竹林七賢：文化主題之形成與運用

Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove: Formation and Application of Cultural Themes

人文思想中有某些「主題」產生於特定思想背景，形成後，其影響範圍是跨領域且歷時綿長，有非時間性限制之特色，當然，其存在得以各時代之詮釋方式而再現，不論對其論述者之背景預設、表現方式或技術條件為何，此類主題恰似人文思想中之「經典」，却不必然如「經典」為特定成書，雖其思想演繹及流傳必待文字或圖像以傳，而能概括成一價值觀念加以掌握理解，吾將其釋為「文化主題」，「竹林七賢」一詞即為其一，今以圖像文字互證之方式，解釋其主題形成與運用以得若干意義。

Cultural Themes: The Concept of ''Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove'' The origin of certain themes in humanistic thinking might be contextualized in specific ideological background. The influences of the themes, after their formation, are interdisciplinary and everlasting so as to exceed the confines of historical time. What seems doubtless is themes of these kinds might emerge again and find their own way of being catering to critical norms specific to the period given. They are represented regardless of the background of the commentator, modes of representation, and technical conditions. Themes of these kinds are much like the ''classics'' in humanistic thinking, yet it is not necessary for them to assume the form of a written text. The spreading of these themes and their mutations in meaning depend on either words or images, yet they can be grasped and crystallized into certain conceptual values. The expression, ''Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove,'' serves as an example of such kind. By way of the word and image dialectic, I would like to address the implications that involve the formation and application of cultural themes.