Chapter 14 Preface to "Three Heroes and Five Righteousness"

sequence -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ The Legend of a Bao Gong There are many blessed people in history, one is the Yellow Emperor, one is Zhou Gong, and the other is Bao Longtu.There were many important inventions in ancient times. Later generations did not know who invented them, so they had to attribute them all to Huangdi, so Huangdi became the great sage of ancient times.There are many productions in the middle ages, and later generations don’t know who created them, so they all belong to Duke Zhou, so Duke Zhou became a great sage in the middle ages. He was very busy. Meal three spit feed "!

This kind of blessed person, I once named them "Arrow-like characters".Just like the straw man that Zhuge Liang used to borrow arrows in the novel, it was originally just a bundle of hay, with many arrows stuck in his body like a hedgehog. Bao Longtu—Bao Zheng—is also an arrow-like figure.Since ancient times, there have been many exquisite prison-breaking stories, either recorded in history books or circulated among the people. Most people don't know their origins, so these stories are easy to pile up on one or two people.Among these detective-like honest officials, folklore somehow selected Bao Zheng of the Song Dynasty as an arrow stack, and many strange cases of breaking prisons were shot at him.Bao Longtu then became China's Sherlock and Sherlock Holmes.

There is only a short biography of Bao Zheng in "History of the Song Dynasty" (Volume 316), saying that he "established a firm and resolute court, nobles and eunuchs held back his hands, and everyone who heard it feared him. People think that Bao Zheng's smile is better than the Yellow River. Children. Immature women also know its name, and they call it the Baodai system. The capital said to it, "If the joints are not reached, there will be Yan Luo Baolao". In the old system, no lawsuits can be brought directly to the court. Open the main door, so that the front Chen Quzhi , officials dare not bully".This is the root of Bao Zheng's story.

He was very respected and loved by the people at that time, so it is said in history that "every childish woman knows his name".Later, according to folklore, he was proposed to represent the upright official in the people's ideal.But he also has this kind of representative qualifications. As the "Song History" quoted above said, "smile is clearer than the Yellow River", "the joints are less than" and other things, we can see his character. "History of the Song Dynasty" also said that he has a straight personality, harsh officials, and honest affairs;Don't agree with others, and don't pretend to be pleasing to others.Ordinary life is selfless, so all relatives and party members will be absolutely obsessed.Although expensive, clothes, utensils and food are like commoner clothes.Taste said: "If future generations of officials and grandchildren have stolen goods, they shall not be released to their families; if they die, they shall not be buried in the big tomb. If you do not follow my will, you are not my son or grandson."

His strengths lie in his straightness and "honesty", and his jealousy and "faithfulness and forgiveness". The biography of "History of the Song Dynasty" records that he loved the people and governed a lot. It is probably because of this that he won the hearts of the people at that time. However, the legend of later generations paid attention to his fortitude and uprightness, and then buried his honesty. Regarding Bao Zheng's shrewdness in breaking prison, "Song History" only remembers him: Zhitianchang County, there is a thief who cut off people's ox tongue.The master came to sue, and Zheng said: "The first return, kill and vend it." After searching, someone came to sue the cattle slaughterer privately.

Zheng said: "Why cut off the tongue and tell it?" The thief was shocked. He probably had some detective skills for getting out of jail.Folklore, the more it is passed on, the more miraculous it is. Not only did many strange cases be entrusted to him, but also created the myth of "breaking yang things by day and yin things by night".The mixed religion of Buddhism and Taoism in later generations invited him to be the King of Hades in the fifth hall.The origins of such myths are well within the reach of social historians.Probably the various stories about Baogong's prison break originated in the Northern Song Dynasty and spread to the Southern Song Dynasty; they first flourished in the dramas of the Yuan people, and then flourished in the novels of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Among the one hundred kinds of "Selected Songs of Yuan Dynasty", ten kinds are the stories of Bao Zheng's breaking the prison, and the items are as follows: (1) Packaged Chenzhou Rice (Anonymous) (2) Baolongtu Zhizhuan Contract Text (Anonymous) (3) Bao Longtu saw the Black Whirlwind God's slave making a big fuss in Kaifeng Mansion (Anonymous) (4) Baodaizhi's Three Survey Butterfly Dream (Guan Hanqing) (5) Bao Daizhi Zhizhan Lu Zhailang (Guan Hanqing) (The above two "Recording Ghost Books" are not recorded in Guan's repertoire of miscellaneous operas. They are suspected to be works of unknown authors, and "Yuan Qu Xuan" was mistakenly included as Guan's works)

(6) Bao Longtu's intelligent exploration of backyard flowers (Zheng Tingyu) (7) The Chalk Circle of Making Smart Earnings (Li Xingdao) (8) Notes of Wang Yueying's Shoes Left at Night (Zeng Ruiqing) (9) Ding Ding Dang is a pot ghost (Anonymous) (10) Baodaizhi Zhizhuansheng Golden Pavilion (Wuhan Chen) This is preserved to this day.In addition, there are untold miscellaneous dramas: (11) Confused and unexpected package waiting system (Jiang Zemin) (see "Record Ghost Book") (12) Package waiting system to judge fireworks ghosts (Zhang Mingshan) (same as above) (13) Fengxue Baodaizhi (Anonymous) (see "Taihe Zhengyin Pu") (14) Baodaizhi Shuangkanding (Anonymous) (same as above)

Looking at the Zaju of Bao Gong preserved in "Selected Songs of the Yuan Dynasty", we can know that the legend of Bao Gong was not only very popular in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, but also has a core of similarities with minor differences.For example, all dramas say: My husband's surname is Bao, his name is Zheng, and his style name is Xiwen. He is the surname of Laoer Village, Siwang Township, Jindou County, Luzhou. "Song History" said that he was named Xiren, and Wang Zhi's "Moji" also called Bao Xiren; and the legend changed his name to Xiwen. "Song History" only said that he was from Hefei, Luzhou, but the legend fabricated "Laoer Village, Siwang Township, Jindou County".These sections can prove that there must be a very popular Bao Gong story as a basis.Another example is the cloud in "The Story of the Chalk Circle": The imperial edict bestows a gold medal on Shijian, and observes the abuse of officials.

"Leave Shoes" says: Because the old man is clean and upright, and abides by the law, the saint bestowed a gold medal on the sword, and the old man cut it first and then played it. "Pan'er Ghost" says: The imperial edict bestows a gold medal on Shijian, allowing the old man to behead first and then play, to investigate abuse of officials and corrupt officials, and to avenge wrongs with the people. "Chenzhou rice making" says: [Fan Xueshiyun] There is no need to worry about the waiting system.The order of the sage bestows upon you the gold medal of the sword, cut it first and hear it later.

This is the source of the legend of "Give the Imperial Guillotine Three Swords".The name "Tong ■" already exists in the dramas of the Yuan Dynasty, such as "Flowers in the Backyard" says: [Zhao Lian's visit to the cloud] With you, you have a sword and copper ■, and you can ask me about this matter within three days. ...[Positive Mo Yun] What a sword! [Singing] This sword is chilly, and it never leaves the box when you take it. This villain is in our house.If I go out to the public, and the little people beat me up, could it be that this old man is showing off his power? In "Yin Shi", the word "Yin Cha" in the note "Yin Cha" is the word guillotine.And "Chain Circle" also said: If it wasn't for it, I would have cut off the donkey's head with copper ■. It can be seen that "the imperial gift of the sword and the copper guillotine" has become a recognized part of the story of Bao Gong at that time.Another example is "Pan'er Ghost" says: Tell the master who is waiting to be heard: Everyone says that you break the yang world during the day and manage the yin at night. It can be seen that "the sun is broken by the day, and the yin is broken by the night" has become a recognized central part at that time. From the above, it can be seen that there must have been a common script at that time.The most noteworthy is Zhang Gu's enumeration of Bao Gong's strange case in "Pan'er Ghost": I have also surveyed the Butterfly Dream of Wang's family three times; I have sold rice in the old warehouse in Chenzhou alone; Return the two contract pens. The six things mentioned here are the stories of the six dramas in "Selected Songs of Yuan Dynasty".There are two explanations for this matter: Maybe these stories have already become part of Baogong’s story at that time, and the zaju actors just took the legendary materials and added structure to perform zaju; There is a copy of "Lu Zhai Lang", and he published a copy of "Chenzhou Rice Making"; you published a copy of "Smart Earning Chalk Circle", and he published a copy of "Smart Earning Contract Text".Just as the theaters in the time of Queen Elizabeth in England competed with each other, Shakespeare produced a tragedy of "The Prince of Denmark", Kyd produced a "Spanish Tragedy", Marlowe produced a "Spanish Tragedy". A copy of Doctor Faustus, Greene Just published "Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay" (Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay).Of these two theories, the latter seems to be the more reasonable one.Perhaps the competition among zaju writers in the Yuan Dynasty was an important reason for the development and expansion of Baogong's story; "Pan'er Ghost" seemed to be the latest to come out, so I listed the stories in Baogong's zaju that had been published that day, and later "Pan'er Ghost" The story—that is, "Wuben Ji"—has become the most popular part of Bao Gong's story. The story of Bao Gong in the Yuan Dynasty is slightly like the above.There is a "Bao Gong'an", also known as "Long Tu Gong'an", which is a novel in the style of miscellaneous notes.This book was published late, and it was probably made up by bad literati in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The writing style is very bad, and the geography, history, and system in it are all nonsense, vulgar and ridiculous. The place name in the book is Nanzhili, which proves that it is a book from the Ming Dynasty.But when we look at this book carefully, it seems that there is also a small part of it, which has a slightly ancient origin.For example, "Wubenzi" is the story of the Yuan opera "Pan'er Ghost", but the names of the characters are different.Another example is "Sanglin Town", which records Bao Gong's judgment of the queen mother. Although it is different from the Yuan Dynasty drama "Holding the Makeup Box" (see below), it can be seen that folk legends have also piled up the case of Li Chenfei on Bao Zheng. went.Another example is "The Jade Faced Cat", which records the myth of the Five Rats making trouble in Tokyo. Bao Gong; Later, Bao Gong played the Jade Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and borrowed a jade-faced cat from the Leiyin Temple in the west, and he subdued the five rats just now.The story of the five mice was probably influenced by the story of the six-eared macaque in Li; Bao Gongan was written in the late Ming Dynasty, after Journey to the West and The West.The five rats later became the five righteous men, and the jade cat later became the royal cat Zhan Zhao, which shows the changes of legends and the humanization of myths. The "Bao Gong'an" in miscellaneous notes was later performed as "Longtu Gongan" in Zhanghui style, which probably happened in the Qing Dynasty.That is, it evolved from here.However, "Longtu Gongan" still uses Bao Gong as the main body, but uses several knights as the main body. The story of Bao Gong is just a clue and a background, which shows the changes in the legend.And the evolution from "Bao Gong'an" to "Bao Gong An" is really a big progress. The story of the second concubine Li Chen The story of Concubine Li Chen, the biological mother of Emperor Renzong of Song Dynasty, was a big case at that time, and it became a big legend in later generations. People in the Yuan Dynasty made it into a drama, and people in the Ming Dynasty made it into a novel, and the story became more complete. "The Civet Cat for the Prince" had become a popular drama in the former Qing Dynasty, (including "Broken Queen" and "Examination of Guohuai" etc.) In recent years, it has been performed into a series of dozens of long dramas.The evolution of this story is also of considerable research value. Volume 242 of "Song History" says: Concubine Li Chen is also from Hangzhou. ... When he entered the palace for the first time, he served as the servant of the Empress Dowager (Empress Liu) for Zhang Xian.Solemn and reticent, Zhenzong thought he was in bed. Since there is a pregnancy, the emperor came to build a platform.Jade hairpin pendant.The concubine hates it.The emperor's heart divination: "After the hairpin is finished, he will be a man." Take the left and right to advance, and the hairpin fruit will not be destroyed.The emperor is very happy.Renzong was born. ... Renzong came to the throne, for Shunrong, and guarded Yongding Mausoleum. ... When Renzong was still in his infancy, Zhang Xian (Empress Liu) thought of him as his own son, which made Concubine Yang Shu respect him.Renzong came to the throne, and the concubine was in the imperial court of the previous dynasty, which is not different from herself.People are afraid of the queen mother, and there is no one who dares to speak.In the end of the Empress Dowager, Renzong didn't know that he was born as a concubine. In the first year of Ming Dao, there was a disease revolution, and she was promoted to the concubine Chen.Die, forty-six years old.In the first chapter, the Empress Dowager wanted to use palace etiquette to manage the funeral outside.Prime Minister Lu Yi's brief performance should be generous.The queen mother suddenly raised the emperor.After a while, sitting alone under the curtain, he called Yi Jian and asked, "If a man in the palace dies, what is the matter with Mr. Xianggong?" Yi Jian said: "When I treat the prime minister with crimes, there is no inside or outside, and there is nothing wrong with it." The queen mother said angrily: "Your majesty wants to separate my mother and son?" If you still remember the Liu family, the funeral ceremony should be thicker." The queen mother realized that she said suddenly: "The palace is also Li Chen's concubine. What can I do?"The barbarian bamboo slips also said that everyone who entered the house knew that Luo Chongxun said: "The concubine Chen will be buried in the future, and the coffin will be filled with mercury. Don't say that the barbarian slips are not as good as it is at the same time." Chongxun is as he said. When the Empress Dowager died in the last chapter, the King of Yan said to Renzong, "Your Majesty was born to Concubine Li Chen, and the concubine died with a terrible fate."Renzong's name was mourned and destroyed, and he ignored the long days of the dynasty, issued a mourning edict and blamed himself, respected Concubine Chen as the empress dowager, and posthumously Qingyi (later changed to Zhangyi).Xinghongfu Temple sacrificial notice, Yizi Palace, weeping at it.The jade color of the concubine is like life, and the crown and clothes are like the empress dowager; they are nourished with mercury, so they are not bad.Renzong sighed and said: "Is it credible what people say?" When Liu's thickened... This biography records the case of Concubine Li Chen, which can be regarded as very straightforward.Zhangxian Empress Liu is a very talented woman in the history of Song Dynasty: in Zhenzong's later years, she had already foreseen political affairs;Concubine Li Chen was originally her servant, how dare she resist?Therefore, Concubine Chen did not dare to admit that Renzong was born to her, and no one else dared to speak for her.Concubine Chen died in the first year of Mingdao, and Empress Liu died in the second year of Mingdao.After Liu Hou died, someone explained the matter.At that time, some people suspected that Concubine Chen died by accident, but the opening of the coffin proved that Concubine Chen had never been murdered; besides, if Empress Liu wanted to murder her, why wait until ten years after Renzong ascended the throne?But at that time, Renzong issued a mournful edict to blame himself, opened the coffin and changed the burial, and pursued the posthumous posthumous burial. .Wang Zhi, a Song Dynasty man, wrote "Mo Ji" and also recorded this matter, which can be corroborated with the records in "Song History": Zhang Yi and Empress Dowager Li gave birth to Zhaoling (Renzong), and at the end of Zhang Xian's life, she didn't know that Zhang Yi was her mother.When Zhang Yi died, he was buried first in the first temple.Zhaoling collapsed with Zhang Xian, and the howls were excessive.Empress Dowager Zhang Hui (that is, Concubine Yang Shu) persuaded the emperor, saying, "This is not the emperor's mother; the emperor has his own mother, concubine Li, who has died and was buried in Fengxian Temple."Renzong rushed to Fengxian Temple with a calf cart, and withdrew to watch the funeral.On a large well, the four irons cabled it.The coffin is not only opened, but it is described as alive, and it is not bad at all.At that time, soldiers were sent to encircle Zhangxian's first place; after opening the coffin, knowing that he was not killed by poison, he was dismissed. (Han Fen Lou Book, Part 1, page 7) When Wang Zhisheng was Zhezong Huizong, he had relatively accurate knowledge, and his records can represent the legends at that time.However, there are several points in his record that are different from "Song History": (1) After the death of Concubine Chen, she was buried in Hongfuyuan, and "Moji" was written as Fengxian Temple. ("The Benji of Renzong" as the Fafuyuan) (2) "History of the Song Dynasty" records that the person who reported Renzong was the King of Yan, while "Min Ji" said that it was Concubine Yang Shu. (3) "Records of Remembrance" records that Renzong "went to Fengxian Temple in a cart", this specific writing method is already the flavor of folklore. (According to the "Benji of Renzong", the time for chasing the concubine Chen is in March, and the Xingfafu Temple is in September) There are two more things recorded in "Memoir", both of which have something to do with the story of Concubine Chen.One is the history of Zhang Maoshi: Taiwei Zhang Maoshi, son of Zhang Sheng (Zhenzong), born to Shanggong Zhu.Zhang Sheng is afraid of Empress Liu, and will not keep any princes and princesses born in the harem.He and his servant Zhang Jingzong ordered him to watch him, so he took the surname Zhang.As long as he was long, Jing Zong gave three classes to serve; on the day of thanks, Zhang Sheng said, "My child should be a big one early." Zhaoling (Renzong) came out of the pavilion, thinking that those who visited the Chunfang, were later promoted to use the deputy Fu Zheng as the envoy, and served as the commander in front of the palace. ... Houling (Yingzong) was the crown prince, and Maoshi entered the court. Outside the Donghua Gate, the residents who used it greeted the horses first and shouted: "Thank you, Taiwei!" Maoshi was terrified, determined to be a secretary, and thought he was a madman, so he got tattooed and matched him.In fact, it is not crazy. Maoshi is here to seek other counties.When Houling ascended the throne,... I knew that Caizhou was moved to Caozhou, and I was worried about death.When Teng Yuan spoke, he tried to ask about his illness, so he went to bed.Maoshi sits up on the shore, with sharp horns on his head, like a real dragon, all kinds of strange appearances.Gai Benchao's adopted son was not of great use to be a handsome man.It can be verified here. (Above, page 12) To remember the Prison of Lengqing: In the second year of Huangyou's reign, there was a madman Leng Qingyan's mother Wang, a native of my palace, who was caught in the fire because of the ban and went out.I have been fortunate enough to have a pregnancy, marry Leng Xu and then give birth to green. ... The Yifu self-reported, and falsely took Yingzong (the Hanfenlou version was mistaken for Shenzong) and his mother hugging belly as a testament.The magistrate Qian Mingyi... is a madman, don't ask any questions, and stop sending him to Ruzhou editorial management. The official Han Jiang said, "It is not convenient for young people to stay abroad, and it is advisable to rectify their crimes so as to eliminate suspicion."Zhao Gu, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, also said, "Qing really should go out? If he speaks falsely, he will hope for the position of the emperor, and he will be punished according to the law." So he ordered Bao Zheng to be convicted of treachery...to be executed.Qian Mingyi, a Hanlin scholar, knew Caizhou with the picture of the dragon;Shiwan took the prime minister Chen Zhizhong's wish for Wencheng (the concubine Zhang Gui of Renzong, who was recorded as Empress Wenren after his death) to do this, so when Zhuqing was executed, the capital was surrounded by fog and fog.I don't know that I've given up on being in the middle, and the prime minister at that time is the two sages of Wen and Fu. Is it wrong to deal with major events? (below, page 4) Both of these things are noteworthy.The previous article said that the people often shouted at Zhang Maoshi's horse's head, and the second article said that the capital was foggy and foggy when Zhu Lengqing was killed.This all shows that the people at that time were dissatisfied with Empress Liu and their injustice towards those who were wronged by her.This kind of psychological aversion is the reason why legends such as the story of Concubine Li Chen are popular and spread for a long time.The two grievances between Zhang Maoshi and Leng Qing are credible and suspicious, so they cannot be a moving story.In the case of Concubine Li Chen, the facts are clear. She was wronged for 20 years. Concubine Chen dared not recognize her son for the rest of her life. At that time, the emperor issued an edict to blame himself, and made a fuss about opening the coffin and changing the burial, which shocked the eyes and ears of the whole country: ——Such a big case is naturally the easiest to spread, the easiest to become the material of the street talk, the easiest to add branches and leaves, and spread rumors gradually. Lose the original face, and gradually become a myth. "Song History" records the divination of Yuchai when the concubine Chen was pregnant, which is already a kind of myth.Who heard the "heart divination" when the hairpin fell?Who sent it?It can be seen that the biography of Concubine Li Chen already has mythological materials.In the Yuan Dynasty, there was a zaju drama "Li Meiren picked up bullets in Yuyuan, Jinshuiqiao Chen Lin held a makeup box" by an unknown person, which can show how the story has changed between the Song and Yuan Dynasties. Forge a golden bullet and shoot it to the southeast, so that the concubines of the six palaces can search for it; whoever finds the golden pellet will have a good heir. The first fold: Li Meiren picked up the golden pill, and Zhenzong went to the West Palace for a lucky tour. The second fold: Li Mei gave birth to a son, and Empress Liu ordered Kou Chengyu to trick the child out and kill him.Kou Chengyu tricked the prince out, only to see that "red light and purple mist covered the prince's body", so he made a plan with Chen Lin to put the prince in a yellow-sealed makeup box, smuggled him out of the palace, and handed him over to the eight kings to be raised.It so happened that Empress Liu walked across the Jinshui Bridge and ran into Chen Lin. She asked what was in the makeup box, and almost lifted the lid of the box.Fortunately, Zhenzong invited Empress Liu back to the palace, so Chen Lin had to escape. Wedge: Chen Lin sent the crown prince to Nanqing Palace and handed it over to the Eight Great Kings. The third fold: the Eight Great Kings led the prince to see Zhenzong. Empress Liu saw that he looked like Li Meiren, so she became suspicious and went back to the palace to torture Kou Chengyu. The fourth fold: When Zhenzong was seriously ill, he ordered the twelfth son of the King of Chu (that is, the Eight Great Kings) to inherit the Datong, that is, the crown prince conceived by Chen Lin.After the crown prince came to the throne, he asked Chen Lin carefully, and found out that Li Meiren was his biological mother.At that time, Empress Liu and Meiren Li were both alive, and Renzong couldn't bear to pursue it. He just "changed the West Palace into Hede Palace, and regarded Meiren Li as the pure holy empress dowager, and the widows asked An Shijian every day." There are several points worth noting in the story of Concubine Li Chen here: (1) The divination of the jade hairpin has become the divination of the golden bullet, and the meaning of myth has become more important. (2) The myth of "red light and purple fog". (3) Writing that Empress Liu wanted to kill the prince is quite different from "Song History" saying that Empress Liu raised her as her own son.This shows that the folklore unknowingly aggravated the crimes of Empress Liu, just as the crimes of Jie and Zhou were aggravated at any time in ancient history. (4) A Kou Chengyu and a Chen Lin were created, but there was no Guo Huai at this time. (5) Li Mei gave birth to a son, who was sent by Chen Lin to be raised by the Eight Great Kings, and later became the successor to Datong; this also shows that the folklore did not want Empress Liu to have the merit of loving Renzong, so they unknowingly gave this credit to the Eight Great Kings king. (6) When Renzong asked about the whole story of the case, neither Empress Liu nor Concubine Li had died. This also shows that the folk psychology hopes that Concubine Li will enjoy some blessings, so a tragedy was changed into a comedy. (7) If there is no civet cat for the prince, just say "False rumors, long live grandpa wants to see, lie out of the palace". (8) There is no story of Baogong.During this period, the story was still very simple; neither Guo Huai nor Bao Longtu's detective skills were needed. When we look at the story of Concubine Li Chen in "Bao Gongan", it is different. "Sanglin Town" in "Bao Gong An" said that Bao Gong came back from Chenzhou for relief, and stopped his horse in Sanglin Town to report.A woman who lived in a dilapidated kiln came to complain. The woman was blinded, her clothes were dirty, and she burst into tears, telling the story.The plot is as follows: (1) Concubine Li gave birth to a son, and Concubine Liu also gave birth to a daughter.Guo Huai, the ambassador of the Sixth Palace, cheated and exchanged his daughter for his son. (2) Concubine Li was depressed for a while, accidentally killed her daughter, and was trapped in the cold palace.Zhang Yuanzi knew that he was wronged. He saw the emperor in the garden and explained the reason. (3) After Zhenzong's death, Renzong ascended the throne and pardoned the sinners in the Lenggong Palace. Concubine Li just left the palace and came to Sanglin Town to beg for food. (4) What evidence is there?The mother-in-law said that when the prince was born, she kept her hands closed; when she opened her hands to look at them, there was the word "Shanhe" on her left hand and the word "Sheji" on her right hand. (5) Later, Guo Huai was interrogated, but Guo Huai refused to recruit him.Bao Gong asked Renzong to pretend to be the emperor of Yan Luo, Bao Gong pretended to be the judge, Guo Huai told the truth, and the crime was settled. (6) Empress Li entered the palace, "the mother and son were full of joy and sorrow, and celebrated civilly and militaryly."Renzong wanted Empress Liu to be tortured with oil, but Duke Bao dissuaded him, and only "hanged Zhang Erbai Sipa to death".Guo Huai was punished by a cauldron. This is what the story looked like during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.There are a few points to note: (1) A bad guy Guo Huai and a good guy Zhang Yuanzi were created, but Kou Chengyu and Chen Lin were not. (2) Bao Gong became the judge and detective of the case. (3) The Eight Great Kings' raising words were discarded, and it became a method of swapping men and women, but there is no plan for civet cats. (4) Concubine Li suffers from the cold palace and broken kiln, which is not found in Yuan Opera.Write her in pain first, so as to reflect her happiness in her later years. (5) After solving the case, Empress Li enjoys blessings, and Empress Liu is hanged. This also shows the psychology of the people. We can list the main elements of the story of Concubine Li Chen in the Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties as a comparative table: Main article Bad Guys Good Guys Detectives Ending song Empress Liu raises Li Shizi For my son. King Yan ("Song History") Concubine Yang Shu ("Memory") Chasing Concubine Li as Empress Dowager After that, he was equal to Liu Hou. Yuan Empress Liu wants to kill Li Shi The son, who was rescued and escaped, was raised in the family of the Eight Great Kings. Empress Liu Kou Chengyu, Chen Lin, eight King Chen Lin and the two empresses served together. bright Empress Liu gave birth to a daughter instead of a son born to Li. Empress Liu, Guo Huai Zhang Yuanzi Baogong Empress Li was honored, and Empress Liu was hanged. The story of "civet cat for prince" in the book combines the two stories of Yuan and Ming Dynasties, reconciles and compromises, and forms a new legend, which becomes the final version of the story of Concubine Li Chen (see the first chapter and the fifteenth to nineteenth chapters of this book. back).Looking at the table above, we can see that this story has two very different legends; these two legends do not seem to have gradually evolved from the same source, but are two independent legends.The former one—the Yuan song "Holding the Makeup Box"—is not far from "Song History", and it is probably a legend of folk evolution between Song and Yuan.The latter kind—"Bao Gong Case"—was fabricated by a person who didn't know the history and anecdotes. He only knew about this incident in the Song Dynasty. Create a story out of thin air after Bao Gongju.These two different legends, one based on the spread of dramas and the other based on the popularity of novels, both occupy considerable influence.Later, the story of Concubine Li Chen had to choose to reconcile, acting as a final version of a compromise. The plot of Concubine Li Chen's story is as follows: (1) Qin Tianjian Wen Yanbo said: "Looking at the sky at night, if you see the Tiangou star committing a fault, it may be disadvantageous to the prince." At that time, the two concubines of Li and Liu had their own pregnancies. Because Zhenzong gave each a jade seal and a dragon burden to suppress the Tiangu star, he also gave each a golden pill with a nine-curved bead inside. The names and palace names of the two concubines were engraved on it and worn with them. . (2) Concubine Li gave birth to a son; Concubine Liu and Guo Huai made a plan to skin the civet cat and replace it with the prince, and asked Kou Zhu to send it to the Jinting Pavilion to strangle him to death with a crony belt. (3) Kou Zhu and Chen Lin made a plan to put the crown prince in a makeup box and secretly send him out of the palace.I ran into Guo Huai and Concubine Liu on the road and were almost detected by them. (4) The Eight Great Kings collected the prince and raised him as his own son. (5) Concubine Li was relegated to the cold palace because of her evil spirits.Concubine Liu gave birth to a son and became the crown prince. (6) Concubine Liu's son died of illness at the age of six. Zhenzong made the third son of the eight kings the crown prince, who was born to Concubine Li.The prince accidentally passed by Lenggong, saw Concubine Li, felt sorry for her suffering, and went back to intercede for her. Empress Liu became suspicious and tortured Kou Zhu, who bumped into a step and died. (7) Empress Liu told Zhenzong that Concubine Li resented and cursed, and Zhenzong was furious, and ordered her to commit suicide by giving her seven feet. Fortunately, the young eunuch Yu Zhong died instead, and Concubine Li pretended to be Yu Zhong and fled to Chenzhou to settle down. (8) When Bao Gong came back from Chenzhou, he rested his horse at Caozhou Bridge and announced.A blind woman who lived in a broken kiln came to sue and told her past events. She knew it was Li Chen's concubine, and there were dragon burden golden pills as evidence. (9) Mrs. Li, the wife of Duke Bao, used the "ancient and modern basin" to heal Concubine Li's eyes.Concubine Li first met Empress Di of the Eight Great Kings and explained her origin; Empress Di introduced her to Renzong, and mother and son recognized each other. (10) Bao Gong undertook the trial of Guo Huai, but Guo Huai was tortured and refused to prosecute.Bao Gong gets Guo Huai drunk, pretends to have an interrogation at Sen Luo Dian, and extracts Guo Huai's confession before the case can be settled. (11) When Empress Liu was critically ill, she heard about this and became ill. This story contains all the important elements of the different legends of the Yuan and Ming dynasties. "Holding Makeup Box" The molecules in the drama are: (1) The gold bullet has become a gold ball that hides pearls. (2) Kou Chengyu got a new name, Kou Zhu. (3) Chen Lin has not changed. (4) The story of the makeup box is still preserved. (5) The Eight Great Kings remain. (6) Kou Chengyu lied to the prince, which was not described in detail in the Yuan drama; here it is changed to Guo Huai and the midwife Youshi replacing the prince with a civet cat. (7) When Chen Lin was leaving the palace with her makeup box in her hands, she was questioned by Concubine Liu on the way.This section uses the structure of Yuan drama. However, many parts of the statement in "Bao Gong An" were adopted: (1) Guo Huai became an important role. (2) Baogong has become an important role. (3) Trade a girl for a boy, instead of a civet cat for a prince. (4) The words of Leng Gong and Po Kiln have been adopted. (5) The part where the blind woman complained. (6) The part of examining Guo Huai and pretending to be King Yama. In addition, the newly added part: (1) The replacement of civet cats for princes is a new addition. (2) Empress Liu also gave birth to a son, who died at the age of six and was newly added. (3) You Shi, the midwife, Qin Feng, the head of the cold palace, and Yu Zhong, the eunuch who died in place, are new additions.Zhang Yuanzi was too poor, so he and his 18 people were eliminated. (4) Mrs. Li's treatment of Concubine Li's eyesight is newly added. (5) Empress Di's conveyance is newly added. We can learn a good lesson by looking at the history of the changes and evolution of this story in the past 900 years.The growth of the legend is like a snowball, getting bigger and bigger. At first, there is only a simple story as the central "motif".Afterwards, through the legends of many people, the interpretation of Pinghua writers, the tailoring structure of dramatists, and the embellishment of novelists, the story changed day by day: the content became richer, the plot became more refined and complete, and the twists and turns became more complicated. , the characters are more animated. The six hundred characters in "History of the Song Dynasty" were turned into a big book in eight or nine hundred years, and turned into a series of dozens of plays.This matter itself is not worthy of much research, but the development and changes of this story, the origin is clear, the easiest to study, and the easiest way for us to understand the steps of how a legend changes and evolves.This story is but an interesting instance of the growth history of the legend.Although this matter is small, it can be described as big.There are many strange cases with or without names on Bao Gong, just as there are many great inventions and productions on Huangdi and Zhou Gong.The evolution of the story of Concubine Li Chen is the same as the evolution of ancient historical legends such as Yao, Shun, Jie and Zhou, and the evolution of ancient historical legends such as Jingtian Zen.Let’s take the well field as an example: Mencius only said a few words about the well field theory; Such a system really existed in ancient times. (See "Hu Shi Wen Cun", the first edition of this volume 2, pages 264-281) The legend of Yao, Shun, Jie and Zhou is also like this.The ancients said it well, "If a lover is on his knees, if a wicked person is about to fall into the abyss."That's about it.The ancients also said, "It is not as good as being evil. It is because a gentleman is evil that he is low, and all the evil in the world belongs to him."The ancients heaped all evils on Jie and Zhou, just as the ancients heaped all virtues on Yao and Shun.This may have been added bit by bit, just like the development of Concubine Li Chen's story.Yao and Shun were the concubines of Li Chen, and Jie and Zhou were Empress Liu.Ji Qi and Gao Tao are Kou Zhu, Chen Lin, Yu Zhong, and Zhang Yuanzi; Fei Lian, E Lai, Da Ji, and Mei Xi are Guo Huai and You Shi. Xu You, Chaofu, Boyi, and Shuqi are nothing more than jade hairpins, golden bullets, red light and purple mist, branches and leaves that can be added at any time according to people's psychology.I once said: In fact, there is no story in ancient history that has not undergone such an evolution, and there is no one that cannot be studied with this historical evolution method. The stories of Yi Yin, Hou Ji, King Wen, Tai Gong, and Zhou Gong can all be used as experimental products for this method. (Volume 1 of "Hu Shi Wencun Two Collections", pages 135-157) three and The original name is "The Legend of Zhonglie Chivalry", which was changed from "Longtu Gongan".One in my collection (that is, the original version of Yadong's book), a typesetting version of Renwu (1882) in the eighth year of Guangxu, has three short prefaces.Ask the master of bamboo (the author's own name) for the preface: the book is called "Longtu Gongan", also known as "Bao Gongan". The legend is different, and it is inevitable to be strange and chaotic.I hereby revise this book to make new ones, add to the strengths and make up for the shortcomings, delete the heresy, and revise the upright text, praising the loyal ministers, the chivalrous things,...so I took the biography and called it the four characters of "loyalty and chivalry", Integrate one hundred and twenty times. ... There is also a preface from the master of retreat, saying: In the biography of the original husband's "Dragon Picture", there are new editions of the old ones;To make up is seamless and unique; to cut out the flaws in brocade is unique.One hundred and two rounds of unblocking collaterals and veins, three or five people's righteousness and courage,... This shows that both the author and his friends admitted that the book was based on "Longtu Gongan".However, "Longtu Gongan" "although it is legendary and strange, it is inevitable to be strange and chaotic", so the person who revised it "returned the old book to make a new one, added to the strengths and made up for the shortcomings, deleted the heresy, and revised the upright text", Then it became a completely different new book. In "Longtu Gongan", the five rats in Tokyo are five monsters, and the jade cat is a god cat; It has become a human language, and the book of ghosts has become a book about chivalry.This kind of change is really "renovating the old and bringing forth the new", which can be regarded as a great progress. It's a pity that we still don't know what kind of person the author of this book is.Judging from the three prefaces of the Renwu movable type book, the original author of this book called himself "Master of Asking Bamboo".However, there are two prefaces in the Renwu version, one is made by a Taoist who is fascinated. He said: Xin Weichun (1871), a friend asked the owner of the bamboo where it was a book, so he read it. ...... Make a sketch and treasure it.Yihai (1875) discussed Huai'an, re-read it in his spare time, recorded it into a compilation, and compiled it into four letters. It was completed after more than a year.In the past winter (1878), a close friend from the past thought of his master, and he took it with him, and engraved it on the Juzhen board. ... The preface of the Master of Tuisi also said: Wu Yindong (1878) got a copybook from a friend who was infatuated with the Taoist. Knowing that the friend asked the owner of the bamboo to participate in the deletion and collation, it was compiled into a volume. It is the review and deletion of this book by Taoists who have been fascinated. The title of Renwu's front page is "The Legend of Loyalty and Chivalry, narrated by Shi Yukun".Therefore, we know that the owner of Wenzhu is Shi Yukun.Shi Yukun's deeds are still unknown.Later, Guangxu Gengyin (1890) continued to engrave it in Wenguanglou, Beijing. In the preface, it is said that "friends and Shi Yukun's disciples have always been in contact with each other,... Bring Mr. Shi's original manuscript." This statement is probably unbelievable. At the end of the book, there is a summary of the sequel, which does not mention Xu Liang; and below, Xu Liang is the most important person. This is suspicious. It has been written about Juyi in Junshan, but it is still recounted forty-one chapters since Yan Yinyuan took office.This is two suspicious.Among them, the matter of Shen Zhongyuan's escape from the court is the most important key, but the assassination of Deng Che in the first episode of Chapter 106 does not have the courage to escape Shen Zhongyuan's words; there is no Shen Zhongyuan's escape from the court in the trailer if.This is three suspicious.At the end of the trailer, "there are less than a hundred chapters" in the sequel, and there are more than two hundred chapters in total.This is four suspicious.From the point of view of the article, it is definitely not done by one person.So the preface is unreliable.However, "Small Wuyi Preface" gave us a piece of news: probably Shi Yukun was dead at this time (1890).If he hadn't died, the owner of Wenguang Tower would never have dared to tell such a big lie. [Additional note] I used to suspect that Shi Yukun's original text might be very naive, and the text is slightly like this.If what is said in the "Small Five Meanings Preface" is credible, then the contribution of the Daoist Fascinated to revise it for more than a year is really not small. The book was completed before 1871, and it was not published until 1879.Ten years later (1889), Mr. Yu Quyuan (Yue) revised it again, rewritten the first chapter, changed Yan Chasan to Yan Yanmin, and changed the title of the book.This book is very popular in the south. In recent years, it is not easy to get the old typefaces. The southern version has gradually invaded the bookshops in Beijing and Tianjin. In the future, even people in the north will not know this book.In fact, the original version is better than Mr. Qu Yuan's revised version.Even Mr. Qu Yuan's most dissatisfied first chapter is far better than the revised version.近年上海戏园里编《狸猫换太子》新戏，第一本用第一回作底本，这可见京班的戏子还忘不了的影响，又可见改本的第一回删去了那有声有色的描写部分便没有文学的趣味，便不合戏剧的演做了。这回亚东图书馆请俞平伯先生标点此书，全用作底本，将来定可以使这个本子重新流行于国中，使许多读者知道这部小说的原本是个什么样子。平伯是曲园先生的曾孙。因曲园先生的表章而盛行于南方，现在的原本又要靠平伯的标点而保存流传，这不但是俞家的佳话，也可说是文学史上的一段佳话了。 曲园先生对于此书曾有很热烈的赏赞。他的序里说：……及阅至终篇，见其事迹新奇，笔意酣恣，描写既细入毫芒，点染又曲中筋节，正如柳麻子说“武松打店”，初到店内无人，蓦地一吼，店中空缸空甏皆瓮瓮有声：闲中着色，精神百倍。如此笔墨方许作平话小说；如此平话小说方算得天地间另是一种笔墨！ 这篇序虽没有收入《春在堂集》里去，然而曲园先生的序跋很少有这样好的文章，也没有第二篇流传这样广远的。曲园先生在学术史上自有位置，正不必靠此序传后；然而他以一代经学大师的资格来这样赞赏一部平话小说，他的眼力总算是很可钦佩的了。 有因袭的部分，有创造的部分。大概写包公的部分是因袭的居多，写各位侠客义士的部分差不多全是创造的。 第一回狸猫换太子的故事，其中各部分大抵是因袭元朝以来的各种传说，我们在上章已分析过了。这一回里最有精彩的部分是写陈琳抱妆盒出宫，路遇刘皇后盘诘的一段。这一段是沿用元曲《抱妆盒》第二折的。我摘抄几段来做例： [刘皇后引宫女冲上云]休将我语同他语，未必他心似我心。那寇承御这小妮子，我差他干一件心腹事去，他去了大半日才来回话，说已停当了。我心中还信不过他。如今自往金水桥河边看去，有甚么动静，便见分晓。[做见科，云]兀的垂柳那壁不是陈琳？待我叫他一声。陈琳！ [正末慌科，云]是刘娘娘叫，我死也。[唱]……（曲删）……[做放盒儿科][刘皇后云]陈琳，你那里去？[正末云]奴婢往后花园采办时新果品来。[刘皇后云]别无甚公事么？[正末云]别无甚公事。[刘皇后云]这等，你去罢。[正末做捧盒急走科][刘皇后云]你且转来。[正末回，放盒，跪科，云]娘娘有甚分付？[刘皇后云]这厮，我放你去，就如弩箭离弦，脚步儿可走的快。我叫你转来，就如毡上拖毛，脚儿可这等慢，必定有些蹊跷。我问你，……待我揭开盒儿看个明白。 果然没有夹带，我才放你出去。……取盒儿过来，待我揭开看波。[正末用手按盒科，云]娘娘，这盒盖开不的。上有黄封御笔，须和娘娘同到万岁爷爷跟前面说过时，方才敢开这盒盖你看。[刘皇后云]我管甚么黄封御笔！则等我揭开看看。[正末按住科]……[刘皇后做怒科，云]陈琳，你不揭开盒儿我看，要我自动手么？[正末唱]呀！见娘娘走向前，唉！可不我陈琳呵，这死罪应该？ [刘皇后云]我只要辨个虚实，观个真假，审个明白。[正末唱]他待要辨个虚实，观个真假，审个明白！ [寇承御慌上科，云]请娘娘回去，圣驾幸中宫要排筵宴哩。 [刘皇后云]陈琳，恰好了你。若不是驾幸中宫，我肯就放了你出去？……[并下]我们拿这几段来比较第一回写抱妆盒的一段，可以看出石玉昆沿用元曲，只加上小小的改动，删去了“驾幸中宫”的话，改成这样更近情理的写法： ……刘妃听了，瞧瞧妆盒，又看看陈琳，复又说道：“里面可有夹带？……”陈琳当此之际，把死付于度外，将心一横，不但不怕，反倒从容答道：“并无夹带，娘娘若是不信，请去皇封，当面开看。”说着话，就要去揭皇封。刘妃一见，连忙拦住道：“既是皇封封定，谁敢私行开看？难道你不知规矩么？”陈琳叩头说：“不敢！不敢！”刘妃沉吟半晌；因明日果是八千岁寿辰，便说：“既是如此，去罢！”陈琳起身，手提盒子，才待转身；忽听刘妃说：“转来！”陈琳只得转身。刘妃又将陈琳上下打量一番，见他面上颜色丝毫不漏，方缓缓的说道：“去罢。” 读者不要小看了这一点小小的改动。须知道从“刘皇后匆匆而去”改到“刘妃缓缓地说道，去罢”，这便是六百年文学技术进化的成绩。 这书中写包公断案的各段大都是沿袭古来的传说，稍加上穿插与描写的功夫。最有名的乌盆鬼一案便是一个明显的例。我们试拿本书第五回来比较元曲《盆儿鬼》，便可以知道这一段故事大都是沿用元朝以来的传说，而描写和叙述的技术都进步多了。在元曲里，盆儿鬼的自述是：孩儿叫做杨国用，就是汴梁人，贩些南货做买卖去，赚得五六两银子。前日回来，不期天色晚了，投到瓦窑村“盆罐赵”家宵宿。他夫妻两个图了我财，致了我命，又将我烧灰捣骨，捏成盆儿。 在里，他的自述是：我姓刘名世昌，在苏州阊门外八宝乡居住。家有老母周氏，妻子王氏，还有三岁的孩子乳名百岁。本是缎行生理。只因乘驴回家，行李沉重，那日天晚，在赵大家借宿；不料他夫妻好狠，将我杀害，谋了资财，将我血肉和泥焚化。 张■古只改了一个“别”字，盆罐赵仍姓赵，只是杨国用改成了刘世昌。此外，别的部分也是因袭的多，创造的少。例如张别古告状之后，叫盆儿不答应，被包公撵出两次，这都是抄袭元曲的。元曲里，盆儿两次不应：一次是鬼“恰才口渴的慌，去寻一钟儿茶吃”；一次是鬼“害饥，去吃个烧饼儿”；直到张别古不肯告状了，盆儿才说是“被门神户尉挡住不放过去”。这种地方未免太轻薄了，不是悲剧里应有的情节。所以及后来京戏里便改为第一次是门神拦阻，第二次是赤身裸体不敢见“星主”。 元曲《盆儿鬼》很多故意滑稽的话，要博取台下看戏的人的一笑，所以此剧情节虽惨酷，而写的像一本诙谐的喜剧。石玉昆认定这个故事应该着力描写张别古的任侠心肠，应该写的严肃郑重，不可轻薄游戏，所以他虽沿用元曲的故事，而写法大不相同。他一开口便说张三为人鲠直，好行侠义，因此人都称他为“别古”。 “与众不同谓之别，不合时宜谓之古”。同一故事，见解不同，写法便不同了。书中写告状一段云：老头儿为人心热。一夜不曾合眼，不等天明，爬起来，挟了乌盆，拄起竹杖，锁了屋门，竟奔定远县而来。出得门时，冷风透体，寒气逼人，又在天亮之时；若非张三好心之人，谁肯冲寒冒冷，替人鸣冤？及至到了定远县，天气过早，尚未开门；只冻[的]他哆哆嗦嗦，找了个避风的所在，席地而坐，喘息多时，身上觉得和暖。老头子又高兴起来了，将盆子扣在地下，用竹杖敲着盆底儿，唱起《什不闲》来了。刚唱句“八月中秋月照台”，只听的一声响，门分两扇，太爷升堂。 ... 这种写法正是曲园先生所谓“闲中着色，精神百倍”。 写包公的部分，虽然沿袭旧说的地方居多，然而作者往往“闲中着色”添出不少的文学趣味。如乌盆案中的张别古，如阴错阳差案中的屈申，如先月楼上吃河豚的一段，都是随笔写来，自有风趣。 本是一部新的《龙图公案》，但是作者做到了小半部之后，便放开手做去，不肯仅仅做一部《新龙图公案》了。所以这书后面的大半部完全是创作的，丢开了包公的故事，专力去写那班侠义。在这创作的部分里，作者的最成功的作品共有四件：一是白玉堂；二是蒋平；三是智化；四是艾虎。作者虽有意描写南侠与北侠，但都不很出色。只有那四个人真可算是石玉昆的杰作了。 白玉堂的为人很多短处。骄傲，狠毒，好胜，轻举妄动——这都是很大的毛病。但这正是石玉昆的特别长处。向来小说家描写英雄，总要说的他像全德的天神一样，所以读者不能相信这种人材是真有的。白玉堂的许多短处，倒能叫读者觉得这样的一个人也许是可能的；因为他有这些近理近情的短处，我们却格外爱惜他的长处。向来小说家最爱教他的英雄福寿全归；石玉昆却把白玉堂送到铜网阵里去被乱刀砍死，被乱箭射的“犹如刺猬一般，…… 血渍淋漓，漫说面目，连四肢俱各不分了”。这样的惨酷的下场便是作者极力描写白玉堂的短处，同时又是作者有意教人爱惜这个少年英雄，怜念他的短处，想念他的许多好处。 这书中写白玉堂最用力气的地方是三十二回至三十四回里他和颜查散的订交。这里突然写一个金生，“头戴一顶开花儒巾，身上穿一件零碎蓝衫，足下穿一双无根底破皂靴头儿，满脸尘土”；直到三十七回里方才表出他就是白玉堂。这种突兀的文章，是向来旧小说中没有的，只有同时出世的写十三妹的出场用这种笔法。但写白玉堂结交颜查散的一节，在诙谐的风趣之中带着严肃的意味，不但写白玉堂出色，还写一个可爱的小厮雨墨；有雨墨在里面活动，读者便觉得全篇生动新鲜，近情近理。雨墨说的好：这金相公也真真的奇怪。若说他是诓嘴巴吃的，怎的要了那些菜来，他连筷子也不动呢？ 就是爱喝好酒，也不犯上要一坛来；却又酒量不很大，一坛子喝了一零儿，就全剩下了，白便宜了店家。就是爱吃活鱼，何不竟要活鱼呢？说他有意要冤咱们，却又素不相识，无仇无恨。 饶白吃白喝，还要冤人，更无此理。小人测不出他是甚么意思来。 倘使书中不写这一件交结颜生的事，径写白玉堂上京寻展昭，大闹开封府，那就减色多多了。大闹东京只可写白玉堂的短处，而客店订交一大段却真能写出一个从容整暇的任侠少年。这又是曲园先生说的“闲中着色，精神百倍”了。 蒋平与智化有点相像，都是深沉有谋略的人才。旧小说中常有这一类的人物，如诸葛亮、吴用之流，但都是穿八卦衣、拿鹅毛扇的军师一类，很少把谋略和武艺合在一个人身上的。石玉昆的长处在于能写机警的英雄，智略能补救武力的不足，而武力能使智谋得实现。法国小说家大仲马著《侠隐记》（Three Musketeers），写达特安与阿拉密，正是这一类。智化似达特安，蒋平似阿拉密。《侠隐记》写英雄，往往诙谐可喜；这种诙谐的意味，旧小说家最缺乏。诸葛亮与吴用所以成为可怕的阴谋家，只是因为那副拉长的军师面孔，毫无诙谐的趣味。写蒋平与智化都富有滑稽的风趣；机诈而以诙谐出之，故读者只觉得他们聪明可喜，而不觉得阴险可怕了。 本书写蒋平最好的地方，如一百十四五回偷簪还簪一段，是读者容易赏识的。九十四回写他偷听得翁大、翁二的话，却偏要去搭那只强盗船；他本意要救李平山，后来反有意捉弄他，破了他的奸情，送了他的性命。这种小地方都可以写出他的机变与游戏。书中写智化，比蒋平格外出色。智化绰号黑妖狐，他的机警过人，却处处妩媚可爱。一百十二回写他与丁兆蕙假扮渔夫偷进军山水寨，出来之后，丁二爷笑他“妆甚么，像甚么，真真呕人”。 智化说： 贤弟不知，凡事到了身临其境，就得搜索枯肠，费些心思。稍一疏神，马脚毕露。假如平日原是你为你，我为我。若到今日，你我之外又有王二李四。他二人原不是你我；既不是你我，必须将你之为你，我之为我，俱各撇开，应是他之为他。既是他之为他，他之中决不可有你，亦不可有我。能够如此设身处地的做去，断无不像之理。 这岂但是智化自己说法？竟可说是一切平话家，小说家，戏剧家的技术论了。 写一个乡下老太婆的说《史》、《汉》古文，这固是可笑；写一个叫化子满口欧化的白话文，这也是可笑。这种毛病都只是因为作者不知道“他之中决不可有你，亦不可有我”。一切有志作文学的人都应该拜智化为师，努力“设身处地的”去学那“他之为他”。 智化扮乞丐进皇城偷盗珠冠的一长段是这书里的得意文字。挖御河的工头王大带他去做工。 到了御河，大家按档儿做活。智爷拿了一把铁锹，撮的比人多，掷的比人远，而且又快。 旁边做活的道：“王第二的！”（智化的假名）智爷道：“什么？”旁边人道：“你这活计不是这么做。”智爷道：“怎么？挖的浅咧？做的慢咧？”旁边人道：“这还浅！你一锹，我两锹也不能那样深。你瞧，你挖了多大一片，我才挖了这一点儿。俗话说的，'皇上家的工，慢慢儿的蹭'。你要这们做，还能吃的长么？”智爷道：“做的慢了，他们给饭吃吗？”旁边人道：“都是一样慢了，他能不给谁吃呢？”智爷道：“既是这样，俺就慢慢的。”（八十回） 这样的描写，并不说智化装的怎样像，只描写一堆做工人的空气，真可算是上等的技术了。这一段谈话里还含有很深刻的讥讽：“都是一样慢了，他能不给谁吃呢？”这一句话可抵一部。然而这句话说的多么温和敦厚呵！ 这书中写一个小孩子艾虎，粗疏中带着机警，烂漫的天真里带着活泼的聪明，也很有趣味。 本是一部新的《龙图公案》，后来才放手做去，撇开了包公，专讲各位侠义。我们在上文已说过，包公的部分是因袭的居多，侠义的部分是创作的居多。我们现在再举出一个区别。包公的部分，因为是因袭的，还有许多“超于自然”的迷信分子：如狐狸报恩，乌盆诉冤，红衣菩萨现化，木头人魔魔，古今盘医瞎子，游仙枕示梦，阴阳镜治阴错阳差，等等事都在前二十七回里。二十八回以后，全无一句超于自然的神话（第三十七回柳小姐还魂，只是说死而复苏，与屈申白氏的还魂不同）。在传说里，大闹东京的五鼠本是五个鼠怪，玉猫也本是一只神猫。石玉昆“翻旧出新”，把一篇志怪之书变成了一部写侠义行为的传奇，而近百回的大文章里竟没有一点神话的踪迹，这真可算是完全的“人话化”，这也是很值得表彰的一点了。 一九二五年三月十五日，北京 《胡适文存三集》卷六