沈约“声律论”再审视

Reconsideration of Shen Yue's "Theory of Tones"

沈约是发明四声的重要奠基者,也是将"四声"引入诗歌理论的首创者。"用四声以制韵"是"永明体"诗歌的核心特征,其具体内容是指:一句之中,必须避免同声同韵的字重复使用,并以"平头、上尾、蜂腰、鹤膝"为标准达到字调的相间。"平头"、"上尾"、"蜂腰"、"鹤膝"不仅不是"病犯"而是"用四声以制韵"的"韵",它只有在并提时才具有意义。沈约没有提出过"八病"之说,"八病"是后人基于"八体"言论而产生的一种附会,而将"平头"、"上尾"、"蜂腰"、"鹤膝"归入"八病"则是附会之上的附会。沈约的《答陆厥书》等文章廓清了"四声"与"五音"的区别。他的"声律论"建立了诗歌由古体向近体过渡的桥梁,也导致了"拘声韵"的后果。

Shen Yue is one of the important founders of the invention of the “four tones”, and the first person who has introduced the “four tones” into the poetry.“Rhyming with the four tones” is the kernel feature of the “Yongming Style” poetry, which rules out the repetition of the initial consonants and vowels within a line, and requires an adjacent diction of “Ping Tou”, “Shang Wei”, “Feng Yao”, and “He Xi”. The adoption of adjacent diction, instead of being “literary ills”, fulfils the “rhyming”. Shen Yue has never suggested the theory of “eight ills”. Rather, the “eight ills” is an eisegesis based on “eight styles”. As for the inclusion of the “Ping Tou”, “Shang Wei”, “Feng Yao”, and “He Xi” into the “eight ills”, it is nothing but a further eisegesis. Shen Yue has clearly defined the differences between the “four tones” and “five tones”. His “theory of tones” bridges the transition of poetry from the ancient style to the regulated verse, but also brought about the “restriction by the tones”.