居易以俟命——論白樂天思想行為的變而不變

Lodging in Peace While Waiting for the Decree of Heaven: A Study of the Thoughts and Actions of the T'ang Poet Pai Chu-yi ( 772-846 AD)

論者多認為，白居易因唐憲宗元和十年武元衡事件進諫而被貶江州一事，乃白居易思想行為之轉擬點，並以是年為白氏思想與作品分期之界線：在此之前，白居易積極進取，並以兼濟天下為己任，此時期的作品，以諷喻詩為代表。後期則轉趨消極，只求獨善其身；作品轉以閑適為主。
這種看法，只觸及白氏思想行為之表象。事實上，白氏一生思想，以〈中庸〉「居易以俟命」之哲學為經，以王弼《周易注》中「才、位、時」之觀念為緯。白氏〈與元九書〉中提出的「兼濟、獨善」概念，只是此一思想在不同時勢下之不同體現。白氏行為雖因時勢而有改變，但思想則前後一貫。

It is a common theory that the Wu Yuanheng incident in 805 AD marks a turning point in the poet Pai Chu-yi's life attitude and behavior. However, I would argue that the poet's life philosophy was consistent and there was no change as far his life philosophy is concerned. If one insists on talking about change, it is the several years that he served as a Reminder of the Throne that he had ''changed'', and not because of the incident.
Such a phenomena of apparent change in action but consistency in life philosophy is found not only in Bai Juyi, but in most traditional Chinese intellectuals. The paper hopes to clear a common misconception about the thought and behavior of traditional Chinese intellectuals among whom Pai Chu-yi was a typical example. It will also make use of a modem idea of self-concept in its analysis.