所谓鸳鸯蝴蝶派，是清末民初出现的一个的文学流派。这一流派曾广受大众读者欢迎，也曾广受新文学界的批判，其影响非常广远，甚至于到了今天，还有人在批评所谓“媚俗、低级文化”时仍将他拿出来作为代名词。
这一流派的作者群先后多达两百余人，分散在江苏、浙江、安徽、江西一带，后来集中到上海、天津、北京几个大城市。开始没有固定的组织，后来成立了青社与星社。包天笑为这一派的主持者，重要的代表人物有徐枕亚、张恨水、吴双热、吴若梅、程小青、孙玉声、李涵秋、许啸天、秦瘦欧、冯玉奇等。这些作家、写手所创作的作品题材广泛，包括“相悦相恋，分拆不开，柳阴花下，像一对蝴蝶，一双鸳鸯一样”的才子佳人恋爱小说，铁马金戈的武侠小说，扑朔迷离的侦探小说，揭秘猎奇的社会小说……都是他们的拿手的题材。“鸳鸯蝴蝶”是以形象化的名称来指谓民初的才子佳人的言情小说派别，但是由于这一流派的作家不仅仅是写才子佳人的恋情小说，因此用鸳鸯蝴蝶派命名已无法概括众多题材的特色，于是，有人取该派最有代表性的刊物《礼拜六》名之，取其休娱、消闲功能而称为《礼拜六》派。
在中国现代文学发展过程中，涌现过许多文学流派，鸳鸯蝴蝶派是其中重要而且特殊的一个派别。说其重要，是因为在“五四”前后的文学革命的时代大潮流中，他们是属于重继承和多保守的一个文学流派，屡遭新文学界的批判。在新文学营垒与该派的论争和交锋中，使新文学在文坛中扩大了自己的影响，日益茁壮成长。谈及新文学运动就不可避免地牵涉到该派别。说其特殊，是因为由于受到新文学各派的的指责，使其中的有些作者长期以来不原承认自己是隶属于该流派的成员，突出的例子是其代表作家之一的包天笑否认自己是鸳鸯蝴蝶派。他曾说：“近今有许多评论中国文学史实的书上，都视我为鸳鸯蝴蝶派……我所不了解者，不知哪几部我所写的小说是属鸳鸯蝴蝶派。”。该派有的作者只承认自己是《礼拜六》派，而否认自己是鸳鸯蝴蝶派，他们通常所持的一个理由是，鸳鸯蝴蝶派是仅限于徐枕亚，李定夷等少数几位作者，只有民初那些写四六骈俪体言情小说的才是名实相符合的鸳鸯蝴蝶派。
鸳鸯蝴蝶派小说曾是新文化运动前文学界最走俏的通俗读物之一。代表作之一徐枕亚的《玉梨魂》，曾创下了再版三十二次，销量数十万的纪录。著名作家张恨水的《嘀笑因缘》也曾先后十数次再版，其五大作家“张恨水、包天笑、周瘦鹃、李涵秋，严独鹤”的作品在报纸连载时，曾出现市民排队等候报纸发行的场面。
但五四新文化运动、鲁迅先生领导下的左翼文联等新文化阵营，“在批判复古论调的同时，新文学阵营不断地同鸳鸯蝴蝶派展开斗争”。他们认为鸳鸯蝴蝶派“文学”滋生于半殖民地的“十里洋场”，风行于辛亥革命失败后的几年间，是在人民开始觉醒的道路上的麻醉药和迷惑汤。虽然有少数作品在某种程度上暴露了社会黑暗、家庭专制和军阀横暴等等，但其总的倾向却不外乎“卅六鸳鸯同命鸟，一双蝴蝶可怜虫”，正如鲁迅说的是“新的才子+佳人”，“相悦相恋，分拆不开，柳荫花下，象一对蝴蝶，一双鸳鸯一样”。标榜趣味主义，大都内容庸俗，思想空虚，“言爱情不出才子佳人偷香窃玉的旧套，言政治言社会，不外慨叹人心日非世道沦夷的老调”。
然而，在阅读鸳鸯蝴蝶派作家的一些作品后，我们却可以感觉到，这一类作家的所谓靡靡之作，并非全都只是单纯的“以描写‘才子佳人’为主，主要表现旧中国半封建半殖民地的落后思想意识，表现了病态社会中小市民阶层的艺术趣味。”他们中不少，比如张恨水的《啼笑因缘》，比如包天笑的《沧州道中》等，或多或少的抨击了当时社会的黑暗面，讽刺了当时社会的种种弊端，借才子佳人或凄婉或悲凉的恋爱故事，歌颂或赞扬了抗日青年，反映了对当时社会男女不平等、贫富不均匀、等种种丑恶，在当时来说，与其同时代的一些极端宣扬封建复辟、迷信邪说的文学作品相比，是具有一定进步意义的。
那么，为什么长时间以来，对于这一“流派”，存在这样那样众多的批判呢？
要想重新评价“鸳鸯蝴蝶派”并肯定其正确地位，我们首先有必要了解一下与鸳鸯蝴蝶派相关的一些历史背景。
1906年，当时中国最大的通商口岸上海出版的报刊达到66家之多，此时全国出版的报刊总数达到239种。这些报刊在发表政论新闻的同时，也发表诗歌和娱乐性质的文章，后来这些内容演变成了“副刊”，副刊的发展导致文学刊物的出现和单独出版。其中，梁启超创办的《新小说》(1902)、李嘉宝主编的《绣像小说》(1903)、吴沃尧、周桂笙编辑的《月月小说》(1906)、吴摩西编辑的《小说林》(1907)是此时四大文学刊物。这些依赖通商口岸、现代都市和印刷出版工业及大众传媒体制而出现的都市文学刊物，一方面因适应了都市市民大众的“消闲”、“娱乐”要求从而建立起市场和读者群，一方面又为那些由于种种原因而脱离了传统的“学优而仕”的人生事业格式的知识分子，从传统文人向现代职业作家的转变提供了物质条件，使依靠报刊杂志、读者市场和稿酬谋生的“作家”这一职业得到确立，一批职业作家由此在清末逐渐出现。《晚清小说史》中论及晚清小说的繁荣时指出：“第一，当然是由于印刷业的发达，没有前此那样刻书的困难：由于新闻事业的发达，在应用上需要多量产生。”辛亥革命以后报刊杂志大增，据统计，仅1911年，报刊杂志就达500种，从晚清到1917年文学革命之前，单是以小说命名的文学杂志就以近30种这众多的报刊杂志以及相应的印刷出版体制的产生与形成，本身就是社会现代化的产物，它们又共同构成了文化、文学的生产消费体制、公众传媒体制和“文化公共空间”。
在辛亥革命后出现的鸳鸯蝴蝶派小说，正是依赖这种体制化的报刊杂志(文化产业和文化公共空间) 和满足都市市民文化消费需要而大行其道的，鸳鸯蝴蝶派小说的炮制者也因此成为依赖报刊杂志、传媒体制和稿费谋生的专业化、职业化作家。（不过，尽管清末民初的这些文人在中国社会的现代化历史变迁中已转变为职业作家，但是他们自己还没有自觉意识到这种身份角色的现代性变化，也没有将文学职业化、作家职业化作为明确的目标公然提出和申明）。
鸳鸯蝴蝶派中较著名的作者张恨水、严独鹤、周瘦鹃、徐枕亚、包天笑、陈蝶仙等。他们大都是既编辑又创作，有的还兼翻译。最初的鸳鸯蝴蝶派文学主张是趣味第一，主要描写婚姻问题，有的作品反映了一定的社会内容，有一定的积极意义。鸳鸯蝴蝶派以文学的娱乐性、消遣性、趣味性为标志，曾一度轰动文坛。
对于某些批判鸳鸯蝴蝶派的结论，归纳起来，大致有下列三点：一、在思想倾向上，认为该派代表了封建阶级（或日垂死的地主阶级）和买办势力在文学上的要求，是遗老遗少的文学流派，或称是“一般逆流“；二、认定这是十里洋场的产物，是殖民地租界的畸形胎儿，三、这一流派属帮闲、消遣文学，是游戏的消遣的金钱主义文学观念的派生物。以上的这些论点是有明显偏颇的，与大量作品对照，“定论”与客观存在的实际相去甚远。
而现实中，有些批判往往是对某种现成的论点的转辗传抄。传抄得多了，某些现成的论点就成为“众口一词”的定论。于是这一定论又为人们所“习相沿用”，如此循环往复，笃信弥坚。但是越对该流派了解深入，就会不可避免的对所持的过去的“批判定论”产生应有的、必要的疑窦。
其实，对于鸳鸯蝴蝶派的正确解释，应当是：清末民初大都会兴建过程中出现的一个承袭中国古代小说传统的通俗文学流派。这一流派一直得不到新文学界各派别的承认，是有其很复杂的历史背景的：时代潮流的激荡，文学观念的演进，读者心态的变异等多方面的原因，再加上其本身的先天的缺陷，都决定了它必然要经历一段受压抑的历程。该派与“新派”文学之间的论争，说到本质上，也就是“通俗”文学与“严肃”文学，“平民”文学和“革命”文学之间的矛盾的产物。
鸳鸯蝴蝶派的代表作家之一包天笑曾谈及他的创作宗旨是：“提倡新政制，保守旧道德”。这十个字是极凝炼概括地代表了这一流派大多数作者群的思想实况。这与“五四”前后兴起的新文学运动中的极力提倡科学，反封建的宗旨是相违背的。在形式上，鸳鸯蝴蝶派则以长篇章回体小说为其特色，而短篇最可读的首推传奇故事，也即他们仍然承袭的古代白话小说的传统。而新文学在初创阶段就主动摒弃章口体，而重点致力于短篇小说的创新上。这样、在“五四”揭开新民主主义革命序幕时，在新文学阵营眼里，他们还“拖着一条无形的旧民主主义的辫子”，而他们在作品中的某些传统意识，必然与新文学营垒形成一对矛盾。由于内容和形式上的分道扬镳，“五四”前后新文学界对该派的主动出击是无可避免的，既是历史的必然，也是创新的必需。在历史发展的进程面前，我们完全可以理解这场批判的必要性和必然性。
在五四时期对鸳鸯蝴蝶派的另一严重批评是抨击它的游戏消遣的金钱主义的文学观念。这是有关文学功能方面的原则分歧。学功能应该是多方面的。它应该有战斗功能、教育功能、认识功能、审美功能、娱乐功能……等等。
每当迎来历史变革的潮汐或革命大波袭来的前夜，文艺的战斗功能和教育功能总是会被强调到极端重要的地步。在近代文学中梁启超就是鼓吹这方面的功能的代表人物。他说：“欲新一国之民，不可不先新一国之小说。故欲新道德，必新小说；欲新宗教，必新小说：欲新政治，必新小说；欲新风俗，必新小说；欲新学艺，必新小说；乃至欲新人心，欲新人格，必新小说。何以故？小说有不可思议之力支配人道故。”
梁启超将小说提高到“大道中的大道”的高度，小说就成了“大”说，成为救国救民的灵药。但在中国文学传统中，小说一直被视为“小道中的小说”。新文学作家朱自清是看到了这一点的：“在中国文学的传统里，小说和词曲（包括戏曲）更是小道中的小说，就因为是消遣的，不严肃。不严肃也就是不正经；小说通常称为“闲书”，不是正经书……鸳鸯蝴蝶派的小说意在供人们茶余酒后消遣，倒是中国小说的正宗。中国小说一向以“志怪”、“传奇”为主，“怪”和“奇”都不是正经的东西。明朝人编的小说总集所谓“三言二拍”……“拍案惊奇》重在“奇“很显然。“三言”…… 虽然重在“劝俗”，但是还是先得使人们“惊奇”，才能收到“劝俗”的效果……《今古奇观》，还是归到“奇”上。这个“奇”正是供人们茶余酒后消遣的。”
鸳鸯蝴蝶派的成员是这一传统功能观的自觉世袭者。姚鹤雏在《小说学概论》中引经据典他说：“依刘向《七略》及《汉书·艺文志》，小说出于‘街谈巷语，道听途说’，则其所载，当然多属‘闲谈奇事’；又观《七略》及《隋书·经籍志》所录，则‘凡各著艺术立说稍平常而范围略小巧者，皆可归于小说’。‘其所包举、无非小道’。”
这种文学的功能观与当时提倡血和泪的文学且具有历史使命感的革命作家就构成了冲突。由沈雁冰和周作人发起的文学研究会对“将文艺当作高兴时的游戏或失意时的消遣”的文学观及在这种文学观引导下产生的文学现象提出了批评。如果将这种批评进行“语境还原”的话，那种被视作游戏或消遣的文学，无疑指的是清末民初以来的所谓“黑幕文学”、“狭邪小说”，指的就是“鸳鸯蝴蝶派”等依赖报刊杂志和读者市场的大众通俗文学。沈雁冰和周作人，此前此后发表了很多批评“礼拜六派”、“鸳鸯蝴蝶派”等游戏消遣文学的言辞文章。
而且不仅是文学研究会诸人，在“五四”历史文化语境中，新文化阵营中的几乎所有人都把鸳蝴派文学当作封建旧文学的余孽、当作建立新文学的障碍和对立物而痛加批判与否定。新文学作家认为鸳鸯蝴蝶派文学不仅是创建新文学的绊脚石，而且它们的消闲游戏观念和倾向更大有害于国民性的改造和重建、有害于人生社会的改良和更新、有害于中国从“边缘”重返“中心”的努力、有害于现代民族国家的实现，一句话，有害于中国现代化历史目标和“强国梦”的实现。因此，出于这种以民族国家为终极关怀的启蒙文学观的立场和追求，文学研究会以及新文学阵营对鸳鸯蝴蝶派等游戏消闲类的都市通俗文学发出了激烈的批判之声，而且，“五四”以后新文学对都市通俗文学的轻蔑和批判依然没有终结，对武侠影片《火烧红莲寺》为代表的武侠小说、侦探言情小说以及所谓的“小市民文艺”，包括鲁迅和茅盾在内的新文学作家也都予以了痛击。
新文学阵营对上述的都市通俗文学的批判，从其启蒙文学观和为新文学的创立与发展开辟道路、开拓空间的角度来看，有其历史的合理性与必要性。他们之对鸳蝴派等都市通俗文学的批判清理，是因为他们认为此类文学根本上不利于甚至是妨碍着中国成为现代民族国家，妨碍着中国走向进步，所以，必欲批判之铲除之，他们是为了这一根本的现代性使命而进行了对“旧世界”的批判和清理。在这些追求中国文学现代化的先驱者看来，那些以游戏消遣娱乐消费为目的的文学，尽管比新文学诞生得早或与新文学同时存在，但它们却不具有丝毫的现代性，而是历史和时代的垃圾。革命作家的使命在于用他们的小说启发和培养一代民族精英。因此，游戏与消遣功能在现代文学的历史阶段中常被视为玩物丧志的反面效应而一再加以否定。
但“娱乐”既然是文学本身的功能之一，人们就只能在某一特定时期对它加以否定而去约束它，以便突出其他的功能，却无法彻底剥夺这种功能的本身。即使在特别需要发挥文学的战斗功能的岁月里，都市中的别一层次的读者，仍然停留在将小说看成“小道中的小道”的梯阶上，那就是一般意义上的大众，或称“俗众”也可以。首先在“俗众”看来，小说发挥游戏与消遣效应是他们调节生活的一种需要。随着新兴大都市的成型和工业机器齿轮的转速越来越快，都市通俗小说的需求量也激升。生活节奏频率的空前增速，人们觉得脑力和筋肉的弦绷得太紧，工余或夜晚需要松弛一下被机械绞得太紧的神经。这就需要娱休，而读小说就是娱乐和调节的方法之一。其次，当四周生活像万花筒般变异的环境里，特别是像上海这样新兴的大都市，光怪陆离，五光十色，瞳勉担越，无奇不有。一般的“俗众”也希望通过都市通俗文学去了解四周的环境，以增强适应性，不致茫茫然地跌人生活陷饼。第三，这些“俗众”一般都缺乏新兴意识，但是他们也在通俗文学中接受某种教育，即在茶余酒后阅读通俗文学，在拍案惊奇中受到潜移默化的教诲与惩戒。因此，在近现代文学革命中，这一流派不是面向民族精英，而是主要面向一般意义上的大众，因而可以称他是一种市民文艺，“平民”文学。
但是它也并非与知识分子读者无缘，在知识分子阶层中，比较明显分成两种类型：一种是喜爱新文艺的读者，他们常为文学功能观的矛盾而排斥通俗文学：另一种平日对新旧两派的小说部涉猎例览，又往往为通俗文学的趣味性和可读性所吸引，为其引人入胜的故事情节、紧张惊险的悬念所牢牢控制，在富有兢力的优秀通俗文学作品面前，他们也手不释卷，废寝忘食。但问题是他们并不在公开场合中赞扬或介绍通俗文学，为其制造良性评价的舆论。似乎被通俗文学所吸引是有失身份的一种表现，因为部分知识分子一直视通俗文学是低级趣味的同义词。这就构成了一种表里不一的矛盾：“ 暗里读得津津有味，明里却不愿津津乐道”，“感情上被它打动过，理智上认定它低人一等”。这种微妙的心态是一种“犹抱琵琶半遮面”的心理分裂症。
不论是一般“俗众”或是部分知识分子，被通俗文学所吸引的磁力皆来自趣味性，而趣味性正是达到游戏、消遣目的的必备要素，也是娱乐功能的灵魂。趣味性还是通俗文学进行“劝俗”和“教化”的媒介和桥梁。但是趣味性一度被新文学家看成是“玩物丧志”、 ”醉生梦死”的麻醉剂，以致朱自清也发生这样的感啃：“但是正经作品若是一味讲究正经，只顾人民性，不管艺术性，死板板的长面孔教人亲近不得，读者恐怕更会躲向那些刊物里去。”鲁迅也曾说：“说到‘趣味’那是现在确已算一种罪名了，但无论人类底也罢，阶级底也罢，我还希望总有一日弛禁，讲文艺不必定要‘没趣味’。”同时鲁迅还说：“在实际上，悲愤者和劳作者，是时时需要休息和高兴的。”这正说明了趣味性和娱乐功能是无罪的。而通俗文学是着眼于可读性、情节性。讲究情节曲折，峰口路转，跌宕多姿，高潮迭起。在中国的现代通俗小说读者中出现过“《啼笑姻缘》、《金粉世家》迷”就是从有趣味而逐渐进入陶醉的境界，以致达到了消遣娱乐的效果。这与我们七十，八十年代的“武侠”小说迷，“金庸”迷；“古龙”迷；以及“言情”小说“琼瑶”迷等很是相似。这也说明通俗文学是有其存在的旺盛力的！
据说，在美国，过去许多学者对通俗文化也持否定态度，认为它们仅是庸俗文学和文学垃圾而已。但是在二次世界大战之后，“美国学”兴起。学者对通俗文化开始从轻视转为重视，从主观转为客观，从片面转为全面。他们认识到，通俗文艺能历史地反映某一时间长链中读者心态和价值观的变化。“这些畅销书是一种有用的工具，我们能够透过它们，看到任何特定时间人们普遍关心的事情和某段时间内人们的思想变化。”日本的尾崎秀树在他的《大众文学的历史》一书中写道：“说起大众文学，一般是指能够大量生产、大量传播、大量消费的商业性文学。就内容而言，是为大众娱乐的文学，但不只是单纯的有趣，也起着通过具体化的方式给大众提供其所不知道的事物的作用……由于日报百万数的突破，新闻系统周刊的创刊……本来与小说无缘的阶层变成了接受者，这就期待适应不仅本来热衷文学、还有未经文学训练的读者要求的小说。……大众文学是与大众一起产生，而又是大众意识的反映。”这位研究日本通俗文学颇有建树的学者的一席话，对我们很有参考价值。
鸳鸯蝴蝶派的兴起可谓生不逢时，五四时期，在中国小说从传统型改道转轨为现代型的过程中，开始总要与民族旧形式呈决裂的态势，以期符合世界潮流的新形式。这就会有一番大革命、大剧变，对内容中的传统意识和形式中的传统框架，总要有一番大革新和大突破。这就必然会与仍然坚持承袭中国传统的文学流派产生大碰撞。新兴意识和革新形式总要在大搏战中争得自己的文坛领土，否则它难于有立锥之地。对传统的精神产品，总要有人来向它进行大胆的挑战，对世袭文坛的权威总要有人去撼动它的根基，然后才会有创新的极大的自由。文学研究会在宣言中宣告：“将文艺当作高兴时的游戏或失意时的消遣的时候，现在已经过去了。我们相信文学是一种工作，而且又是于人生很切要的一种工作：治文学的人也当以这事为他终身的事业，正同劳农一样。”这段话的指向当然是以鸳鸯蝴蝶派为否定目标的。所以鸳鸯蝴蝶派首当其冲，其实是作了革命文学的反面教材。
客观上说这个继承中国古典小说传统革新发展意识不强的都市通俗文学流派，在现代文学的发展历史上，虽有其局限性，却也作过一定的贡献。其中的很多文学作品是非常不错的，与新文学的某些同类题材相比，也是毫不逊色的。“黑幕狭邪”鸳鸯蝴蝶派文学，在根本上是中国社会现代化和文学现代化追求的产物，它们本身就是现代性事物。
其实，鸳鸯蝴蝶派当初问世之时，甚至标榜的是“新小说”，直接承继晚清“新小说”而来，接受了西方小说的影响，为中国小说的发展，作出过重要的贡献：中国第一本正面描写和尚恋爱的小说，是被周作人称为鸳鸯蝴蝶派的祖师苏曼殊写的《断鸿零雁记》。中国第一本歌颂寡妇恋爱的小说，是鸳鸯蝴蝶派的代表作《玉梨魂》。中国第一本长篇日记体小说，是《玉梨魂》作者徐枕亚写的《雪鸿泪史》。中国第一篇书信体小说，是鸳鸯蝴蝶派主将包天笑的《冥鸿》。无论在内容还是在形式上，鸳鸯蝴蝶派都有所创新。在民初的文坛上，无论从大量运用文言创作还是从内容与形式的创新来看，鸳鸯蝴蝶派都代表了当时中国文学的水平。它同时创作纯文学与通俗文学。五四新文学的崛起，一种更新的纯文学问世，逼着鸳鸯蝴蝶派完全走向通俗文学。抗拒这一转化的徐枕亚、李定夷、吴双热等人先后离开了作家队伍，顺应这一转化的包天笑、周瘦鹃等则占据了通俗文坛。从纯文学与通俗文学的双栖，转化为完全的通俗文学，决定了通俗文学接受纯文学的影响，表现为纯文学对通俗文学的渗透。例如中国的通俗小说，本来是偏重于故事情节的，这时大量运用心理描写、情景描写，也注重展示人物的内心世界。从二十年代到四十年代，可以看到通俗小说从传统的“章回体”变为现代小说，其间充满了纯文学对通俗文学的渗透。发展到琼瑶、金庸的小说，只是在题材上沿袭了传统的“言情”、“武侠”，小说的思想情感，形式内容与传统通俗小说相比，已经完全现代化了。当代小说，纯文学与通俗文学的界限越来越不明朗：一些被视为是纯文学的作品，按西方标准应当算通俗小说；一些从来被视为通俗小说的，如金庸的作品，被一些大学讲坛认为是纯文学。也许，这本身就可以证明纯文学与通俗文学之间的差距已经缩小到何等地步。
虽然按照五四新文学的标准，这些创新还不够，作家不敢打倒封建礼教，不敢让恋爱的和尚、寡妇与恋人结婚，而且颇有媚俗的倾向，但是，文学史的评价，毕竟是根据它比前人多提供了什么。因此，新文学有理由批判鸳鸯蝴蝶派，如今的文学史家却不能否认鸳鸯蝴蝶派作出的贡献。对鸳鸯蝴蝶派，过去有若干不公允或误解性的评价以致定论，是偏颇的，是以“革命文学”的名义对其全面的否定，是一种不科学的学术氛围下的产物。我们今天对待这一流派，应当正确认识其历史与地位，肯定其历史意义。客观的去看待他，客观的去看待中国近代的文学史。
The so-called Butterfly, is the emergence of a Late Qing Dynasty literary genre. The school has been welcomed by the general reader, have widely affected by the new literary criticism, its impact is far-reaching, even to this day, also criticized the so-called "vulgar, vulgar culture" will he come up with as a synonym.
The authors of this genre have as many as two hundred people, scattered in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi area, was concentrated in Shanghai, Tianjin, Beijing, several big cities. There is no fixed organization began, and later established the Youth Club and Star Club. Package-day laugh as the host of this school, there are important representatives Xu Zhenya, Zhang Henshui, Wu dual heat, Strips, Xiaoqing, Sun Sheng, Li Han Qiu, Xu Xiaotian, Qin thin in Europe, Feng Yuqi so. These writers, writers have created works of wide range of topics, including "gracious in love with is not split open, Liu Yin spend the next, like a pair of butterflies, a pair of mandarin ducks as" the Romantic love stories, martial arts novels of iron Majin Ge , confusing the detective novel, revealers of secrets novelty of the social novel ... ... are they good at the subject. "Butterfly" is the name to refer to visualize and Beauty in the romantic novels that the Republic of China faction, but because the writers of this genre romance of Beauty and not just write novels, it can not be summarized with the Butterfly has many names subject characteristics, then, was sent to take the most representative publication "Saturday" name of the stops off entertainment, leisure functions known as "Saturday" faction.
In the development of modern Chinese literature, the emergence of many literary genres, Butterfly is one of the important and special one faction. That its important, because "54" before and after the revolution of the times literary trend, they are more conservative heavy inheritance and a literary school, repeated the new literary criticism. In the new camp and the camp literary debate and confrontation in the new literature in the literary world to expand their influence in the increasingly grow. On the new literary movement will inevitably involve the factions. That their special, because due to the new literature of the accused parties, to which some of the original a long time does not admit that he is a member belonging to the genre, highlighting the example of one of its representative writers deny packet-day laugh is the Butterfly. He said: "Today there are many comments in recent historical books on Chinese literature, are regarded as the Butterfly ... ... I do not know who I am, I do not know which of several novels written by me is Butterfly.". Some of the school admitted only that he is "Saturday" school, but denied that he was Butterfly, they are usually held one of the reasons is that Butterfly is limited Xu Zhenya, Li Ding Yi and a few some of the only people Parallelism who was 46 in early body of Name of Love Stories is consistent with the Butterfly.
Butterfly novel was a literary culture before exercise one of the most popular books in fashion. One representative Xu Zhenya's "Jade Pear", has _set_ a 30 second edition, sold hundreds of thousands of records. Profound and famous writer, "tick laugh cause" also has scores of print, its five authors, "Zhang Henshui, including day to laugh, Zhou Shoujuan, Li Han Qiu, Yan Duhe" series in the works in the newspaper, there have been people waiting in line newspaper published scene.
Why, then, a long time for this "genre", the existence of such criticism, as many do?
To re-evaluation of "Butterfly" and confirmed its correct position, we first need to know some history and background related to Butterfly.
1906, Shanghai was China's largest trading ports to 66 newspapers published in as many newspapers and periodicals published in the country at this time the total number of 239. these newspapers in his Political News also published articles in the nature of poetry and entertainment, the evolution of these elements later became the "Supplements" supplement led to the development of the emergence of literary magazines and a separate publication. Among them, Liang founded the "New Fiction" (1902), Li Jiabao editor of the "Portrait Novel" (1903), Wu Yao, Gui-Sheng editor of "Monthly Fiction" (1906), Miss Moses, editor of "novel forest" (1907 ) is now four literary publications. These rely on the treaty ports, urban and modern printing and publishing industry and mass media institutions and the emergence of urban literature publications, on the one hand to adapt to the city because of the public, "leisure", "Entertainment" Request to establish a market and audience, on the other hand for those who for various reasons, from the traditional "school excellence and official" cause of the format of the intellectual life, from traditional to modern professional writers scholars provided the material conditions change, so rely on newspapers and magazines, the reader market and the remuneration Mousheng's " writer, "the profession has been established, a group of professional writers gradually emerged in the late result. "History of Late Qing Fiction," addressed the prosperity of the late Qing fiction, said: "First, of course, because of advances in the printing industry, there is no book before this, as difficult moment: As the news industry developed, the applications need many produce. "Revolution greatly increased after the newspapers and magazines, according to statistics, only in 1911, reached 500 newspapers and magazines, from the late Qing Dynasty to the literary revolution of 1917 before the single is a novel named literary magazine on the nearly 30 species of this large number of newspapers printing and publishing magazines and the corresponding system of production and the formation itself is a product of modern society, which they constitute the cultural and literary production and consumption systems, the public media system and the "culture of public space."
After the 1911 Revolution the traditional literary fiction, is dependent on this system of newspapers and magazines (cultural industries and cultural public space) and to meet the needs of urban public culture, popular consumption, the Butterfly has cooked up the novel has also become dependent on newspapers and magazines, the media system and royalties to earn a living in professional, professional writers. (However, although the Late Qing Dynasty, these scholars in modern Chinese society has been transformed into historical changes in the professional writers, but they themselves do not consciously aware of this status change in the role of modernity, nor the professional literature, professional writers of clear objectives as proposed and stated publicly).
Butterfly of the more famous Zhang Henshui, Yan Duhe, Zhou Shoujuan, Xu Zhenya, including days of laughter, Chen Xian and other butterflies. Both of them are creative editing it, in some cases and translator. Butterfly original literary ideas is the first taste, the main description of marital problems, some works reflect a degree of social content, has some positive significance. Butterfly with literary entertainment, recreation, fun for the signs, once literary sensation.
Butterfly certain critical conclusions, summed up, there are the following three points: First, the ideological tendencies, that the representatives of the feudal class (or the day dying landlord class) and comprador forces in the literature requirements, is Yilaoyishao literary genre, or a "general counter-current"; two, that this is miles foreign market the product of the colonial _set_tlements of the abnormal fetus, three, this school is Bangxian, recreation literature, is the game's entertainment money Doctrine Literary Concept derivatives. These arguments are more obviously biased, and a large number of works were "conclusive" and far from objective reality exists.
But in reality, there often is a ready-made criticism of the arguments of Zhuanzhan private copies. Much more private copies of some ready-made argument on a "unanimous" conclusion. So the conclusion then was that people "follow the learning phase", so the cycle, believe in solid. But the more in-depth understanding of the genre, it will inevitably hold the past against the "critical findings" should produce the necessary suspicion.
In fact, the correct interpretation for the Butterfly, should be: Late Qing Dynasty city occurred during the construction of an inherited tradition of the popular ancient Chinese literary genre fiction. This school has not recognized the new literary factions, there is a very complicated historical background: the surging trend of the times, the evolution of literary ideas, mind readers, and many other reasons for the variation, together with its own congenital defects, have decided it must go through a process repressed. The School and the "new style" debate between literature, said in essence, that is "popular" literature and "serious" literature, "civilian" literature and "revolutionary" product of the contradiction between the literature.
Butterfly of the representative writer of the package-day laugh talked about his creation is: "to promote a new system, the conservative old morality." Those words are generally very concisely represent the majority of the authors of this genre ideas live. This "54" before and after the rise of a new literary movement in the efforts to promote science, anti-feudal is contrary to the purposes. Formally, Butterfly Zeyi long chapter in the fictions of its character, and the most readable of the devaluation of short tales, but also that they still inherited the ancient tradition of vernacular fiction. The new literature in the initial stage of the initiative to abandon the body of Chapter I, and focus efforts on short stories of innovation. In this way, "54" kick off the new democratic revolution, the camp in the eyes of the new literature, they also "dragging an invisible old pigtail democracy" while they work in some traditional sense, inevitable and the formation of a new literary camp a contradiction. As the content and form of parting ways, "54" before and after the literary world of the camp to take the initiative is inevitable, is a historical necessity, but also the necessary innovation. In the process of historical development before we can fully understand the necessity and inevitability of this criticism.
Period in the 54 Butterfly Another serious criticism of the criticism it is the game of literary entertainment of the Marxist concept of money. This is the literary function of the difference of principle. School function should be multifaceted. It should have a combat function, educational function, cognitive function, aesthetic function, entertainment ... ... and so on.
When the historical changes ushered in the revolutionary tide or large wave hit the night before, literary functions and educational functions of the fighting will always be stressed to the point of extreme importance. Liang in modern literature is the advocacy function of this representative. He said: "For the new one people, not without first new country of the novel. Guyu new ethics will be a new novel; For the new religion, will be the new novel: For a new politics, will be the new novel; For new customs, will be the new novel ; For new talents, will be the new novel; even want new people, want a new character, will be the new novel. Why is that? the power of fiction has dominated humanity so incredible. "
Butterfly members are conscious of this traditional concept of hereditary those functions. Hok Yao child in "Introduction to Fiction," in the quote the classics, he said: "according to Liu Xiang" seven strategic "and" Han Dynasty History ", the novel for 'Street on Gossip, hearsay', then it contains, of course, mostly 'chat wonders '; another view of the "seven strategic" and "Sui Shu Jing Ji Zhi" was recorded, then the' where all the arts and wrote a little ordinary but who are slightly small, may apply attributed fiction '.' it bag held nothing but path '. "
And not only will Morohito literature, in the "54" historical and cultural context, culture camp, almost all regarded as Mandarin Duck and Butterfly School Literature Literature in the old feudal remnants, as new obstacles and opposition literature material from a crushing criticism and negative. Butterfly Literature New Literature that is not only a stumbling block to create a new literature, and their concept of leisure games and more harmful to the tendency of the transformation and reconstruction of national character, detrimental to the social life improved and updated, harmful to China from the "edge "return" center "of the effort, detrimental to the realization of the modern nation-state, word, harmful to the history of China's modernization goals and" dream of a powerful "implementation. Therefore, for this to the nation-state as the ultimate concern of the Enlightenment view of the position and the pursuit of literature, literary studies, and new literature will camp on the Butterfly and other popular games leisure class city issued a fierce criticism of literary voice, and, "54" after the new literature on urban contempt and criticism of popular literature is still no end to the martial arts film "Burning the Red Lotus Temple" as the representative of the novels, detective romance novels and so-called "citizen art", including Lu Xun and Mao Dun, including The New Writers also be a blow.
But "entertainment" since it is one of the functions of literature itself, one can only in a specific period of time constraints it away to deny it in order to highlight other features, but can not be completely deprived of this function itself. Even in the particular function to play the battle of literature the years, the city's other one-level reader, still remains at the novel as "the trail of the trail," the ladder on that general sense of the public, or "laity" will do. First of all, the "vulgar masses" seems to play a game and entertainment novel effect is a kind of life they need adjusting. With the new metropolis of molding and industrial machinery gear speed faster and faster, the demand for popular fiction urban surge. Unprecedented growth pace of life frequency, people feel that mental and muscles of the string stretched too tight, night after work, or need to relax by the neural machinery twisted too tightly. This requires entertainment break, and reading novels is one way of entertainment and regulation. Second, when the variation around life like a kaleidoscope-like environment, in particular the emerging metropolis such as Shanghai, bizarre, colorful, Hitomi Mian worry more, full of wonders. General "popular masses" and hope that through popular literature to understand the surrounding urban environment, to enhance adaptability, not quite knowing what to or living Xianbing. Third, these "popular masses" generally lack the emerging awareness, but they also receive some education in the popular literature, that Chayu drink read popular literature, in the end of surprises in the teachings and discipline are subtle. Therefore, the revolution in modern literature, this genre is not for the national elite, but mainly for the general sense of the public, and can say he is a public art, "civilian" literature.
Whether general "laity" or part of the intellectuals, was attracted by the magnetic popular literature are from interesting, but it is interesting to the game, an essential element of entertainment purposes, but also the soul of entertainment. Interesting or popular literature to "persuade vulgar" and "enlightenment" of the media and bridges. But the interesting new writers, once as "Wanwusangzhi," "tragic death" of narcotic drugs, which also occurred in such a sense of Ziqing bite: "But if the blind serious attention to serious work, only to the people, regardless of artistic, Si Banban long teach people not close to face, I am afraid the reader to those publications will go hide. "Lu Xun once said:" Speaking of 'fun' it is indeed now considered a kind of charges, but both matter whether the end of mankind, matter whether the end of class, I also hope there will one day Rescinding the Prohibition, art is not bound to say 'no fun'. "Lu Xun also said:" In fact, the anger and the laborers, are always needed rest and happy. "This illustrates the interesting and entertainment is innocent. The popular literature is to focus on the readability of the plot. Stress plot twists and turns, peaks I Road, and turn, the ups and variety, one climax after another. In modern China, readers of popular novels appeared, "" Sadness and Happiness Marriage "," Noble Family "fans" is interesting from a gradually into the enchanted realm, which reached the entertainment effect. This is our seventies and eighties of the "martial arts" fan fiction "Jin" fan; "Gu" fans; and "Romance" novel "Qiong Yao" fan so it is similar. This also explains the existence of popular literature is the strong force!
It is said that in the United States, as many scholars have held a negative attitude toward popular culture, that they only just vulgar literature and literary garbage. But after World War II, "American School" rise. Scholars of popular culture began to neglect to attention, from the subjective to the objective, from partial to full. They recognized, popular art can reflect a long history of the chain mentality and values of the change in the reader. "These best-selling book is a useful tool, we can, through them, see any particular time and matters of general interest within a certain period of time to change people's thinking." Hideki Ozaki of Japan in his "Popular Literature History "writes:" Speaking of popular literature, generally refers to mass production and mass dissemination of a lot of consumption of commercial literature. the content, is the literary entertainment for the public, but not simply interesting, also plays the way through the concrete to the public to provide the things they do not know the role of ... ... As the number of daily breakthrough in millions, news system, the imperative for weekly ... ... originally missed the class and the novel became a receiver, which look have been keen to adapt not only literature, but also the training of readers without a literary novel. ... ... Mass production together with the public literature, but is a reflection of the public consciousness. "The many achievements of Japanese popular literature scholar remarks , a good reference for us.
The rise can be described as untimely Butterfly, 54 days of the Chinese novel diversion from traditional to modern transition process, beginning always with the national trend to break the old forms were, in order to meet the global trend of new forms. This will open up a revolution, big drastic changes in the traditional sense of the content and form of the traditional framework, there must be some great innovation and breakthrough. This will inevitably and still insists that inherited the traditional Chinese literary genres have a big impact. New forms of consciousness and innovation always win in the big Bozhan in his literary territory, or it difficult to have almost deprived of accommodation. The spirit of the traditional product, it is always someone to carry out bold challenge to the authority of the hereditary literature always someone to shake its foundation, and will have great creative freedom. Literature declared in the declaration: "the art of the game as happy or frustrated when the pastime when the time has now passed. We believe that a work of literature, and also in the very life of a work proposal of Re : governance literature to this issue when people in his life-long career, working with farmers as workers. "is of course point to this passage Butterfly negative goals. Butterfly bear the brunt of it, actually made a negative example of revolutionary literature.
Objectively, the inheritance of traditional Chinese classical novel a strong sense of innovation in the development of urban popular literary genre of modern literature in the history of development, despite its limitations, it also made some contribution. Many of these literary works are very good, and the new literature than some similar themes, but also no less. "Inside Story courtesan" Butterfly literature, is essentially modern Chinese society, the pursuit of modernization and product literature, which itself is a modern thing.
In fact, the Butterfly had the time came, and even advertised the "new novel", a direct inheritance of the late Qing "new novel" came to accept the Western Novel, for the development of Chinese fiction, and have made important contributions: China The first description of a monk in love fiction front, known as the Butterfly was the patron god of ren shu book, "Wild Goose in mind." Widow praises China's first love in this novel, is the Butterfly's masterpiece "Jade Pear." China's first full-length novel diary is "Jade Pear" by Xu Zhenya book, "Tears of the history of snow-hung." China's first novels, is the Butterfly Lord Bao Tien laugh, "Ming-hung." Both in content and in form, Butterfly has the innovation. In the Republic of China's literary world, from the extensive use of classical Chinese art or the content and form of innovation from the point of view, Butterfly represents the level of Chinese literature at the time. It also created pure literature and popular literature. 54 The rise of new literature, an update of pure literature appeared, forcing the Butterfly entirely to popular literature. To resist this transformation Xu Zhenya, Li Ding Yi, Wu, who has dual heat left the writer team, adapt to this transformation pack day to laugh, Zhou Shoujuan popular literature such as the occupied. From a purely literary and popular literature of the two-habitat, into a complete popular literature, popular literature to accept the decision of the impact of pure literature, the performance of pure literature on the infiltration of popular literature. Such as China's popular novel, originally emphasis on the story, then make extensive use of psychological description, scene description, also pay attention to the inner world of characters displayed. From the 20's to 40's, popular fiction can be seen from the traditional "Chapters" to the modern novel, which is fraught with pure literature on the infiltration of popular literature. Developed to Qiong Yao, Jin Yong's novels, only in subject matter followed the traditional "Romance" "martial arts", the novel thinking and feeling, form and content, compared with the traditional popular fiction, has been completely modernized. Contemporary fiction, pure literature and popular literature is increasingly clear boundaries: some are seen as works of pure literature, according to Western standards should be considered popular fiction; something that has never been as popular fiction, such as Jin Yong's works, by some University of forum that is pure literature. Perhaps this in itself evidence of pure literature and popular literature, the gap between what has been narrowed to the point.
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