中国史诗的多元传统与史诗研究的多重维度

Multiple Traditions of Chinese Epics and Multiple Dimensions of Epic Studies

对于世界许多民族国家来说,史诗无疑是一个重要文类。另一方面,世界范围内通行着非常狭隘的史诗观念,这种观念是以古希腊史诗为范例的。问题集中在什么是史诗、什么不是史诗。中国史诗体量巨大、类型多样,至少在形式上是多样的、演述是多样的、受众是多样的、社会功能是多样的。我们要根据多元的史诗传统,树立多重选择的研究视域,为世界史诗研究提供新的范例。

For the most of nations in the world, the epic is certainly one of the important kinds of literature. In the meantime, there is a very narrow definition about epic which is based on the exemplum of Greek epic. The vital questions could be focused on what is epic or what is not epic. Chinese epics are broad in scale and multiple in type, at least they are various in forms, performance, audience, and social function. In accordance with the multiple epic traditions, we should establish a field of multiple choices for epic studies, providing a new exemplum for the world epic studies.