论武侠小说的历史性

武侠小说叙事时空主要以明确、虚拟和淡化历史朝代三种方式指向中国古代社会之“历史”。在这一时空前提下,小说家又主要采取借用和架空两种方式想象重现或“改变”历史生活,既塑造“侠”的形象,又表现出对历史的深刻思考,揭示历史与文明进程的规律和意义。这可概括为武侠小说的历史性类型特征。中国古代社会“侠”的丰富存在和文化传统,是武侠小说的历史前提和文化前提,作为英雄之“侠”的形象塑造、玄妙神奇之“武”的渲染、传奇江湖描绘的要求是武侠小说的文体前提,它们交互作用的结果,使得历史时空成为武侠小说具备本土性、文化性、想象性、合理性、可信性存在的必要时空。武侠小说虽然不是历史小说,但历史性是武侠小说这一中国传统小说类型的根本属性。历史性之于武侠小说,可以产生现实的超越性、感受的真实性、内容的深广性以及侠的形象塑造的丰满性等美学意义。

Historicity of Knight-errant Novels

The spatial and temporal dimensions of knight-errant novels'' narration basically points to "History" of ancient China by using clear or fictional or blurring dynasties. In this spatial-temporal dimension, novelists mould "Chivalry" and show their historical thinking, and even reveal the rule and meaning of history and civilization, to reappear or "change" scenes in historical life mainly by borrowing from and alternating history. These constitute knight-errant novels'' historicity. Chivalry and its culture came from the ancient times are the historical and culture premise. "Chivalry", "Militarism" and "Fancy" are the style premise. Their interaction makes historical space-time become a necessary one which gives knight-errant novels nature of aboriginality, culture, imagination, rationality, and credibility. Therefore, although knight-errant novels are not historical novels, historical should be its basic attribute as one of the genres of Chinese traditional novels. For knight-errant novels, historicality may produce aesthetic significance, realistic transcendence, authenticity of acceptance, the depth of content, and the fullness of the character of chivalry.