六朝僧侣:文化交流的特殊使者

The Buddhist Clergy in the Six Dynasties Period:Special Cultural Ambassadors

在古代中国 ,不论是官方往来、民间交流 ,或是其他方式的交往 ,终究受制于一定条件。而且 ,由于政治制度、文化背景乃至风俗习惯的差异 ,各地之间的交流往往存在着很深的隔阂乃至偏见。惟有佛教文化例外。魏晋南北朝时期的绝大部分统治集团 ,多视佛教为神明 ,顶礼膜拜。因此 ,各地的佛教文化交流几乎是无条件的。六朝僧侣作为文化交流的特殊使者 ,纵横南北 ,往来东西 ,在传播佛教文化的同时 ,也在传递着其他丰富的文化信息。其影响所及 ,不仅渗透到当时社会的各个阶层 ,而且在很大程度上改变了中国文化的发展方向。从长安、洛阳、建康、凉州四大文化中心的兴衰及其文化交流的若干途径看 ,从僧侣自身的文学创作、佛教思想对于中古诗律演变、中古文学题材、中古文学思想的巨大影响等方面看 ,六朝僧侣在魏晋南北朝时期的文化传播过程中 ,的确起到了特殊和重要的作用。

Communication—whether official, non-governmental or otherwise—was limited in ancient China. People in different places held deep-rooted misunderstandings and prejudices toward each other due to differences of political system, cultural background and custom. Buddhist culture, however, was an exception. Most dynastic rulers of the Wei, Jin and the Southern and Northern Dynasties believed in and promoted Buddhism, providing every convenience for circulating and exchanging its culture. Buddhist monks played a special role in spreading this culture along with other cultural information. Their influence permeated all social strata of the time, altering the direction of Chinese cultural development in no small measure. The special role and significance of Buddhist clergy of the Six Dynasties in cultural communication is reflected in the rise and decline of the four major cultural centers of Chang'an, Luoyang, Jiankang and Liangzhou, in modes of cultural exchange and literary creation by Buddhist monks, and in a pronounced Buddhist influence on medieval Chinese literature.