“道德视景” 与 “感时忧国” : 夏志清 《中国现代小说史》 再审视

Moral Vision and Obsession with China A Review of C. T. Hsia 's A History of Modern Chinese Fiction

摘要:

夏志清 《中国现代小说史》 受 “新批评” 派及利维斯 《伟大的传统》 之影响, 早已是学界老 生常谈的事实。 但为什么是 “新批评” 和 “大传统”, 亦即新批评和大传统如何影响着夏氏的选择和批评判 断, 以及这种 “影响” 在什么意义上才是有效的, 却缺少追问。 从道德的形式到形式的道德, 夏氏孜孜矻 矻于小说史对 “道德视景” 的呈现, 在其持久的道德热情背后, 映射出的是一个华人知识分子有关家国和 文化传统的道德焦虑及其孤悬海外的道德身影。 当我们对这部问世已 60 年的著作重审细读可以发现, 夏氏 认同、 珍视中国现代小说 “感时忧国” 的大传统, 正是其当年孤悬海外、 反观故国时, 以学术研究的形式 而 “感忧” 的道德生活与道德抉择, 以小说史的写作来完成对自身生命 “不完整” 的补偿和深切拥抱。

Abstract:

C. T. Hsia _'s A History of Modern Chinese Fiction is acknowledgedly influenced by New Criticism and F. R. Leavis_' The Great Tradition. But few would ask why New Criticism and The Great Tradition? In other words what was it in New Criticism and The Great Tradition that influenced Hsia_'s choice and critical judgment In what sense the _"influence_" is effective From morality form to form morality Hsia endeavored to present _"moral vision_" in A History of Modern Chinese Fiction. so behind the constant passion for morality what moral anxieties of an overseas Chinese intellectual can be reflected And what moral silhouettes can be captured Through close reading this paper intends to indicate the reason why Hsia identified and cherished the tradition of _" obsession with China_" in modern Chinese fiction is that isolated overseas and observing back his homeland he was _"obsessed_" with moral life and moral choice in the form of academic research to compensate and embrace the _"incompleteness_" of life.