由海外汉学家史景迁所撰写的《前朝梦忆》一书,通过对明末清初的士绅阶级张岱及其族人的生活纂述,进而呈现出晚明的社会百态。史景迁试图将张岱的一生,与家族的关系,与外在世界的关系理清并展现给读者。但是事实是,作为一位海外汉学家,他对张岱的理解还是不如我国史学家了解的深刻。但同时,他又给我们展现了一种别具一格的风格。无论是浮华奢靡的前半生,还是凄苦倾颓的后半生,在张岱的梦与忆之中侧面折射出的对明朝没落的疑论,极为引人深 The Book of Former Memory of Dreams, written by the overseas sinologist Shi Jingqian, presents the social conditions of late Ming through the compilation of the life of the gentry Zhang Dai and his tribe in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Shi Jing-qian attempts to clear Zhang Dai’s life, the relationship with the family, the relationship with the outside world to clarify and show to readers. But the fact is, as an overseas sinologist, his understanding of Zhang Dai is still not as profound as our historians know. But at the same time, he showed us a unique style. Whether it is the extravagant extravagance of the first half of the life or the later life of bitterness and decadentness, the suspicion of the decline of the Ming dynasty reflected in Zhang Dai’s dreams and memories is extremely impressive