俯瞰灵魂的深渊:从梅特林克到谢阁兰

法国旅华诗人谢阁兰(Victor Segalen, 1878~1919)与中国文化的关系,已渐受海内外研究者的重视,然而他在这方面所受比利时作家梅特林克(Maurice Maeterlinck, 1862~1949)的影响,则从未引起学界注意。事实上,谢氏笔下的诸多中国意象,都是从梅氏率先运用的意象发展而来的,究明梅氏的影响,实有助于理解谢氏选用这些中国意象的出发点。本文尝试以“深渊”意象的变迁为例,通过分析、比较梅氏作品《佩雷阿斯与梅利桑德》(Pelléas et Mélisande)与谢氏作品《光绪别史》(Le Fils du Ciel)、《勒内·莱斯》(René Leys)等,阐明两人作品间的紧密联系,进而管窥19世纪、20世纪之交西方文人在非宗教语境下探讨自我“本质”的思路演变史,以及中国文化在其中所起的重要催化作用。
Abstract：The relationship between the French poet Victor Segalen and the Chinese culture has drawn attention of scholars at home and abroad, while the influence he has received from Maeterlinck has never been noted. In fact, the numerous Chinese images that Segalen referred to derived from the themes appeared in Maeterlinck's work. A good comprehension of Maeterlinck's influence will therefore help us to understand why Segalen chose these Chinese images. Among Maeterlinck's drama Pelléas et Mélisande, Segalen's works, suck as, Le Fils du Ciel and René Leys, this essay chooses to focus on the evolutionary representation of the abyss. We will define the close relationship between the two writers and, to a larger extent, reveal the evolutionary trend of self-understanding among atheist writers at the turn of the 20th century, as well as the important role that the Chinese culture plays in this trend.