论以“西洋自行船”来确定《红楼梦》庚辰本定稿于乾隆三十五年以后

《红楼梦》庚辰本第57回里有“金西洋自行船”,第63回里有“自行船”,说的都是宝玉房里有西洋自行船模型。当时的自行船就是以蒸汽机为动力的轮船。试制轮船成功的是美国发明家富尔顿,时在1807年(嘉庆十二年)。由于程乙本亦有“金西洋自行船”和“自行船”的叙述,而程乙本梓行的时间是1792年(乾隆五十七年),早于1807年,因此,宝玉房里的自行船模型,只能仿自于最先试制的轮船。该式轮船的发明家是法国的乔弗莱,时在1769年至1782年之间。因此庚辰本定稿于乾隆三十五年(1770)至四十七年之间的某年。

Determining the Time of the Final Version of Gengchen Edition according to the Invention of the Western Automatic Ship: from the 35th Year to the 47th Year in Emperor Qianlong Period

Evidences about the fact that there is a Western automatic ship model in Baoyu's room can be found in Chapter56 and Chapter63 in Gengchen edition. This steam engine automatic ship was invented in 1807 by Fulton, an American scientist. However, record about automatic ship in Chengyi edition in 1792 indicates that the automatic ship model in Baoyu's room should be the earliest ship invented in France between 1769 to 1782. Therefore, Gengchen edition was finalized between the 30th year (1770) to the 47th year in the period of Emperor Qianlong.