《儒林外史》的商业文化解读

《儒林外史》是一部专写儒林生活的古典小说，但它既是中国社会封建晚期文人士子的百象图，又是中国十八世纪前后江南士绅生活的风俗画卷。小说描写的对象是知识分子，但其中都有着丰富的商业文化内容，究其原因，一则商品经济是人们日常生活之必需，次则到了清代，“君子不言利”的古训早已是荡然无存，知识分子纷纷投入商业活动，以之牟取巨利。透过商业文化的视角，探究《儒林外史》所反映的封建社会晚清的士子的精神世界和社会风貌，足以见到“那早已消逝的十八世纪的中国社会风俗。”

Commercial Interpretation of The Scholars

As a classical novel describing the life the scholars, The Scholars presents a kaleidoscope of men of letters in the final phase of the feudal society, and also unfolds a picture of country gentlemen in the South of Changjiang River about 18th century. In the novel, commercial culture is rich in that commercialized economy is the daily necessity of every household, and more intellectuals joined commercialized activities to gain profits instead of abiding by the ancient teaching of ＂gentlemen never talk about profit.＂ The paper discusses the spiritual world of the gentlemen and social life in late Qing Dynasty through the commercial culture perspective.