论中国文学批评中的类比性释义——以《诗经》为例

On the Use of Analogical Interpretation in Chinese Literary Criticism——The Book of Songs as a Example

唐人孔颖达发现,汉代经学家对《毛诗》的解释存在"于经无所当"的现象。这实际上是承认,在《诗经》解释中不免存在自由释义的倾向,解释者参与了《诗经》意义的创造。这与解释者采用比兴的方法说《诗经》有很大关系,他们通过将诗歌描写的此物、此义与未出现在作品中的彼物、彼义进行类比,促使作品的篇内之旨向篇外之旨转换,从而实现对作品的意义极大的跳跃和扬升。如此解释《诗经》的意义可以称为类比性释义。这与诗人是否运用比兴手法写诗无关,因为即使用赋体写作,解释者照样可以将作品看成是以叙述形式出现的类比某种意义的一种载体。当解释者跨过宽阔的意义空间,从诗歌作品的此义跳跃到它所比喻或象征的彼义时,随意性不仅难以避免,而且还会被解释者充分利用,辗转得出他们所期待的结论,导致作品经过解释环节意义发生明显变形。这样的释义方法不仅运用于《诗经》的解释活动中,而且也被长期、广泛运用于中国古代各体文学批评之中,韵文体如诗、词批评借重这种方法尤其显著。所以,考察类比性释义方法有助于加深对中国文学批评传统的认识。

Commentator Kong Yingda pointed out that some interpretations of The Book of Songs by critics in Han Dynasty had ＂little correspondence with the text＂, which implied that critics and commentators played a role in the creation of new meanings for The Book of Songs. This was a result of the use of analogical interpretation. By making analogy between what was included in the poems and what was not, the meaning of the poems was significantly enriched. During the process, subjectivity was not only inevitable but also made full use of by commentators and critics. In order to draw the conclusion in line with their expectation, the meaning of the works was distorted via explanation. Analogical interpretation was not only seen in the commentary on The Book of Songs, but also widely used in Chinese literary criticism in ancient time. Therefore, the study of analogical interpretation will help us to have a deeper insight into the tradition of Chinese literarv criticism.