文质论与中国中古文学批评

The Theories on Literacy and Simplicity and the Middle Classic Chinese Literary Criticism

文与质在中国中古时期是一对重要文学概念,绝大多数场合指作品语言的文华与质朴和以此为基础的作品整体风貌。它适用于诗、赋与各体文章,故被广泛使用。南朝刘勰、钟嵘均主张作品应以文质兼备为理想标准,其具体化则是文采与明朗刚健的风骨相结合。萧统、萧纲、萧绎等人虽更重视文采,但均以文质彬彬为批评标准。初盛唐时代的史家与文人,继续提倡文质彬彬。这一任务终于由盛唐诗人完成。从此文质论不再成为文论家的热门话题。

Literacy ' ( or : 'elegance ') and ' Simplicity ' are a couple of important literary conceptions in the middle classic period in China . In the principal cases , they denote or indicate the colourful and the plain qualities of the language of works and the styles of works based on such linguistic qualities . They are widely applied in appreciating poems , prosodic prose (赋) and other writings . In the Southern Dynasties , both Liu Xie and Zhong Rong maintained that the ideal target for literary works must be the combination of literacy and simplicity . Xiao Tong , Xiao Gang and Xiao Yi , etc . paid more attention to the colourful quality of works , though , they all put forth the balance of outward grace and solid worth as the criteria of works . So did the historians and liter-arymen in the Early and High Tang Dynasty . These theories were completed by the poets in the High Tang Dynasty . Since then , they were no longer the ' hot topics ' upon the mouths of literary critics .