Material Culture and Decadent Style in Jin Pin Mei

晚明（Late-Ming）（1573─1644）被譽為中國歷史上最繁華的年代，其生活方式已具有現代消費社會（consumer society）的特徵。誕生於此時的《金瓶梅》（Jin Pin Mei - The Plum in the Golden Vase），以城市為背景，浩繁的展演人生對物欲與享樂的渴求，映照時人戀物悅己的情境。 本篇論文首先分析《金瓶梅》小說中人物對於飲食、衣飾的使用，說明在貨幣逐漸主宰階級區分的社會運作下，時人對物品的需求不僅脫離溫飽與蔽體的層次，更出現消費社會炫耀性財富（conspicuous consumption）的心態；另一方面，從作者寫作態度可知文人文化注重的是享用物品的意韻，而非粗俗而放肆的浪擲，反映財富資本（wealth capital）與文化資本（culture capital）相互抗衡的現象。此外，晚明因富裕與多元文化造成的思想解放，影響《金瓶梅》作者擺脫傳統古典小說重視情節的書寫方式，於此產生異於大敘事（big narrative）轉而注重瑣碎片段、感官刺激與關注人類「惡」與「欲」方面之反省與放縱描繪的頹廢風格（decadent style）。最後，小說中的人物角色無不為權財名利所役，作者以通徹靈明之眼，反映這個過度被酒色財氣所惑的人間，思索背負享樂主體與載體的「人」，是否真能超越耽於欲望的肉身；這個問題可能與外在的社會禮法沒有太大關係，而是「自覺」的程度。Late Ming (1573-1644) has a reputation of having been the most flourishing era in Chinese history, its way of life already possessing characteristics of modern day consumer society. The novel 《金瓶梅》 ( Jin Ping Mei - The Plum in the Golden Vase) originating at this period of time, using the city as its backdrop and displaying the human longing for material wealth and pleasure by shining a light upon a situation of its contemporary people''s fetishism and self-satisfaction. the purpose of this paper is first of all to analyze the use of food and drink and garments and adornments of the characters in the novel 《金瓶梅》, and to illustrate how under the operation of a society whose class division began to be increasingly dominated by use of money, the contemporaries'' requirements not only broke out of the mere level of aspiring for food and shelter in life, but that the times further went on to give rise to a consumer society where tendencies of conspicuous consumption emerged. On the other hand, from the attitude of the writing of the author it can be learnt that the scholarly culture, in its reaction to phenomenon of the resistance between wealth capital and cultural capital, chose to emphasize the implications of the enjoyment products instead of the vulgar and unbridled squandering. Moreover, the ideological emancipation resulting from the increased wealth and cultural diversification influenced the author to get rid of the kind-hearted, hero-worshipping writing style of the traditional "classic-novel" and its sincere view of "people''s" sins and desires, thus bringing about an emphasis on trivial fragments differing from the big narrative and a sense-provoking and decadent style. Lastly, the characters of the novel are in the service of power and wealth. The world confused by alcohol, sensuality and wealth is thoroughly viewed through the authors eyes as he ponders whether the people entrusted to be the subjects and objects of the pleasure-seeking really are able to transcend form indulging in their carnal pleasures or not, this issue is probably no big deal with principle, it’s all about conscious