自曹雪芹批評“千部共出一套”後，才子佳人小說一時成為反面藝術創作典型，由此，它曾經的輝煌歷史也變得模糊，不為人們所熟知，這大大影響了人們對它們的文學史研究和文學史評價。其實，曹雪芹要在《紅樓夢》中大力地批評才子佳人小說，就說明它曾經很有影響力，因此，描述才子佳人小說的興盛情況很有必要。
這一小說創作類型盛行情況主要表現為以下幾個方面：
第一，盛行海內外。才子佳人小說中的典型代表作《玉嬌梨》、《平山冷燕》、《好逑傳》以及《金雲翹傳》等作品，在當時已經風行海內外，其版本數量之多、流行範圍之廣、流行時間之長，實令人驚訝。
以版本數量論，《玉嬌梨》小說現存的版本大約有46種、《平山冷燕》大約有45種，《好逑傳》大約有23種，與人們耳熟能詳的《三國演義》、《封神演義》等小說版本數量不相上下。
而且這些小說還被翻譯成外國文字，受到國外讀者的歡迎。魯迅先生在《中國小說史略》中所說：《好逑傳》在“外國特有名，遠勝於其在中國”。它早在1719年（康熙五十八年）已有不完整的譯稿帶到英國，1761年（乾隆二十二年）有完整英譯本，比《玉嬌梨》（1821年）、《平山冷燕》（1860年）的最早譯本要早得多。它的譯本有英、法、荷、德、日文等30多種。《玉嬌梨》曾被譯為英文、法文、德文。歌德、黑格爾還曾頗為欣賞地提到過這本小說。《金雲翹傳》，從現在保存的版本情況看，大塚秀高氏《增補中國通俗小說書目》中編錄有六種，但是，這部小說出現一百多年後，被出使中國的越南作傢阮攸見到，並將其改編為越南喃傳《金雲翹傳》，以後這部小說成為世界名著，被翻譯成法文、英文、日文、捷剋文、中文等多國文字。
第二，有相當廣泛的讀者群。以《平山冷燕》小說閱讀情況為例，可以發現，它的讀者有各個層次的人：1、學者。清初著名學者何焯曾將自己的詩比作“《平山冷燕》體”，在《與某人書》中，他說：“僕詩何足道，《梅花》諸詠，《平山冷燕》體，乃蒙稱說，惶愧！”從這條資料可以推測出多條信息，a、何焯本人看過且較熟悉《平山冷燕》；b、何焯通信的對象也看過《平山冷燕》；c、當時有所謂“平山冷燕體”說法；d、高級知識分子中，有欣賞、閱讀《平山冷燕》的人，且讀者還不在少數。2、作傢：王羌特的小說《孤山再夢》中，錢雨林曰：“前看《平山冷燕》，其中白燕詩盡好，以為無人再賡。我二人今日，亦以白燕為題，各作一首，看比舊詩何如？”這條資料首先表明，小說作傢看過《平山冷燕》；同時這條資料還可能暗示，當時像錢雨林這樣的一般的讀書人都熟悉《平山冷燕》小說，《平山冷燕》小說的內容可以作為普通的談話背景。再如靜恬主人“金石緣序”雲：“如《情夢柝》、《玉樓春》、《玉嬌梨》、《平山冷燕》諸小說，膾炙人口，由來已久，……”。鬆林居士在評價《二度梅奇說》中雲：“小說最著者《好逑傳》、《玉嬌梨》、《平山冷燕》之類，……”3、批評者：劉廷磯《在園雜志》中雲“近日之小說，若《平山冷燕》、《情夢柝》、《風流配》、《春柳鶯》、《玉嬌梨》等類，佳人才子，慕色慕纔，……”。4、普通讀者，現存“天花藏批評平山冷燕四才子書藏本”第十二回評語中說，“予嚮閱諸小言，味都嚼蠟，今始見‘四才子’，異而評之。第恨妾生較晚，不及細為點綴耳。”這位評點者可能是位女性，這說明這類小說在當時有相當多的女性讀者。
第三，有創作大傢以及作傢群出現。由於《玉嬌梨》、《平山冷燕》兩部作品在出版方面獲得了巨大的成功，它們的創作者天花藏主人又創作了如《定情人》、《兩交婚》、《飛花詠》、《畫圖緣》、《賽紅絲》、《錦疑團》、《麟兒報》、《玉支璣》等一係列才子佳人小說作品。從大塚秀高的《增補中國通俗小說書目》的資料看，《麟兒報》現存版本11種，《畫圖緣》7種，《兩交婚》6種，《玉支璣》6種，這些作品和數據可以說明這位天花藏主人不凡的創作能力和市場號召力，堪稱才子佳人小說創作大傢。
在當時，除了天花藏主人這位才子佳人小說創作大傢之外，還出現了像槜李煙水散人、惠水安陽酒民、吳中佩蘅子、渭濱笠夫、南嶽道人、雲陽嗤嗤道人、煙霞散人、煙霞逸士、鶡冠史者、蘇庵主人、名教中人、樵雲山人、步月主人、竜邱白雲道人、白雲道人、惜花主人、古吳素庵主人等作傢，這些人以及他們的作品出現時間大約都在清順治末年到清康熙初年，大多數作品也都出現在江南一帶。而且這些作傢以及作品有些與天花藏主人有着千絲萬縷的聯繫。例如，題曰青心才人編次的《金雲翹傳》，有天花藏主人偶題的序言；題曰“煙霞散人”撰的《幻中真》，有天花藏主人的序；《畫圖緣》，有天花藏主人的序言，又有版本題“步月主人訂”，等等。
除這些留下姓名的作傢之外，還有大量作品不題撰人，這些無名氏的創作對才子佳人小說的興盛起到了推波助瀾的作用。由上面的資料可以推測，當時的才子佳人小說創作出現了以天花藏主人為代表作傢的作傢群。
第四，有大量作品出現。從現存才子佳人小說作品來看，大約有將近百部作品，而順、康間較為集中地出現的且比較典型的作品有將近30餘部，除上述的天花藏主人的11部作品以及《金雲翹傳》、《好逑傳》之外，還有槜李煙水散人的《女開科傳》、《合浦珠》、《鴛鴦配》、《明月臺》；鶡冠史者的《春柳鶯》；吳中佩蘅子的《吳江雪》；惠水安陽酒民的《情夢柝》、竜邱白雲道人《玉樓春》；渭濱笠夫的《孤山再夢》、煙霞散人的《鳳凰池》；白雲道人的《賽花鈴》、惜花散人批評的《宛如約》、南嶽道人的《蝴蝶媒》、雲陽嗤嗤道人的《五鳳吟》、煙霞逸士的《巧聯珠》；蘇庵主人的《綉屏緣》；古吳素庵主人的《錦香亭》，等等。
才子佳人小說曾經這樣輝煌興盛，自然有它的一定可取之處，但是，這種可取之處並不能掩蓋其創作包括其中的一些比較好的作品所存在的致命缺點，再加上大量作品的重複、陳襲，所以才子佳人小說最終成為藝術創作的反面典型也就在所難免了。
（光明日報 邱江寧 作者單位：浙江師範大學）
Since Cao criticism "of a _set_ of 1000" after a negative moment Romances classic art, thus, it's glorious history has become blurred, not well known, which greatly affected the people on them Literary History and Literary History of evaluation. In fact, Cao Xueqin in the "Dream of Red Mansions" in strong criticism Romances, which means it has been very influential, therefore, the prosperity of the situation described Romances necessary.
The prevalence of this novel type of mainly the following aspects:
First, popular at home and abroad. Romantic fiction classic masterpiece "Jen pear", "Leng Yan Ping," "Ho-kau Biography" and "On Strange Biography" and other works, has been popular at the time at home and abroad, their version of their number, the breadth of popular, The length of popular indeed surprising.
On the version number, "Jen pear" the existing version of the novel about 46 species, "Ping Leng Yan" about 45 species, "Ho-kau Biography" about 23 species, and people familiar with the "Three Kingdoms", "closed God of Romance "and other novel version of the number of par.
Second, there is a wide readership. "Flat Mountain Cold Yan," Novel read as an example, we find that readers who have all levels: 1, scholars. Ho Cheuk Early renowned scholars who will own poetry as "a" Ping Leng Yan "body" in "the book with someone", he said: "The servant Yongzheng poem" Plum "Zhu Yong," Pingshanlengyan Yan, "body, is kept as saying that Huang Kui!" can be inferred from this information more than information, a, Ho Cheuk I read and the more familiar "Ping Leng Yan"; b, Ho Cheuk communication objects are also seen "Ping Leng Yan"; c, then the so-called "Ping Leng Yan body" argument; d, intellectuals, there is appreciation, reading "Ping Leng Yan" people, and readers to be many. 2, author: Wang Qiang characteristics of the novel "Dream of Gushan again", the money rain forest said: "before watching" Ping Leng Yan ", which Baiyan poetry do good, that no longer Geng. I have two today, they also Yan Bai for the title, all for one, look at than the old poetry of them? "this information at the out_set_ that writers read," Ping Leng Yan "; while this information may also be suggested that this was as much rain in general people are reading familiar with the "Ping Leng Yan" fiction, "Ping Leng Yan" the contents of the novel can be used as the background of ordinary conversation. Another example of static tim masters "stone edge order," saying: "such as" Love Dream watchman's rattle, "" Yu Louchun "," Jen pear "," Ping Leng Yan "all fiction, popular, long-standing ... ...." Buddhist pine in the evaluation of "second Mecci said," Cloud: "The most novel author of" Ho-kau Biography "," Jen pear "," Ping Leng Yan "and the like, ... ..." 3 Critics: Loyalty, Rocky " In the Garden magazine, "Cloud" has the novel, if the "Ping Leng Yan", "Love Dream watchman's rattle," "Merry with", "Spring Warblers", "Jen pear", and the like, beautiful woman gifted scholar, Mu Mu before color , ... .... " 4, the average reader, the existing "hidden criticism of smallpox Pingshanlengyan Yan Four Talented Scholars possession of the" 12th back reviews said, "I read all the small words, taste is Juela, see this before 'd wit', while the assessment of different . s concubine students hate late, not as fine as decorative ear. "The Comment may be female, indicating that these novels were a considerable number of female readers.
In addition to these anonymous writers, there are a lot of work does not question the Composers, the creation of these Anonymous on the rise Romances played a large turnout. By the above information can be speculated that, when the scholar-beauty novels appeared in the ceiling represented by possession of the master writer of writers.
Romances flourish once brilliant, naturally it must merit, but this merit can not conceal its creation, including some of the good works of the existence of a fatal drawback, coupled with a lot of duplication of work Chen Xi, so Romances eventually become the opposite of the typical art also ruled out.
(Guangming Daily Trend and Popular Author: Zhejiang Normal University)
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