重讀蘇軾＜方山子傳＞：以敘事觀點為中心的討論

Reinterpreting Su Shi’s “Biography of Fangshanzi”: A Discussion Based on the Viewpoint of Narration

「傳」起源於史書，本以記實，或「有徵」為原則。然而唐宋二代，集部的「傳」，與史學的關係逐漸鬆脫，使「虛構」成為這一時期集部作品中，標題為「傳」的文章的一項重要特色，即使看似實錄的傳記，也往往在特殊的創作目的下，雜有虛構的色彩，蘇軾的〈方山子傳〉，即是其中最著名、也最出色的作品之一。本文以中國文史傳統的發展為主要參照之背景，並運用近代西方的敘述理論，作為重要的析論工具，重新解讀〈方山子傳〉。除了定位其以「寄託」為主的書寫特質，解析因應此種特質的種種敘述策略，也更精確的掘發其抒情內涵，探討這一以真實人物為底本，游走於歷史與散文之間的書寫，如何能成為個人的生命寓言。前者有助於重新梳理中國的敘事文學傳統，得以將「散文」納入這一傳統的討論之中，並觀察「傳」這一文體，在唐宋文中的一項新發展。後者則試圖思考敘事與抒情傳統會通的表現模式，探討這一類以寄託為主的「傳」，與以「詩」為主的抒情傳統之間，可能的互涉、乃至互補情形。

The prose genre zhuan 傳 (biography) originated in historical texts, and initially took the recording of historical fact as a baseline writing principle. However, the close tie between zhuan and history began to loosen during the Tang and Song dynasties, when fictional elements became one of the genres most important features. The emergence of this trend is exemplified by Su Shi’s “Biography of Fangshanzi,” a half-fictional biography widely regarded as one of the most famous and outstanding zhuan works of the time. Using modern narrative theories as an important analytic device, this paper aims to reinterpret Su’s “Biography of Fangshanzi” within the context of the classical Chinese writing tradition of historical prose. In opposition to previous research, I claim that the content of the biography is not totally based on truth. I try to identify its lyrical character and analyze the narrative strategies Su used in an effort to see how the essay, which roams across the borders of history and prose, as well as fact and fiction, could serve as a metaphor of the author’s life. Through this discussion, I re-examine the tradition of Chinese narrative literature, and explain why it is necessary to include guwen (古文) within it. Moreover, I show how an expressive zhuan like the “Biography of Fangshanzi” is interrelated with lyrical poetry. By elucidating this interrelationship, I hope to provide a basis for further investigation of the connection between the narrative and lyrical traditions in Chinese literature.