留白是中國傳統繪畫重要范疇,與西方小說冰山和空缺理論等貌似相同,其實在文化淵源、主題指向、技巧運用上明顯殊異。汪曾祺、賈平凹、王祥夫、徐則臣等研修或熟悉傳統書畫的作家,感悟到留白與小說貫通的現代審美意義,從不同角度闡釋了小說留白觀,激活了繪畫留白現代小說轉化的新空間。汪曾祺、賈平凹、王祥夫、徐則臣,以及廢名、沈從文、蕭紅等諸多不同代際與敘事資源的小說家,在敘事結構、人物情節、結尾設計等方面實踐著留白藝術手法,不同形態的小說留白涵納著意境、虛實相生等傳統審美意識,實現了中國傳統藝術精神的現代小說轉化,具有文化主體性價值,對世界文學是一種豐富與補充。

The art of blank-leaving is important to traditional Chinese painting. At a first glance,it is similar to Western novelists’ iceberg theory and theory of vacancy,but they differ in cultural origins,subject matter and the use of skills. Writers with a decent knowledge of traditional painting and calligraphy,such as Wang Zengqi,Jia Pingwa,Wang Xiangfu,Xu Zechen,etc.,have been insightful in connecting blank in painting with literature. They have demonstrated different ways of blank-leaving in fiction,and have activated a new space for the application of classical Chinese painting to modern fiction. Wang Zengqi,Jia Pingwa,Xu Zechen,Fei Ming,Shen Congwen,Xiao Hong,etc.,fiction writers from all generations and with different narrative materials,have practiced this theory in their writings,in terms of narrative structure,plot,characterization and endings.Different forms of blank in fiction convey the spirit of traditional culture,such as the artistic conception,mutualism of blankness and fullness,etc. They have also achieved the modern transformation of literature with traditional Chinese artistic spirit.Therefore,the value of cultural subjectivity it has is a supplement and enrichment to world literature.