废存之间:清初对八股文的批判及论争——以魏禧《制科策》为中心的考察

Between Abolishment and Preservation:Criticism and Debate about Eight-part Essay in Beginning of Qing Dynasty——By Wei Xi's on Examination(制科策) as the Center

明清鼎革,士人们以批判的目光审视八股文,在废存之间兴起了一场论争。持决绝态度者把国家之败亡归于八股,以其败坏人才、泯灭文章之道而主张废弃之。如魏禧作《制科策》三篇,主张"废八股而勒之以策论",在清初"经世"的文化语境中极具代表性。与此相反,有人则认为在国家丧乱之际,借八股以传圣贤之道,故必不可废。这场论争承载着清初士人对国家与民族命运和前途的沉重思考,具有深厚的文化内涵。

After Qing Dynasty replaced Ming Dynasty, intellectuals reexamined Eight-part Essay with a critical eye. So, there was a debate between abolishment and preservation. Some considered that Eight-part essay should be abolished because they ascribed country＇s death to it. In their eyes, Eight-part Essay corrupted people and died writing out. Wei Xi＇s on Examination stood for ＂substituting Eight-part Essay with Ce and Lun （策论） ＂, his opinion was representative in historical context of ＂jingshi＂（经世） trend of beginning of Qing Dynasty. In contrast, the view was expressed that Eight-part Essay can succeed ancient saint＇s spirits on the occasion of the national commotion, so it would not be abolished. This argument carries the heavy thinking of intellectuals in early Qing Dynasty about the destiny and perspective of the nation and country, and so had profound cultural connotations.