以文為戲
Playful Writing
將寫文章看作游戲,指用戲謔詼諧的筆法寫文章。唐朝著名文學(xué)家韓愈創(chuàng)作了《毛穎傳》《送窮文》等作品,以戲謔的形式和筆法表達(dá)嚴(yán)肅的主題,由此產(chǎn)生中國古代文論的一個(gè)術(shù)語。它強(qiáng)調(diào)文學(xué)的游戲功能,用戲謔詼諧的筆法摹寫嚴(yán)肅莊重的社會(huì)主題,或?qū)⑽飻M人,或虛構(gòu)情境,借以譏諷世情、寄托個(gè)人憤懣。這與儒家傳統(tǒng)的“文以明道”“文以載道”等觀點(diǎn)形成了鮮明對(duì)比,成為當(dāng)時(shí)爭論的焦點(diǎn)。裴度、張籍等人對(duì)此理論與創(chuàng)作傾向持否定批評(píng)態(tài)度,而柳宗元?jiǎng)t力排眾議,專門撰文闡釋“以文為戲”的思想價(jià)值和審美意義。實(shí)際上,“以文為戲”與傳統(tǒng)的文道觀并沒有本質(zhì)區(qū)別,而且相互補(bǔ)充,各有其理論價(jià)值。韓愈、柳宗元的理論開拓和創(chuàng)作實(shí)踐豐富并拓展了古文的文體形式,確立了“以文為戲”的文學(xué)史地位,深刻影響了后世的雜文創(chuàng)作。
This term refers to a playful approach to the composition of prose. Famed Tang Dynasty writer Han Yu, for example, wrote his "Biography of Mao Ying" and "Bidding Farewell to Poverty," both dealing with serious themes, in a witty way. Playful writing thus became a style of classic Chinese prose. It stressed the entertaining, game-like function of literature and playfully explored serious themes. Thus, a writer often personified a non-human object or conjured up a situation to satirize human behavior and express personal feelings. This playful approach to writing became highly controversial, as it stood in contrast to the established Confucian notion that literature should be a vehicle of cultivating moral values. Some scholars like Pei Du and Zhang Ji opposed this style of writing, but Liu Zongyuan wrote an essay in support of Han Yu, arguing that playful writing had intellectual value and aesthetic significance, and it was in fact not that different from the tradition of regarding literature as a vehicle of cultivating moral values. These two views were mutually complementary, each with its theoretical value. Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan broke new ground with their literary theory and works, enriched the styles of classic Chinese literature with playful writing, and greatly influenced essay writing of later generations.
引例 Citations:
◎其人信美材也。近或聞諸儕類云:恃其絕足,往往奔放,不以文立制,而以文為戲??梢雍酰浚ㄅ岫取都睦畎繒罚?/p>
他(韓愈)確實(shí)很有才華。近來聽一些朋友談到他時(shí)都說:韓愈自負(fù)其不凡的才華,作文常常奔放不羈,他不以文章為社會(huì)創(chuàng)立規(guī)范,卻將寫文章看作游戲。這樣做合適嗎?
He (Han Yu) is no doubt a talented man. These days, however, I have been told he has become complacent and often disregards all established rules in writing. He does not bother to set norms for society in his writing, treating it only as a way to amuse himself. Is that proper? (Pei Du: My Letter to Li Ao)
◎詩人視一切外物,皆游戲之材料也。然其游戲,則以熱心為之。故詼諧與嚴(yán)重二性質(zhì),亦不可缺一也。(王國維《〈人間詞話〉刪稿》)
詩人將一切外在事物都看作寫作戲謔文字的素材。然而寫這種戲謔文字,須有極大的熱忱。因此,詼諧與莊重這兩種特質(zhì),也是缺一不可的。
A poet sees all external objects as materials for playful writing, but such writing requires keen interest. Therefore, wit and solemnity are both indispensable. (Wang Guowei: The Deleted Part of Poetic Remarks in the Human World)
推薦:教育部 國家語委
供稿:北京外國語大學(xué) 外語教學(xué)與研究出版社
責(zé)任編輯:錢耐安