《诗经》篇名正变

On Chapter Headings in The Book of Songs

《诗经》的篇名,无论从其来源看,还是从其词性看,都呈现出统一性与多样化的特点。《诗经》篇名方式的统一性表现为以诗首取字,为正格;正格的发生与时代风气、社会需要、“兴”的表现手法等密不可分;而命题者的主题意识及其对名篇艺术的追求,又决定了名篇方式的多样性。以诗首名篇,是中国古代诗文命题史上的初始阶段,《诗经》篇名由正格到变格的演化,是诗歌的命名从篇首取字向以意立题的过渡的先声。《诗经》以后,变格逐渐为正格。

Chapter headings in The Book of Songs are characterized by both unity and diversification in respects of either sources or syntactical functions of the headings. Most chapters are entitled by taking the first sentence of the song as the title which was popular at that time. However, the writers＇ awareness of theme as well as pursuit of art determined diversification of chapter headings. Entitling a chapter with the first sentence was the origin of entitling of Chinese ancient poems and songs. Diversification of chapter headings in The Book of Songs started the transition of chapter headings from entitling with the first sentence to entitling according to the theme which gradually became popular after The Book of Songs.