明清官印崇拜的文化渊源

The Motif of Seal Loss and Return in Ming Qing Novelsand the Cultural Origin of Seal Worship

中文关键词:  印意象；官印母题；契约精神；符箓崇拜；解构神圣；还珠楼主

英文关键词:the image of the seal, the motif of official seal loss and return, contract spirit, talisman worship, deconstructing sacredness, huanzhu(还珠) building master

中文摘要:

      与明代相比较，清代的官印母题叙事有所变化。一是，官印与官僚体系的权力竞争关系密切，多写受同僚、下属或盗寇窃印构陷，官印被盗，往往民间力量介入后得以解决。二是，清代姬妾、奴婢因保全官印获封赏、更被传扬；侠盗也以还印酬报知遇之恩，官印崇拜被扩大化。官印作为正统权力的物态呈现、信用的符号象征，皇权借助法定形式体现，其与道教符箓神圣性相关。得印运昌，印毁败亡，又与宝失家败母题契合。佛经“鱼腹中重获失物”开启“失印还印”母题，官印辟邪、辟妖功能除了具有道教符箓崇拜，还不断受到正统文化观念权威性、实用性强化。印意象稳定化的神秘色彩，成为“不在场”权威之载体，具有强大的权力象征功能。但如此文学叙事，体现出其为官本位文化的产物，是政治体制与符箓崇拜的结合。官印功能的强化，也是人治力量的弱化。

英文摘要:

      The motif of official seal loss and return in Qing dynasty had its own emphasis and differed from that of Ming dynasty. In the stories of Qing dynasty, the protagonist was dragged into a trap for his loss of the official seal which was stolen by colleagues, subordinates or thieves, and the problem was solved with the intervention of folk force. In Qing dynasty, the official seal worship was promoted by stories about the concubines and slaves who were rewarded and praised for saving the official seal from damage and thieves who returned the official seal to show their gratitude to their benefactors. The official seal is a token of power and symbol of faith, which is related to Taoism worship of talisman. It is believed that one will thrive when he gets the seal, and he will die when the seal is damaged. This also agrees with the motif that the loss of the treasure would bring disaster to the family. The motif of official seal loss and return can be traced back to the story of regaining the lost seal in a fish’s stomach in Buddhist Sutra. The belief that the official seal can protect one against evil spirits and demons not only reflects talisman worship, but also was strengthened by the authority of mainstream culture. The image of the official seal was endowed with a mysterious color and became a symbol of authority. The motif is the product of office standards (guan ben wei) and the combination of political system and talisman worship.