試從黃宗羲的思想詮釋其文學視界

On Huang Tsung-hsi’s Concept of Literature

黃宗羲(1610～1695)是明末清初的大儒。一般比較重視他在思想和史學方面的成就，像《明夷待訪錄》及《明儒學案》等書。實際上他對文學方面也有卓越的貢獻。他編選了《明文案》，後來擴充為《明文海》達四百八十二卷，保存了不少文學資料。他的文章在當時就負盛名，特別是他對文學的本質有深邃的洞察和廣闊的視野，是許多文論家所不及的。本文試從他的思想淵源與主要立論來檢視他批評詩文的識見並探討他的文學觀。1.黃宗羲不像大多數儒者一樣把文看成載道的工具，而認為文與道合一。所謂文以載道還是把文與道當成兩回事。實際上文是從道中流出，凡道之形於言詞的都是文。所以文就是道。這一方面提升了文的價值，文獨立自存，不是工具。一方面擴大了文的意義和範圍，經史諸子乃至理學家種種思想性的著作莫不是文，不僅文章家的作品才是文。這種觀點跟他的思想有密切的關係。2.黃宗羲的思想幾乎都出於他的老師劉蕺山。大致可說是陸王心學一系，而略有異同。基本上都肯定「心即理」及「心外無物」之說，不過，為救正王學末流之弊，他們比較偏重理跟氣合一不分的關係。黃宗羲所謂「盈天地間皆心也」固然預設了理在吾心，卻也涵著氣的無窮變化在內。這樣形成的是一個心與理氣結合的意義結構，我與萬物渾然一體。而就人的自身而言，離情無以見性，性與情也不可分析。因惻隱、羞惡、恭敬、是非之發而有仁義禮智之名。只是所謂「喜怒哀樂之未發」的喜怒哀樂專指四德而言，與散而為七情的情之變則有所不同。這其實是把某種情提到性的位置，性也就不僅僅只是理而已。3.從整體來說，「文章者，天地之元氣也。」所謂元氣是寓有理的氣。這氣受到壓抑遏阻發而為文就成為天地為之動色的至文。分別來說，理為心之所明，氣屬心之感發。感發即情。其情至才能是至文。黃宗羲在論詩的時候更特別強調性情為詩的本質。不過，有個人一時之情，因其遭際，觸景感物而發；有萬古之性情，則指惻隱不安之性。後者是道德意識的具體呈顯。所以是前者所不及。4.詩人的性情是美感經驗的本質和泉源。透過詩人的性情才使自然宇宙結成為美感世界，也揭露了宇宙之真實。這真實同時是美感的也是道德的。而文學的究極意義與此真實為同一。5.黃宗羲基於這種對性情的理解和尊重，情感的真摯與深度就成為他論詩文的準則。從而極力反對模擬虛矯的風氣與宗派門戶的狹陋，不僅痛惡李夢陽「文必秦漢，詩必盛唐」之說，也不滿意公安竟陵的主張。乃至批評錢謙益文不能入情。而對歸有光的文章則稱許其一往情深。凡情之至者，街談巷語，遊女田夫之作，都是最有價值的文學作品。6.黃宗羲身經家國破亡之慘變，感懷特別深刻，其論詩文的性情主張，真切動人，一如從肺腑中流出，所以不是因循前人成說。而他以文與道合一，經術，理學，文章甚至修身工夫視為一體而不可分，都是道所流注。可以說是從儒學整體來論文最弘闊而深入的識見。

Huang Tsung-hsi (1610-1695) was an eminent scholar of the Ming and Ch'ing Dynasties. Best known for his accomplishment in Confucian thought and history, he also achieved greatly in literature. This paper will examine how his views on poetry and prose writing, as well as his concept of literature, grew out of his philosophical thinking. 1.Huang Tsung-hsi, unlike most Confucian scholars who viewed literature as a vehicle to convey the Way (tao), considered the Word (wen) and the Way to be one. So conceived, literature has a higher position, and is no longer just a vehicle; the meaning and scope of literature is expanded to include classics, histories, and philosophical writings. Literature is no longer restricted to imaginative texts. 2.Huang Tsung-hsi's philosophical thinking was mostly drawn from his teacher Liu Ch'i-shan (1578-1645). Huang, as Liu, placed special emphasis on the inseparability of Principle (li) and material force (ch'i). To Huang Tsung-hsi, Principle and material force form a significant unity, in which the self and the myriad of things are one. For human beings, nature (hsing) can only become manifest through feelings (ch'ing)，for the two are inseparable. 3.In Huang Tsung-hsi's comments on poetry, he particularly stresses that nature (hsing) and feelings (ch'ing) are the essence of poetry. But he lays an emphasis upon a constant feeling of commiseration that dwells in one's nature. It is through the poet's nature and feelings that the universe becomes beautiful, and its truth is disclosed. This truth of the universe is therefore both aesthetic and moral. The ultimate meaning of literature is identical with this truth. 4.Since Huang Tsung-hsi lived through the collapse of the Ming Dynasty, he was deeply sensitive to human vicissitudes. Therefore, his concept of literature arose from his views of human nature and feelings, and seemed to be a spontaneous overflowing from his innermost heart. This suggests that he was not a follower of conventions and traditions. He insisted on the unity of the Word and the Way, and saw the study of the classics, the Principle, literature, and self-cultivation as an inseparable whole, all being derived from the Way. Therefore, Huang Tsung-hsi's concept of literature is the most profound and open-minded of all those Confucian scholars who pondered the meaning of literature.