试论唐代制举试策文体的演变

Evolving the Stylistic Features of Imperial Examination Papers of the Tang Dynasty

随着时代变迁,唐代不同时期制举试策中的策问和对策在结构、字数、题目数量等方面有很大变化:在唐前期,策问和对策结构比较简单,字数较少,题目数量也较少;在中晚唐时期,题目结构渐趋复杂,字数和数量也大为增加,并形成了相对固定的策问和对策结构。唐代的制举试策在文体上大致遵循一定格式,但相对比较宽泛,选拔标准更注重文采和论述内容,对文体格式的要求不是非常严格,举人在同科同场对策中可以采取相对自由的格式。陈飞先生所说的唐代试策的形式体制,严格意义上讲是不存在的,仅仅是把唐代试策的众多个案中出现的要素"集优"在一起;他对唐代前后期的试策文体特点及其变化的区别也不够深入、清楚。

Different periods of the Tang Dynasty witnessed dramatic changes in the structure and the number of words and questions required of imperial examination papers.In early Tang,the paper structure was much simpler,leaving room for fewer words and fewer questions.In middle and late Tang,however,the paper structure grew in complexity with more words required and more questions to be answered,which gradually gave rise to a fixed pattern.In terms of style,the Tang imperial examination system can be said to follow a certain yet rather general format;what was treasured was literary talent as exhibited thereof and content.That means examinees were relatively free to make their own choices.In this regard,the argument by Mr.Chen Fei that there was a formal stylistic requirement in the Tang imperial examinations was basically groundless,since what Mr.Chen did was simply to pool together a number of ＂points of merit＂ from a collection of examination papers without having traced the evolution of the stylistic features of the examination system.