論柳永的艷詞

On the Yen-tz’u of Liu Yung

歷來詞評甚為推崇柳永的羈旅行役之作，但卻完全否定其側艷香軟之詞。本文重探柳永的艷詞，以「客觀描寫的情景」與「主觀敘述的情思」作分類，詳析其內容及表現特色，以為柳永以鋪敘、白描的手法寫情詞，其優點是寫女子之形貌、神情俱能巧妙生動，如在目前，其缺失則是一旦涉寫冶游之樂、男女閨房之情時，卻易流於淺近卑俗。因此，對柳永艷詞的評價，雖細加分別，不可一概而論。後文補述柳詞之寫作背景，以探其詞心，並發掘其在文體上的創獲。拋開過去的雅俗之辨以及道德批判的立場，純粹從文學表現的角度著眼，不難發現柳永艷詞在開拓語言與意境方面有相當可觀的成就。那是一種情感寫實的手法，直接自然，一改《花間》派令詞含蓄而富詩意的寫作方式，無疑開拓了新的視野，也因此衝擊了傳統的美學觀念。

Critics of Liu Yung, while lauding highly his tz'u poems that describe the lives of stranded travelers and their journeys, have held a negative view toward his other works that describe feminine charms and amorous feelings. I, however, have engaged here a re-examination and re-evaluation of this latter cluster of Liu's tz'u poems, the so-called yen-tz'u (erotic poems). Instead of treating Liu Yung's erotic poems as a whole, I divide them into two categories, “scenes of objective description” and “sentiments embodied in subjective characterization.” In addition, I avoid evaluating these poems in terms of conventional moral norms or of traditional debates between the refined and the vulgar, as others have done before. Rather, I elucidate the value of Liu Yung's erotic poems according to his method of expression. To be more specific, this essay helps to illuminate Liu Yung's erotic poems through two discussions. The major one analyzes both the contents and ways of expression in those tz'u poems. It explicates not only Liu Yung's technique of both elaborate and plain sketches (pai-miao), but also the strengths and weaknesses of the way he wrote. In short, whereas Liu Yung presented vivid descriptions of a woman's countenance, body features, or various kinds of manner, his composition of amorous scenes easily degenerated into barren and coarse language. The second discussion, as a complement to the first one, looks into the literary background of Liu Yung for a better view of his motives for writing and his literary achievements. This exploration shows that Liu Yung had moved a great step forward with his erotic poems. He initiated a language and depicted more and deeper sentiments in the tz'u poetry. Further, with such emotional realism, Liu Yung wrote in a direct and natural manner, which departs from the oblique and poetic approach found in the Short Tunes (ling-tz'u) of the earlier Hua-chien school. Thus, he not only provided a novel perspective in literary creation, but also made a tremendous impact on traditional aesthetics.