論屈原之死

On the Death of Qu Yuan

首先，從分析屈原「內美」人格悖論入手，指出其先在的正與奇兩種質素是導致屈原人格內在衝突而最終沉湘自殺的根源，也是屈原自身缺陷所在。接著，結合人類文化學、楚族民俗，分析屈原從終彭咸的死亡觀念既有中正理性精神，又帶有原始感性的色彩，把死亡看作是生命的回歸、反本，即重新返回其先祖神帝高陽之居。再次，解讀〈離騷〉三度「上征」飛行神話的死亡意義，指出那不過是屈原三次神秘的死亡體驗，並且考證了屈賦中鳳鳥具有導引亡靈歸本的民俗意義。最後，對〈離騷〉「求女」的底蘊重作解釋，認為「女」，即是指楚族的女先祖神；「求女」，是表現皈依其族女先祖神，並結合楚國的「淫祀」特徵，指出三度「求女」的男女情愛的性質，也不過是楚人表現生命回歸的禮俗而已。

Beginning with analysis of the erroneous views of Qu Yuan's inherent moral integrity, this paper first points out that his previous dual elements of uprightness and unjustness in character are his personal defects as well as the reason of his internal conflicts in character and final drowning and suicide. Applying theories of anthropology and folk customs of the Chu People, it then analyses the process of Qu Yuan following Peng Xian's philosophy of death and finds this not only shows his upright and sensible minds but also has primitive and perceptual reasoning, which is to consider death as return of life or return to the homeland of his ancestor the King Gao Yang. And then by explaining the meaning of death involved in the myth of three rise-ups in the book “Li Shao”. it proves that these are nothing but three mysterious experiences of death of Qu Yuan. This certifies also the phoenix in Qu's poems has the folk significance of leading dead souls return to its origin. The paper finally gives a new explanation to the implication of the process of ‘seeking woman’ in “Li Shao”. ‘Seeking woman’ here means following the goddess and ancestor of the Chu People. Coupled with the excessive sacrificial rites of the Chu State, the love nature of ‘seeking woman’ for three times is considered only to reflect the custom and ritual of the Chu People for the return of life.