清代青楼妓院中流传的《东游记》尽管有意使用生僻字而为传存至今的一般文献所罕见,但大多是历代出现过或曾使用的古字和俗字,大致缘于换位、换旁、增省偏旁部件和承古、承俗及通假借用等,且多具有理据可考,在某种程度上反映了汉字在烟花场这一特定底层社会中不为常人所知的原生态使用状况,可以说也是研究汉字在不同阶层、不同场合的使用状况和古今演变内在规律的丰富宝藏。
StoryofAJourneytotheEastisanovelcurrentamongbrothelsintheQingDynasty. Thiswritingusedrare wordsintentionally,which wereseldom seenduringcommondocuments, while,manyin which wereancientcharactersorvulgarformshadbeenappearedorusedinpast books.Throughstudy,wehavefoundmostrarewordsinthiswritingcamefromexchangingsitua-tions,changing,increasingoromittingradicals,inheritingancientwriting,usingvulgarformsand phoneticloaning,whichcanbetestedbymotivationandtosomeextent,reflectingtheoriginalusing stateatthespecificbottomcommunityasbrothelgroups.So,wemayregardthemastherichtreas-urewhenresearchingChinesecharacters'usingconditionatdifferentoccasionandinherentevolving lawfromancienttimestothepresent.