裕瑞《棗窗閒筆》新探

New Studies on Zaochuang Xianbi by Yu Rui

中國國家圖書館藏裕瑞的《棗窗閒筆》，此書是紅學史上最早的文論專著，但有學者質疑此鈔本的字體頗拙，不似裕瑞所為，且所鈐「淒香軒」一印乃造偽。筆者近在佘嘉惠為裕瑞繪製的《臨羅兩峰鬼趣圖》上，新發現有「思元主人」、「淒香軒」、「鶯思蝶夢」三印亦見於《棗窗閒筆》鈔本，且在比對裕瑞各詩文集中作者「自錄」之字跡後，可確切證明《棗窗閒筆》乃裕瑞的手稿，並進而討論此書對紅學研究之意義。

Zaochuang xianbi by Yu Rui, a manuscript in the collection of the National Library of China is the earliest study dedicated to the Story of the Red Chamber. Its authenticity and authorship has however long been a topic of debate. Scholars suspect that the quality of the calligraphy is too poor to be by the hand of Yu Rui, and that the Qixiang xuan seal is in fact a fake. However, new evidence has emerged from the analysis of a painting, Copy of Luo Ping’s Fascination of Ghosts, dedicated to Yu Rui by She Jiahui. Comparison of the Yu Rui seals present on this painting and the ones imprinted on Zaochuang xianbi, combined with comparison of the handwriting in the manuscript with other known calligraphic specimens by Yu Rui, has revealed that the Zaochuang xianbi manuscript was indeed authored by Yu Rui. This confirmation forms a solid basis for further interpretation of Zaochuang xianbi’s significant role in the study of the Story of the Red Chamber.