《紅樓夢》是中國最具性別反省向度的一部小說，本文從觀察小說大觀園女兒國中的群體生命面向的特色，以及此中人們之間的關係這兩個層面入手，並參之以西方女性主義關懷倫理學的觀點，以呈現女性文化的特色。《紅樓夢》所構建的＂女性文化＂，呈現了一個＂審美 ＂的生命面向，此中人的存在或者是從事的活動，都帶著一種當下的、偶興的，以及充滿意趣的審美性。他們也用這樣的美感來觀照自己與他人，所以，群聚本身並不明顯地通向一個具有如傳統儒家價值的目標意義。而也在這樣的審美特質上，他們彼此之間也發展了一種超越功利性與實用性的＂體貼＂關係。在這種關係裡，他們有別於父權的上下名位序列的關係，而構作了一個平面網路關係，彼此之間互為主體，當他們以對方為主體而全心挹注在對方身上時，溫暖的情誼便在其中流動。《紅樓夢》呈現的女性文化對比著男性文化總帶有較多的理想色彩，因為那是一個超越了名位階級的人人為主體的平等關係，以及不帶功利與道德價值判定的審美世界。自然, 我們也可從中解讀出文本中對於傳統男性文化的反省，以及對於女性文化的嚮往。 Among the Chinese novels, Dream of the Red Chamber (Hongloumeng) is the most concerned with feminine gender. This paper deals with the character of life aspect and relationships in the female world of “Prospect Garden” (Daguanyuan), and also concerns feminist caring ethics. The feminine gender in Dream of the Red Chamber represents aestheticism. The characters in this female world of “Prospect Garden” exist and act for the present, accidental, out of pleasure. They treat themselves and others with an aesthetic attitude. That is why their actions are not aimed at fulfillment of Confucian values, but instead aimed at aesthetics. More over, they also develop caring relationship that goes beyond pure utilitarianism. They constitute a compassionate relationship of equality, therefore not the Confucian patriarchal hierarchy. The others are considered as equally important subjects, which make that warm emotional feelings can flow among them. The feminine gender in Dream of the Red Chamber shows more interest in utopist ideals and not so much in practical reality. The readers can discover that the writer of this novel himself is longing for these utopist female ideals.
