脂硯齋曾特別以「書中之祕法，亦不復少」指引《紅樓夢》的創作之妙，並挑明其第五回乃是悉借《推背圖》之法「為兒女子數運之機」；然而非僅第五回也，全書以隱讖的多種手法交織網絡，形成層次分明而多元的預言表述。本文全面考察書中的隱讖系譜並廓清其運用策略，不但使全書的隱讖系統舉張分明，建立解讀《紅樓夢》之詩詞文字寓意的明確分際，避免過度詮釋的穿鑿附會；此外更抉發曹雪芹別開生面的獨創手法，包括冰山一角式的引詩法、喻示家族集體之盛衰命運的戲名劇目排序（戲讖），以及牽帶各種兩性關係的小物設計（物讖），具見其青出於藍之功力。

Yin-Chen expression (隱讖, elliptical sayings or prophecies) uses implicit, vague, oblique, ambiguous wording to hint, predict, or anticipate. This paper analyses and clarifies the genealogy of the Yin-Chen expression in Chinese tradition, and investigates comprehensively the utilization of Yin-Chen expression in The Dream of the Red Chamber The novel uses various layers of Yin-Chen expression to weave a multidimensional system of fortune-foretelling and anticipations. This narrative technique helps give hints on undercurrents of plots, raise curiosity and tension in readers' mind about fates of characters, and somehow throw a light of destination upon the characters and events in the novel.

紅樓夢、讖語、詩讖、戲讖•物讖

The Dream of the Red Chamber, chen yu elliptical prophecies(讖語), prophecy poems(詩讖), prophecy opera(戲讖), the prophecy thing(物讖)