[Abstract] This paper mainly studies the image of Zhang Sheng, the main character in Wang Shifu's The West Chamber. In the play, Zhang Sheng is a gentle, persistent and slightly silly image, a rebel who pursues love and marriage freedom enthusiastically and persistently and dares to resist feudal ethics. He is a comic image with strong vitality, and his image has strong artistic vitality, which has influenced many creations of later generations.

I. Overview

The Romance of the West Chamber, listed as the first of the four major love dramas in Yuan Dynasty, has been widely circulated since its publication, and has been welcomed and loved by audiences and readers. The reason why The Romance of the West Chamber is enduring is that it expresses that "regardless of age, there will always be a reunion". May all beings in the world get married. " This eternal theme reflects the good and kind wishes of the broad masses of people. In expressing this theme, the protagonist Zhang Sheng left a deep impression on the audience and readers.

In The West Chamber, the author Wang Shifu created a gentle, persistent and slightly silly Zhang Sheng. Although Zhang Sheng is a scholar in white in the play, he is also the protagonist of the article. He deeply attracted Yingying with his handsome wit, and he was passionate and persistent in his pursuit of Yingying. On the road of pursuing free love and marriage, Zhang Sheng is willing to give up fame and fortune and persevere in the face of difficulties. Therefore, in the process of pursuing Yingying, many places can see its sincere side. At the same time, because of his deep love for Yingying, Zhang Sheng has also become a "silly corner" and a "silver gun head", which makes Zhang Sheng's image more lively and full of vitality, adds a lot of comedy to the book and constantly gives the audience and readers a relaxed and comfortable feeling. Under the careful shaping of Master Wang, Zhang Sheng's image is fuller and more complete, becoming a typical positive comedy image.

Second, "Article No.1" Zhang Sheng

Zhang Sheng is handsome, talented and courageous, which is a necessary condition for the emergence and development of Cui Xie's love story.

First of all, Zhang Sheng attracted Yingying with his romantic elegance and agile thinking.

When we first met in the Buddhist temple and looked into each other's eyes, Yingying was attracted by Zhang Sheng's handsomeness. Later, when Yingying was burning incense, Zhang Sheng sang a poem in the corner next to Taihu Stone: "Moonlight melts into the night, and flowers are silent in spring; How to face the hustle and bustle and not see the people in the moon. " This poem expresses Zhang Sheng's inner loneliness and reposes his own lovesickness. It not only describes the moonlight in front of us, but also tests Yingying. The whole poem is fresh, the scene is harmonious, the artistic conception is elegant and poetic, which adds a romantic atmosphere to their love. His romantic elegance left a beautiful and deep impression on Yingying, making her forget his poems and people:

[Magpie stepping on branches] Every sentence is even, the words are true, and the new moon-chanting poem is better than a tapestry palindrome. Who wants to guide the needle to the line and pay tribute to the east neighbor? ①

[Parasitic Grass] Think of a scholar as a charming person: handsome and handsome, gentle and affectionate, unmoved by the population. Learning to "shine with the stars in one day" is worthy of "there is no world under the window for ten years" (the first discount of the second volume)

More importantly, Zhang Sheng is not an embroidered pillow. When he applied his talent to the crisis, he fully demonstrated his extraordinary intelligence and courage, and won Yingying's love with wit and truth.

At the critical moment when Sun Feihu soldiers surrounded Pujiu Temple, everyone panicked. After the old lady made an engagement, Zhang Sheng volunteered and made suggestions. Zhang Sheng first used delaying tactics to let Elder Faben stall the thief for three days to gain more time. Then he wrote a letter, and asked the monk Huiming, who was skilled in martial arts and courageous, to send a letter to Du Kui, an old white horse general, asking Du Kui to lead the troops to save him. Zhang Sheng's "pen tip sweeps five thousand people" and "rolling clouds sweeps five hundred thousand thieves". This plot not only shows the meanness and shame of others, but also shows Zhang's fearlessness, calmness, composure and courage. This also shows Zhang's talent and skills, as well as his true feelings for Yingying. After this period of twists and turns, Yingying deepened her understanding of Zhang Sheng and fell in love with each other.

In addition, Zhang Sheng's talent is not limited to this. He is also versatile and proficient in music. For example, in Yingying's Listening to the Sound of the Piano at Night, Zhang Sheng appealed to the music of the heart with the sound of the piano. With superb piano skills, he played at will:

[Bald guy] Its voice is powerful, like an iron horse with a sword and gun; Its voice is very quiet, like falling out of the water; Its voice is high, like a bright moon and a crane; Its voice is very low, like listening to a child's language, gurgling in a small window. (The fourth discount for the second book)

Zhang Sheng poured his sadness into the piano and his feelings. It also won the love of bosom friends with a song "Yellow".

In the future, Zhang Sheng often praised the matchmaker for his quick thinking and delicate brushwork:

[backyard flower] Just finished brushing the writing paper and typing. It turned out that he didn't want to get frosted. Write a few cold and warm words first, then recite five words and eight poems. When you are not moving, fold the brocade and become a concentric party. Be smart, be respectful, be romantic, and ask the prodigal son to turn back. Although it's fake, it's too small to get here. (The first discount of the third book)

Finally, Zhang Sheng's "winning the championship in one fell swoop" further confirmed his talent and skills.

Zhang Sheng won the praise of "the first article" and the favor of Yingying.

Third, Zhang Sheng in Zhi Zhong Cheng

The "sincerity" in Zhang Sheng's character is the key to establishing love and marriage.

Zhang Sheng's pursuit of Yingying is full of twists and turns and difficulties, but he is indomitable and never flinches. His persistent pursuit of love deserves to be called "sincere".

The social status of Zhang Sheng and Yingying is very different. From this point of view alone, it was impossible for society and family to allow this kind of love marriage in the feudal society where marriage was about matching families at that time. This is an invisible obstacle in front of Zhang Sheng.

On the way to Beijing to catch the exam, Zhang Sheng passed by the River Palace and swam in Pujiu Temple. He happened to meet Yingying, Guo Xiang's daughter. He was "fascinated by Yingying's beauty for a long time" and began a love offensive that he could not bear to give up. However, the hope of this pursuit is very slim. The reason is that Zhang's parents died, "there is only an empty bag left in the four seas", and; Book sword fell, fame failed, traveling in all directions. "However, regardless of the secular concept, Zhang Sheng resolutely pursued his honeymoon. After seeing Yingying for the first time, he immediately decided that "I don't want to go to Beijing to take the exam" and valued love more than fame, which shows how strong and determined his desire for Yingying is.

Zhang Sheng immediately put his pursuit into concrete action. First of all, he asked to stay in the temple in the name of "reviewing the classics in the morning and evening" so as to get close to Yingying and inquire about Yingying's whereabouts. Zhang Sheng learned from French monks and matchmakers: "The old lady is serious about running the family." Zhang Sheng knows: "My wife is too worried, but I am paranoid." Knowing that it is difficult to pursue Yingying. Even so, he didn't flinch. He also sang with Yingying through the wall when Yingying was burning incense in the garden at night, and knew each other's thoughts. From then on, "a good day will be fixed, and a poem will be clear." Zhang Sheng also attended the funeral of the late Cui on the grounds of recommending ancestors, so as to see Yingying again and find a way to express himself and attract Yingying's attention. Zhang Sheng's actions again and again come from his love for Yingying, which is the expression of his true feelings.

Soon, Sun Feihu soldiers surrounded Pujiu Temple, trying to snatch Yingying as "Mrs. Zhai Zhai" and the old lady as "Mrs. Zhai Zhai". The old lady got married in public, which brought a turn for the hopeless love. Zhang Sheng volunteered and wrote to Du Que, asking him to lead troops to clear the way. Zhang Sheng won Yingying's heart with his skill of "fighting bandits and raising generals", which brought them closer to love and marriage. After the thief was cleared, just as Zhang Sheng was happily preparing to do his good deeds, the old lady was treacherous and changed her mind on the grounds that Yingying had an appointment. This is undoubtedly a blow, breaking up a beautiful marriage. In the feudal society that pays attention to "parents' orders and cannot be disobeyed", marriage is arranged by parents. Although Zhang Sheng and Yingying love each other and have the foundation of love, they can't get the old lady's permission, so their hopes have to be dashed. This is another big obstacle they encounter on the road of pursuing love and marriage.

Zhang did not flinch because of this. In extreme disappointment and pain, he did not leave the Pujiu Temple, but knelt down and asked the matchmaker for help:

[Kneeling at the end, I am a young lady. I forgot to eat and sleep day and night, and my dreams were broken. I often feel lost. From the temple, the partition wall enjoys peace, the wind is medium, and the suffering is infinite. Just married, my wife changed her mind, which made me exhausted. When will this happen? How can a little lady pity a pupil? I will apply this to my young lady and know the heart of a primary school student. Just untie the belt around your waist in front of the little lady and find a suicide. (The third discount for the second book)

Zhang Sheng values love more than life. For love, he can kneel to a maid regardless of his identity; He can give up his precious life for love. Even the matchmaker was deeply moved by his "sincerity", giving him advice, passing books and delivering Jane, and Zhang Sheng was able to date Yingying. When the date came, Yingying changed her letter because there was a matchmaker present. Zhang Sheng was full of joy, but in the face of rejection and reprimand from his lover, he still didn't give up. He also begged the matchmaker: "How about I write another letter and bother my little lady?" . Zhang Sheng misses Yingying, and for Yingying, "lying in bed, forgetting to eat and sleep, being sick like a pot, and having a waist like a disease", the matchmaker pulls the red line again and again. With the help of the matchmaker, Zhang Shengde and Yingying lived a private life, and the private marriage did not last long. What happened between Zhang Sheng and Ying Ying was discovered by the old lady. The old lady forced Zhang Sheng to go to Beijing to take the exam on the grounds that "three generations don't recruit the White Snake". Zhang Sheng went to Beijing for Yingying and won the first prize in one fell swoop. After becoming famous, Zhang Sheng did not refuse people with money, nor did he "stop his wife from remarrying". But love Yingying deeply and get back in time.

After experiencing a series of difficulties and tests, Zhang Sheng finally broke through the shackles of ethics and morality with his enthusiasm and persistence, crossed many obstacles, and a couple of lovers finally got married. In the end, Zhang Sheng used his "sincerity" to maintain and fight for his love and marriage.

Fourth, "silly corner" and "silver spear head" Zhang Sheng

In addition to his extraordinary talent and sincere personality, Zhang Sheng often reveals a stupid feeling in the process of pursuing Yingying.

For example, in the second compromise of the first book, when I first met the matchmaker in the abbot's room, I introduced myself and said, "My name is Zhang, and I was born in Xiluo. I am twenty-three years old and was born on the seventeenth day of the first month. I have never been married. " It is nerdy, so abrupt and so bold. No wonder the matchmaker interrupted him: "Who sent you?" But Zhang Sheng ignored the matchmaker's reaction and asked, "Do you dare to ask the young lady to come out often?" It seems that he has never been married, so Miss Yingying should know him. His words are so grotesque and pedantic that people are surprised, angry and ridiculous. This of course angered the matchmaker. No wonder Zhang Sheng was violently robbed by the matchmaker and laughed at him in front of the young lady: "There is such a fool in the world." His pedantic bookworm made Zhang Sheng be labeled as a "fool" from the beginning. This scene makes people laugh and see the other side of Zhang Sheng.

With the continuous development of the plot, Zhang Sheng's "stupidity" has been fully reflected.

For example, the third book, the second compromise, because the matchmaker handed a book to Zhang Sheng, Zhang Sheng thought that "I will succeed if I go to this book" and waited for the good news with confidence. So when Zhang Sheng saw the matchmaker talking back and forth, he asked, "Optimus Prime, what's the big deal?" But because Yingying cheated in front of the matchmaker to hide it, the matchmaker brought bad news. When Zhang Sheng heard this, it was like a bolt from the blue. He couldn't help asking the matchmaker, kneeling in front of the matchmaker and crying: "My life depends on my little lady. However, when I heard that Miss Zhang replied to the book, read the contents and guessed what Miss Zhang really meant, Zhang Sheng suddenly came out again and was happy again. He said: "Ah, there is such a happy event, burning earth three times, and the ceremony is over. If I had known that Miss Jane had arrived, I would have greeted her from a distance, but I couldn't have received her. Don't make me feel guilty! "Zhang Sheng's crying and laughing, his mood ups and downs, shows his unparalleled confidence in love, but he is very fragile. However, the great changes before and after, the rapid changes, appear completely ridiculous, showing complete stupidity, can not help but make people laugh.

That night, when it was Yingying's date, Zhang Sheng waited anxiously outside the garden. As soon as I heard the signal from the matchmaker, "Come on, come on", I didn't seriously see if the person was Yingying. I thought it was the signal from the young lady, so I hugged the matchmaker excitedly. His behavior is reckless and funny. When he really faced Yingying, he became so honest. When Yingying reprimanded Zhang Sheng, Zhang Sheng couldn't even say a word of defense, and didn't say a word of rebuttal to Yingying, so he was scolded in a daze. Zhang Sheng has a quick mind, but now he is all thumbs when dealing with this problem. Zhang Sheng's performance is not artificial, but out of his deep love for Yingying.

Besides, Zhang Sheng is honest and cowardly, and funny and ridiculous in many places. When the road to love is smooth sailing, I am full of confidence and show my "magic" everywhere; However, when encountering setbacks, she lost her mind and begged the help of the matchmaker. Therefore, the matchmaker not only often laughs at him as a "fool", but also calls him a "silver-like forged spear head".

Verb (the abbreviation of verb) Zhang Sheng in civic comedy.

Zhang Sheng has won the love of the public with his touching and dramatic image. But his image was not like this from the beginning. The image of Zhang Sheng first appeared in Yuan Zhen's biographical novel Yingying Biography (also known as Hui Zhen Ji) in the Tang Dynasty. At that time, Zhang Sheng, the hero of Yuan Zhen's works, was a feudal writer who was so-called "good at atonement". However, after the continuous spread and transformation of later generations, Zhang gradually changed from an ungrateful person to a positive image loyal to love, and was finally stereotyped as a civic comedy in Wang Shifu's The West Chamber.

What caused the change of Zhang Sheng's image and what problems were reflected? From the perspective of historical transformation, the Tang Dynasty had a strong national strength, stable political situation and prosperous economy, and the scholars were pampered and treated with courtesy, which had a considerable social status. Therefore, in Biography of Yingying, Zhang Sheng's social status is higher than Yingying's, and his selfish and ungrateful behavior inevitably reflects a social phenomenon at that time. Later, in the Yuan Dynasty, Mongols entered the Central Plains, valuing martial arts over literature, and the social status of scholars plummeted and was subject to control everywhere. It is also reflected in Wang Shifu's The West Chamber. Even the maid matchmaker called Zhang Sheng "insatiable", which shows his low status. Therefore, in Wang Shifu's The West Chamber, Zhang Sheng's pursuit of Yingying will encounter many external disturbances and many twists and turns. At the same time, due to the unprecedented growth of the folk class, the author is in it and naturally blends into the aesthetic taste of the folk people. In The West Chamber, Zhang Sheng created a comic image of citizens with clear and fluent language and relaxed humor.

The transformation of Zhang Sheng's image is not a leap. He has undergone constant tempering, and more importantly, he has been influenced by the concept of public life and aesthetic taste. First of all, this is reflected in the author's emphasis on life: Zhang Sheng should have gone to Beijing to take the exam. After meeting Yingying by chance, he opposed the traditional students' pursuit of career prospects, put love above fame and fortune, and pursued Yingying without hesitation. Compared with those literati who have the idea that "the book has its own golden house and the book has its own Yan Ruyu", Zhang Sheng loves life so much. His pursuit of self-ideal and life goal is completely consistent with the life concept hidden in the hearts of the public, resulting in a curse, so it is talked about by the public. In addition, the author attaches great importance to the entertainment function of comedy: Zhang Sheng is not a serious scholar in the play, but a vivid and silly comedy image. The author used the sudden change of the story to fully show Zhang Sheng's own contradictions to the audience. In the contrast of ups and downs, he vividly showed his "charm" and laughed at his stupidity, thus showing Zhang Sheng's good qualities of sincerity and singleness. The author makes Zhang Sheng lively and interesting, which is very in line with the aesthetic taste of the public. The relaxed atmosphere thus created attracted the audience's laughter and made the audience greatly entertained and satisfied. Therefore, a lively, humorous and positive citizen comedy image left a deep impression on the audience and was told from generation to generation.

Conclusion of intransitive verbs

Master Wang's Zhang Sheng is the unity of Wen Kui, Zhicheng and Silly Corner. Zhang Sheng's handsomeness, talent and courage provided a guarantee for him to pursue his own love and marriage. His sincerity is the key for him to overcome all kinds of external resistance and break through many obstacles to get love. His stupidity not only stems from his deep affection for Yingying, but also makes him more vivid and lovely. In the continuous formation and evolution of drama conflicts, it fully embodies the complexity and three-dimensional nature of Zhang Sheng's character, leaving a vivid and profound impression on people. All Zhang Sheng's words and deeds are sincere, and his image has the brilliance of human nature.

The typicality of Zhang Sheng directly or indirectly influenced the literary creation of many love themes in later generations. For example, Pei in "Going Out of the Wall" at the same time, or later in "Ghost Story", and many other works are deeply influenced by it. Zhang Sheng's rebellious spirit in The West Chamber has been inherited and carried forward by many later masterpieces, such as Liu Mengmei in The Peony Pavilion and Jia Baoyu in A Dream of Red Mansions. Inspired by them, many young people in later generations were encouraged to actively pursue freedom of love and marriage and bravely resist feudal ethics. Together with * * *, they have become a force, satirizing and impacting the fortress of feudal ethics and feudal system.