The Textual Characteristic of Yuewei Caotang Biji: "Not Knowing"

The Textual Characteristic of Yuewei Caotang Biji: "Not Knowing"

As a representative work of literary sketches from the Qing Dynasty, Yuewei Caotang Biji (《阅微草堂笔记》) presents a narrative style that stands in stark contrast to Liaozhai Zhiyi (《聊斋志异》). While the latter emphasizes elaborate plots and character development, the former is noted for its brevity and succinctness. More uniquely, Ji Yun (纪昀), the author, frequently employs the expression "not knowing" (bu zhi, 不知) within the narrative. This technique not only obscures character identities and event causalities but also subtly enhances the text's sense of authenticity and philosophical depth. This seemingly ambiguous narrative approach is, in fact, a deliberately crafted expressive strategy by the author, carrying rich literary and intellectual connotations.

I. Manifestations of "Not Knowing" in the Text

Yuewei Caotang Biji largely draws from folklore and hearsay. Ji Yun often introduces stories with phrases like "heard on the streets" (dao ting tu shuo, 道听途说) or "thus have I heard" (ru shi wo wen, 如是我闻), creating an atmosphere blending reality and illusion. Within this context, "not knowing" becomes a crucial link connecting hearsay to text, and reality to fiction. The author frequently adopts a third-person perspective to narrate events but deliberately omits or vaguely references key details such as characters' names, origins, and the causes and outcomes of incidents, sometimes explicitly stating them as "unknown."

For instance, expressions like "it is not known from whence he came" (bu zhi he xu ren ye, 不知何许人也), "his name is unknown" (bu zhi qi xing ming, 不知其姓名), or "his ultimate fate is unknown" (bu zhi qi suo zhong, 不知其所终) are common, rendering characters elusive and the narrative thread fragmented. This approach is not a narrative flaw but a deliberate authorial choice. By downplaying concrete details, Ji Yun guides the reader's focus from the event (shi, 事) itself to its underlying principle (li, 理), from the person (ren, 人) to the Way (dao, 道). Thus, within concise passages, he embeds ample space for deeper contemplation.

II. The Narrative Function and Intellectual Implication of "Not Knowing"

Firstly, "not knowing" cultivates a mysterious and含蓄 (hanxu, implicit) narrative atmosphere. Ji Yun does not pursue narrative completeness or dramatic tension. Instead, by obscuring plot points and creating open endings, he stimulates the reader's imagination and reflection. Some stories offer only fragmentary clues, leaving readers to ponder the underlying causes and implied meanings. This narrative mode of "the unknown" transforms the reader from a passive recipient into an active participant, constantly reconstructing the story's landscape during reading, thereby fostering a more profound understanding of the author's intended message.

Secondly, "not knowing" serves as a subtle vehicle for Ji Yun's own ideas. Much of the commentary within Yuewei Caotang Biji is not delivered directly by the author but through vaguely identified voices such as "someone said" (huo yue, 或曰) or "a wise person said" (you zhi zhe yue, 有智者曰). These "implied authors" convey perspectives aligning with Ji Yun's own, yet their ambiguous identities imbue the commentary with a degree of "uncertainty." This mode of expression through "not knowing" avoids the didacticism of direct authorial intrusion while opening up space for multiple interpretations. When confronting complex or debatable issues, Ji Yun often employs this method to articulate his skepticism or reflection, preserving the openness of thought and endowing the text with richer philosophical significance.

III. "Not Knowing" and Ji Yun's Didactic Intent

Although a high-ranking official and erudite scholar of the Qing Dynasty, Ji Yun was not a believer in the supernatural. His compilation of Yuewei Caotang Biji, ostensibly a record of strange tales, was actually a means to convey moral instruction (jiao hua, 教化) through the medium of ghost stories and anomalies. He frequently uses these tales to illuminate human nature's goodness and depravity and the impermanence of worldly affairs, implicitly urging readers to discern right from wrong and cultivate their moral character. The narrative device of "not knowing" became a crucial tool for realizing this didactic purpose.

Through "not knowing," Ji Yun subverts the simplistic model of traditional zhiguai (志怪, strange tales) fiction, where causes and effects are clearly delineated and good and evil are inevitably rewarded. This lends his stories greater realism and思辨性 (si bian xing, speculative quality). Confronted with "the unknown," readers are compelled to think and judge for themselves, thereby receiving subtle启发 (qifa, enlightenment) and warning. As Ji Yun's own approach suggests, "within not knowing, there is that which can be known" (bu zhong zhong you ke zhi, 不知中有可知). Beneath the surface of ambiguity lie the author's profound insights and earnest expectations regarding life, society, and morality.

In conclusion, the use of "not knowing" in Yuewei Caotang Biji functions both as a narrative strategy and a mode of intellectual expression. It enables the text to achieve profundity within simplicity, reveal truth through ambiguity, and embed knowable principles within "the unknown." Through this手法 (shoufa, technique), Ji Yun not only enriched the expressive forms of the literary sketch genre but also left a vast space for contemplation for subsequent readers. As noted by his disciples, "Tell the students of Wenlu that unofficial histories are not originally the province of Confucian scholars" (chuan yu wen lu men di zi, bai guan yuan bu ru ru jia, 传语闻洛门弟子，稗官原不入儒家). Yet, through its strategic use of "not knowing," Yuewei Caotang Biji quietly found its way into the very heart of literary and philosophical discourse.