梅鷟《尚书考异》考辨方法的检讨——兼谈考辨《古文尚书》的逻辑基点

An Examination of Mei Zhuo's Methodology in His Shang Shu Kao Yi:with a Discussion of the Logical Footing of the Critical Studies of Gu Wen Shang Shu

明朝中期,梅鷟著成系统考辨《古文尚书》的第一部专著《尚书考异》,逐一抉发晋以前文献中与《古文尚书》经文蹈袭雷同之处,但无法确证原创与抄袭。故考辨《古文尚书》的要点,并不在于发现多少蹈袭雷同的证据,而是需要为《古文尚书》辨伪确立一个有说服力的逻辑基点。有了这一逻辑基点,作伪举证方能显示其应有价值。《尚书考异》可能由梅鹗撰就,由梅鷟续成之。

In the mid-Ming Dynasty,Mei Zhuo's systematic research was summed up in his Shang Shu Kao Yi(A Critical Study of The Book of History).This became the first work ever devoted to systematic and critical study of the Gu Wen Shang Shu(The Book of History in the Ancient Script).Mei pointed out every point in pre-Jin Dynasty literature that was identical with that in the Gu Wen Shang Shu.However,he failed to find out which of different passages was the original text and which was plagiarized from elsewhere.Therefore,it is more important to establish a convincing logical footing for critical studies of Gu Wen Shang Shu than simply to list identical points.The identification of fabricated portions of the text is only valuable with such a logical footing.It is also possible that Shang Shu Kao Yi was originally written by Mei E,but finished by Mei Zhuo.