劉勰《文心雕龍》歸本自然之思想理路

Liu Hsieh’s Wen Xin Diao Long: thoughts that return to nature

劉勰以文章之本在於「自然之道」，「聖」與「經」均為自然之道的體現，而為人與自然萬物的溝通管道。劉勰於此，建構出自然至情志，再至文章的一系列相通之理路。而劉勰之「道」，為兼融儒家名教思想與道家自然思想之「新」「自然之道」，合於自然之旨而不廢人文。自然與人文間，以氣和合流變，彼此感應溝通。劉勰以徵聖、宗經為文的雅正之統，於辭采則主形式上之華麗，以為文學須代轉新變。雖欲追求文辭之修飾與思想之馳騁，最終仍須規範於儒家經典的節制，「執正馭奇」而歸本自然。劉勰以文章含蘊之道，即為自然之顯。無論是外在文飾與奇幻之思，甚至荒淫之志，皆由文人本然內在情思以發，而為自然之如實體現。由此合於其由自然至情志而文章的一系列理路之闡發。

Liu Hsieh believes that the essence of article writing (wen) lies in the “way of nature”. “Sageness” and “Confucian canons” are the embodiment of the way of nature, and they connect human beings and all creations in the universe. From this point of view, Liu Hsieh develops a train of thought which starts with nature, then flows to one’s emotions, and ends with article writing. Liu’s “way”, or “Dao”, which combines the thoughts of Confucian ethical code and the thoughts of “new” Daoistic nature, coincides with the principle of nature, but does not ignore humanities either. Nature and humanities communicate and respond with each other as chi flows and changes among them. Liu’s standard, upright orthodoxy of “advice from the wise” (Zeng-Shen) and “Worshipping canons” (Zong-Zing) still adopts flamboyant words in form, but emphasizes that literature should innovate and advance with time. Despite of the modification of language and the floating of mind, one should always return to the discipline of Confucian canons, or, as Liu puts it, “holding one’s views with conformity to overcome what might be awry”. Liu believes that the “way”, or “Dao”, in article writing is the demonstration of nature. The modification of language, the fanciful or even dissolute thoughts all come from the writer’s inner state of mind, and therefore are considered a true presentation of nature.