| 摘要: | 「荊、劉、拜、殺」是元代舞台上就已常演的四部南戲，其「原本」、「元本」皆已失傳，有關此四劇的名人題詠與評論，是至明代才開始的。此四劇在明代文人手中，無一不受到改編；無論在關目、文詞與曲律，「荊、劉、拜、殺」接受到了更改，卻也讓這四部南戲經歷過一個經典化的歷程；而梨園戲班中有著用口號來標榜常演劇碼的習慣，故而將「荊、劉、拜、殺」並稱。但文人論曲、選曲，並沒有將「四大南戲」當成「四大名著」的意識。
改編後的「荊、劉、拜、殺」到了晚明，竟有了「四大家」的美譽，此譽是因其「古質」，迎合了部分曲家「本色論」和「音律論」的取向，成為曲家論曲的工具。蔣孝《舊編南九宮譜》作為第一部南曲格律譜，其例曲雖有蒐羅自《琵琶》和「荊、劉、拜、殺」，卻也並未讓這幾部南戲更受到觀眾青睞。直到吳江派的領袖沈璟編定《增定南九宮曲譜》，才有系統地展現出曲家對「荊、劉、拜、殺」的期待視野。至順治年間的兩大南曲格律譜《南詞新譜》和《南曲九宮正始》，讓「荊、劉、拜、殺」的例曲能「遵古」亦可「備於今」，讓同一齣戲文有著更多的面向，在同一時代影響著不同的群體。
至於場上的搬演，清以後到民國「荊、劉、拜、殺」都不盛演，《殺狗記》更是幾乎消失在舞台。但在二十世紀，文人曲家論曲、戲劇學者論戲，對「荊、劉、拜、殺」的經典性產生了實質上的影響，進而在文學史、戲曲史上站住了最穩固的位置。至此「荊、劉、拜、殺」成為「四大南戲」、「戲文之首」，進而完成其「典範」的歷程。
;“Jing, Liu, Pay, King” were four common Chinese southern drama acts. Unfortunately, the original screenplays as well as the scripts from Yuan dynasty were long lost, and it was not until the Ming Dynasty when critics and analysts became interested in these four acts. Revisions were made to these four acts during the Ming Dynasty, including the plot, wording, and music; these revisions marked as major developmental milestones and, along with rising popularity, these four Chinese southern drama acts were bundled together as one. However, the bundling did not mean the advancement of these four drama acts into the masterpiece category.
Towards the end of Ming Dynasty, the revised “Jing, Liu, Pay, King” became known as the “four excellent work.” This honorary acknowledgment stemmed from the historical/ancient nature of the four drama acts that coincided with some musicians’ “natural color theory” and “music theory,” evolving the four drama acts into teaching materials, guidelines, and comparisons for music at the time. In fact, Jiang Xiao’s “Old NanJiugong Pu” was first known as the “Nanqu Quanpu;” although this piece did include “Notes of Lute” and “Jing, Liu, Pay, King,” it did not advance the popularity of these southern drama acts by much. It was not until the “Supplement NanJiugong Pu” compiled by Wujiang Group’s leader Sink Jing that the horizon of expectations in music of “Jing, Liu, Pay, King” started rising systematically. During the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, the two Nanqu Quanpu “New Nanqu Pu” and “Nanqu Jiugong” made it possible for “Jing, Liu, Pay, King” to follow the tradition, but also impacting pop culture at the time, giving these four drama acts more perspectives and thus influencing different groups as well as generations of individuals.
In terms of the on stage performance, from the Qing Dynasty to the 20th century, “Jing, Liu, Pay, King” were not commonly performed. In fact, the “Tale of Killing a Dog” almost disappeared. However, during the 20th century, within the Chinese literature world, discussions and interpretations of “Jing, Liu, Pay, King” solidified these four drama acts’ actual value and historical roles. And now, “Jing, Liu, Pay, King” has become the “Four Nancy” and “No.1 of Drama,” a natural process in securing their classic roles within the Chinese literature world. |
