敘事，如何因應近代化浪潮的挑戰，保守勢力重風水「龍脈」甚於鐵路與礦脈，因「陰／陽宅風水關礙重於興利」，「賣山開礦」會破壞國運、地方風水與百姓家運。在晚清開礦與鐵路的近代化過程、時新小說的創作風潮下，小說作者多批判風水，小說中支持與反對風水者（如新知識份子）也分別因應近代化，調整對待傳統風水之態度，反映出近代化過程與風水傳統的折衝，但支持風水並反對開礦與鐵路者未必信仰風水，利益才是其對待風水態度之關鍵，故晚清小說有其過渡性及代表意義。
李寶嘉《文明小史》2回的湖南永順府百姓不滿朝廷賣山開礦，不諳風水的百姓擁有影響開礦的話語權，使知府處於兩難；姬文《市聲》32回則敘經歷開埠的部分上海百姓，認為開礦會破壞地方風水和利益；艮廬居士《救劫傳》5回、符霖《禽海石》8回中激進的義和團民甚至毀壞鐵路，維護地方風水和百姓利益。洋務派主張「辟風水以興利」，以「開礦之必要」說服保守勢力，陳壽嵩《新淚珠緣》2回批判風水不可信，杭州大覺寺和尚散布建蘇杭甬鐵路將破祖墳風水之謠言以斂財。詹熙《花柳深情傳》31回有傅蘭雅譯介的晚清礦學書籍，結合礦學新知與傳統堪輿探礦方式；村民因採礦致富，則實現作者「開鐵路和礦脈興國」之理想。至於壯者《掃迷帚》8回沿用時興的鄭觀應《盛世危言》，批判風水不足信，列強不信風水而富強，反映出晚清知識份子雖欲為國興利、求富強，但理解的列強文化仍有限。

Feng Shui narratives in late Qing novels, written and published between the 21st and 34th years of Guangxu, responded to the challenges of modernization. Conservative forces emphasized dragon veins over railways and mineral veins, because Feng Shui of Yin/ Yang houses is more important than profit-making and selling mountains to mine would destroy the nation’s destiny, local Feng Shui, and families’fortunes. During the modernization process of mining and railway development in the late Qing Dynasty and the trend of new novels, those who supported and opposed Feng Shui adjusted their attitudes in response to modernization. This attitude reflected the conflict between the modernization process and traditions of Feng Shui. Those who supported Feng Shui and opposed mining and railways may not have necessarily believed in Feng Shui. Personal interests and profit were key in their attitudes towards Feng Shui.
In“A Brief History of Civilization”, Yongshun people were dissatisfied with the court selling mountains to mine. People who were not familiar with Feng Shui had the right to talk about mining, putting the prefect in a dilemma.“Sound of Cities”describes Shanghai people who had experienced the opening of a commercial port and believed that mining would destroy local Feng Shui and their interests. In“The Story of Rescue”and“Qin Hai Shi,”radical Boxers destroyed the railway to protect local Feng Shui and local’s interests. Westernization advocated creating Feng Shui for profit to persuade conservative forces of the necessity of mining.“New Teardrop Marriage”criticized Feng Shui as untrustworthy, while monks in Hangzhou spread rumors that building the Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway would destroy the Feng Shui of ancestral graves in order to make money.“The Affectionate Biography of Flowers and Willows”contains late Qing mining books translated and introduced by John Fryer, which combined new mining knowledge with traditional methods. The villagers became rich due to mining, which fulfilled the author’s ideal of building railways and mining to rejuvenate the country. Although intellectuals wanted to make profits and seek wealth strength for the country, their understanding about the culture of Great Powers was limited.