论欧阳修对散文特质的阐发

On Ouyangxiu's Elucidation on Prose Specialty

在中国古代文学思想中,独立的散文理论出现较迟。宋代是一个散文意识日趋自觉、散文理论范畴日趋明确的时期,欧阳修作为一代文坛盟主,不仅撰就许多优秀的散文作品,而且有大量专为散文创作阐发的见解,其中不少论说还表露出着意区分诗歌与散文的意识,显现出对散文独有的文体特质的体悟。以文字而体现生命不朽的原则贯穿于他对散文特殊功能的阐述中,致用与说经则是他认为散文最重要的两大社会功能。对于散文在表现上的特质,欧阳修的认识重心落在"论议多所发明"这一点上。他提出论议发明必须区别于哗众取宠、求奇取胜的表现方式,并力主散文的论议以明晰精要为胜。

Independent prose theories appeared later in ancient literary ideology of China. The Song Dynasty was a period when prose consciousness was becoming conscious day by day, prose theory category was becoming clear day by day, Ouyangxiu, as a leader of the literary alliance of no equal of his time, wrote lots of excellent prose works, there were a large number of ideas specially elucidated for prose creation in his works, in which quite a few views showed the consciousness specially discriminating poetry from prose, which revealed his appreciation on sole prose specialty. The principle embodying eternal lives by words ran through his elucidations, and he thought prose had two important social functions： practical use and preaching. Ouyangxiu put forwards a distinction had to be made between discussion invention and the way of playing to the gallery and winning victory through unexpected moves, and maintained the discussion of prose should be distinct and succinct.