It seems to be a historical necessity that the two ancient prose movements ended differently. As Marx added when talking about Hegel's view that historical events and figures often appear twice, "the first time appeared as a tragedy, and the second time as a comedy" (Napoleon's third coup). Because history cannot be created at will, and those who create history cannot but be entangled and restricted by the traditions of the present and generations. Of course, both Han Yu and Ouyang Xiu can't escape the influence and restriction of the political and cultural trends of thought and the development law of prose ontology in their respective times, and this article has no intention of belittling North Korea and praising Europe. However, it is very necessary and of great practical significance to summarize and discuss the reasons for the final outcome of these two ancient prose movements. Lenin in Karry? Marx pointed out in his book: "Development seems to be repeating the previous stage, but in another way, it is repeating the previous stage on a higher basis." It is from this perspective that I think that although Ouyang Xiu began to learn from North Korea, and his innovation in ancient prose also started on the basis of the ancient prose movement in the middle Tang Dynasty, his starting point in theoretical guidance, personnel training and creative practice is higher, which is different from Han Yu's "another way". This alternative way, in a word, is his mature theory of innovating traditional prose.
Theory is a banner and a direction, and its importance is self-evident. However, after the theory comes into being from practice, it should be scientific, forward-looking and open to guide new practice, rather than partial, temporary and closed. Ouyang Xiu's theory of prose innovation belongs to the former, while Han Yu has its limitations to some extent, and the fall into a wrong path of his successors is also related to this. I'll explain it separately at the next interview.
The first is the theoretical issues of "Ming Dow" and "ambition" in ancient Chinese prose. Both Korea and Europe attach importance to Tao, but they have different understandings of its meaning, attribute, value and function, and have different requirements. Han Yu's "Tao" refers to Confucianism, the Six Classics and even the Three Graves and Five Classics. He said: "The founders dare not read the Han books of the Three Dynasties, and the aspirations of non-saints dare not exist ... The way of doing things depends on the way of benevolence and righteousness, and the source of Poems and Books is endless." (Answer Li Yishu) He also said: "Your own way is the way of Confucianism and Mencius" (Answer Zhang again). Han Yu's ambition is to apply the traditions of benevolence, righteousness, morality, ethics and rule of etiquette advocated by Confucius and Mencius to the middle Tang Dynasty and pass them on to future generations. In the face of the rampant heresy such as Buddha and Lao at that time, he tried to revive the ancient Confucian "ancient road" which had declined, so as to eliminate ideological confusion, consolidate and strengthen feudal rule and safeguard unity. This was progressive at that time and had practical significance. But Han Yu despised the limitations of the "ancient road". He skipped the great development stage of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui and Tang Dynasties and turned to a sage and gentleman. He is looking back, of course, there will be resistance. However, it has no practical guiding significance to want future generations to be "no lost and no source". Because social thoughts are developing and changing, "Tao" can't be static. In fact, the reason why his own creation is "rational and full of energy" and "thoughtful and weeping" is related to his getting rid of the shackles of theory. However, Han Yu is too paranoid. He resisted heresy, denounced Buddha and Lao, and stubbornly defended Taoism, even Liu Zongyuan was dissatisfied. For example, Han Yu once wrote a letter accusing Liu Zongyuan of making friends with Buddhists and being addicted to Buddhism. Liu Zongyuan said that Han Yu "stayed out of anger, knowing the stone but not Yu Yun" (Liu Zongyuan's "Send Master to Zhong Cheng for Uncle Zhao"). Compared with Han Yu, Ouyang Xiu's theory and understanding are much more profound. As a feudal scholar-bureaucrat, Ouyang Xiu also said: "My so-called writing style must conform to the Tao" (quoted from Su Shi's Ode to Madame Ouyang Wenzhong); He even said: "Tao Dewen is not difficult" ("Answer to Wu Chong Scholar"). On this basis, some people in academic circles think that Ouyang Xiu's "Tao" is "still the Tao of Confucius and Mencius". (Note: "Song Wenxuan? The preface (People's Literature Publishing House, 1990 edition) is actually not like this. A few years ago, Mr. Wang pointed out: "Tao is not difficult to win." ".The meaning of this sentence comes from The Analects? The old adage "Where there is virtue, there must be words" in Xianwen, "its main purpose is to improve literary talent from the perspective of literati cultivation and gain the artistic appeal of works. "Ouyang Xiu and his prose. If we carefully read Answer to Scholar Wu Chong, we will also find that Ouyang Xiu had a new understanding and understanding of the meaning of Tao when he wrote this letter at the age of 34. In his letter, he pointed out that "Tao" is not far from people. At that time, "scholars drowned" and "it doesn't matter to abandon Pepsi". The "Pepsi" he said is the "Pepsi" in real social life and life experience. Confucius, Mencius and Xun Qing also paid attention to Pepsi-Cola, and they wrote their works only after a profound experience. He also hit the nail on the head and pointed out that Wu Chong "never leaves the porch all day", so he wrote an article "Can't Fight". It can be seen that what Ouyang Xiu said in his letter is "the perfection of Tao" ... even if heaven goes to earth and enters Yuanquan, there is no shortage of it "and" Tao is not difficult to win ",which are easy to understand and close to the truth, not the" ancient road "that Han Yu said in his last life. And Zhang Xiucai's second book, Ouyang Xiu's explanation of Confucius and Mencius is more pragmatic and closer to human feelings. He said: "Confucius said: people are not far away; People who talk about the doctrine of the mean say, "The outspoken person says," This life is after Confucius' death, not Yao and Shun's previous life. The so-called high-sounding words are fresh facts. He emphasized that Tao should not only be pragmatic, but also keep pace with the times. He even pointed out that he knows the Tao best, but his words are nothing more than teaching people to build Sang Ma, raising chickens and dolphins, and saying that health and death are the foundation of kings. " This obviously dilutes the moralizing of Confucian ethics, enriches and expands the realistic content of "Tao", which is close to reality and has practical feasibility. It is precisely because Ouyang Xiu, who is famous for doubting the ancient and distinguishing the false, has made a forward-looking, pragmatic and accessible new interpretation of "Tao", so we think that his "Tao" actually refers to the content of his works, not just the Confucian and Mencius Tao that existed in his previous life. It is precisely because of this that his "Tao" theory is open, acceptable to later generations and can be passed down for a long time.
Secondly, it is a theoretical problem about "Wen". In this theoretical field, Ouyang Xiu also inherited, innovated and obviously surpassed Han Yu. For example, in terms of style, we oppose parallel prose and don't write "46" essays. In terms of writing style, South Korea advocates "if it is unfair, it will sound", while Europe advocates "poor and backward works"; South Korea is "very good at its words" and advocates "acting according to the words", while Europe also "likes to be a literary expression" and advocates "carving for simplicity" and "taking nature". In terms of the writer's character cultivation, Han emphasized "cultivating his roots, adding his paste and hoping for his glory" (Answer to Li Yishu); Ou said, "The purity of Tao, the truth of China, the wealth of China, and the brilliance of articles" (Answering the Selected Books of Ancestors). All these are Ouyang Xiu's inheritance from Han Yu. As for the innovation and transcendence of Han Yu's "Wen" theory, it is mainly reflected in the following aspects: First, in the relationship between Wen and Tao, Ouyang Xiu advocates that both Wen and Tao should be paid equal attention. Han Yu said: "The purpose of treatment lies in the ancient road, and it is also good to speak" (answer to Chen Shengshu). It can be seen that the relationship between "Wen" and "Tao" in Han Yu's mind is not equal, but based on Tao, combining Wen and Tao. Ouyang Xiu claimed that "I am a writer" (Preface to Sending Xu Wudang to the South) and "I only take words as my job" (Records of the Cemetery with Qi). He also said: "Without words, it is not far away. ..... Words are for things, and words are for words. Words and deeds can show future generations "; "The words contained in it are big and literary, but later passed on; If you don't write something small, you won't pass it on (preface to the first episode of Wang Shumi). Here, Ouyang Xiu emphasizes that "literature" should be literary, knowledgeable and concise. According to Gu, a scholar in the DPRK, Ouyang Xiu wrote "Collection of laity" after becoming an official, with a constant of ten times, forgetting to eat and sleep. His wife advised him: these manuscripts were written by yourself and revised repeatedly. Do you blame Mr. Wei? Ouyang Xiu smiled and replied: "I am not afraid of my husband being angry, but I am afraid of laughing later." (Note: Lin Shu's "Chunjue Zhai Paper"? Love "(People's Literature Publishing House, 1959 edition)) His Preface to Drunk Pavilion is easy to cross, and it is the word" Chu is surrounded by mountains ",which shows that this story is true. The second is to advocate simple and natural writing style. In his early years, Ouyang Xiu wrote "Carving a Carved Garden Fu", which advocated "changing the old and taking the new" and "returning to the original". He once warned Wang Anshi, "Although Meng is tall, there is no need to be like this. "Creation should be" natural "(Book with Wang, Volume I). He severely criticized the shortcomings of his friend Shijie, who advocated retro, and criticized his incomprehensible "style of study", pointing out: "There is no hurry now, I am afraid that I will be a strange man in the future." At the same time, in view of the serious malpractice of Fan Zongshi, praised by Han Yu, who likes novelty and strangeness, and wants to be famous for strangeness, Ouyang Xiu mercilessly exposed it in the postscript of Records of the Historians, and wrote the ancient poem "Jiang Shou Yuan Chi", satirizing his "strangeness and strangeness, and wanting to be alone but not ancient". "Search all you have in a poor and desolate place, and make a hundred songs in one sentence. I don't want to learn from Pan Geng. " Although Ouyang Xiu did not directly criticize Han Yu's "strange writing style", complicated and strange sentences, and his theory of "words must be published", he also made euphemistic or indirect comments. In the preface to sending Xu Wudang to the south, he also taught Xu Wudang a lesson, "I want to destroy his arrogance and think about it." In a word, Ouyang Xiu's opposition to the weird, arrogant and civilian style is not only the experience summed up from Han Yu's style of writing and the ancient prose movement, but also the lesson of his own politics and assisting politics with literature. He warned the participants of the ancient prose movement that he was worried that his successor would go astray, which was indeed forward-looking and sustainable in theory. As he said in "On Du Yan, Fan Zhongyan, etc.", "Zhong You knows everything is difficult and fierce. Therefore, what he said is ambitious. If it is slow, if he wants to do it step by step and for a long time, it will be effective. " Ouyang Xiu's natural writing style seems to be the same. Thirdly, the theme of literature is emotion, and it is recognized that "literature" has independent literary aesthetic characteristics. This is the highlight of Ouyang Xiu's literary theory. Han Yu also said: "Although the words are ambiguous, although there are beauty and reality, who will look at them" ("Table of Inscriptions in Pinghuai West")? But this is still based on the consistent idea of preaching and teaching. Ouyang xiu is not. He pointed out: "A sage's words are not far from human feelings" (Answering Song Shu Xian). Praise Mei's articles "My feelings, beautiful scenery, elegance and integrity, abnormal condition" and "Touching the heart" (from Shu's manuscript). It can be seen that he saw the emotional factors of prose and discovered the aesthetic characteristics of prose; He also said: "There were different scholars in ancient times. Although the same way, the words are not similar "(the book is the first with Le Xiucai). That is to say, although the theme and content of the article are the same, the styles of many writers' works have never been the same since ancient times. Here, he not only emphasizes the diversity of writers' writing styles, but also separates "Wen" from "Tao" and points out the independent value of storytelling. Ouyang Xiu's discovery of the independent literary aesthetic value of prose and his aesthetic standard of "contending with nature" (trial writing) can also be confirmed in his own writings, preface, tablets, records, books and theories. Many predecessors praised Owen's beauty of "emotional charm" and called his prose "June 1". The so-called "emotion" of course refers to the human touch and the touching "emotion" between the lines; The so-called "rhyme" refers to the cadence and cadence of prose, which is also related to Ouyang Xiu's characteristics of "dispersing his qi and transporting his dual prose". As for the so-called "June 1 Fengshen", the most vivid summary is naturally Su Xun. In the first volume of Shang Ouyang Connotation, he made aesthetic comments on the essays of Meng, Han, Li Ao and Owen, pointing out that "the deacon's essays are well prepared and full of twists and turns, but the articles are smooth and uninterrupted; Tired, tired, tolerant, carefree, without hardship and toil. " From rhetoric to implication, from style to composition, from charm to grace, submission can be said to sum up the style of traditional prose laid by Ouyang Xiu. This style is also the embodiment of Ouyang Xiu's literary theory.
Finally, it is to deal with the problems of parallelism and dispersion, inheritance and innovation. The appearance of parallel prose is the result of the comprehensive influence of the temperament theory in the Southern and Northern Dynasties and the literary theory since Wei and Jin Dynasties, as well as the result of complex factors such as social unrest and division, the prevalence of Buddhism and the decline of Confucianism. Although parallel prose has its drawbacks, prose also has its own problems, or prose itself needs innovation, and it needs to draw nutrition from parallel prose to improve the aesthetic level of literature. It is from this perspective that I think the success of the ancient prose movement in the Tang Dynasty lies in the great achievements of Liu Han's creation to a certain extent, and being good at translating parallel prose into prose is also one of the factors. In theory, Han Yu was eager to achieve success, put Tao first, and only advocated "one style of writing". He did not correctly handle the theoretical relationship between parallel prose and addendum, nor did he cultivate everyone who could compete with parallel prose as successors, which led to the tragedy that Korean would not be handed down for 200 years. Ouyang Xiu is different. In his own creation, he "used prose to transport antithesis", which not only abandoned the disadvantages of parallel prose, but also scientifically solved the problems of parallel prose, complementary prose and inheritance in theory. For example, the second edition of Korean not only inherits Korean, but also does not prosper for a long time; From then on, he abandoned parallel prose and stopped writing parallel prose, but warned the scribes: "If a couple's article is reasonable, it may not be wrong. So it's not this but that "(On Yin Shilu's Epitaph). He guided his successors in many aspects, and even affirmed Su Shi's parallel prose, without borrowing old sayings or quoting the original events widely to show off his wealth. He thinks that "music is perfect" is an "article variant" ("try to write?" Sue's Forty-six). In addition, Ouyang Xiu's styles of philosophers are not as domineering as Han Yu's, but focus on reasoning, which not only adheres to theoretical principles, but also is inclusive. For example, he is both anti-Quincy style and realistic, and affirms that Yang Yi and Liu Yun are "well-read and well-written" ("Poems on June 1"); He tried his best to help underachievers, and was once known as a "scholar", but when paying tribute to them, he refused to accept risky articles despite the pressure of public opinion. It is precisely because Ouyang Xiu attached importance to the theoretical guidance of successors that Zeng, Wang and others appeared in the Northern Song Dynasty, who were able to lift their weights easily and calmly cope with the challenges of the opposition. It is precisely because Ouyang Xiu's innovative theory is mature, pragmatic, not paranoid, forward-looking and limited, that some Song Dynasties are unable to compete with ancient prose, although parallel prose has not been abolished; Fu is not abolished, but gradually becomes a literary fu; During the Southern Song Dynasty, the styles of Gan Chun and Taoism were challenged, but their styles were confined to the corner of giving lectures. In a word, the complete victory of the new ancient prose movement in the Northern Song Dynasty is inseparable from Ouyang Xiu's theoretical contribution.