论欧阳修的“圣贤情结”及其影响

Theory and Influence of Ouyang Xiu's Sages Complex

在北宋以前,期许成为圣贤的人不在少数,但就整个社会而论,还没有形成一个普遍的风气,以圣贤自居的做法也没有得到社会的普遍认可。但北宋的欧阳修扭转了这一局面,欧阳修具有浓重的"圣贤情结":第一,他热衷于对"圣贤"之道的体认和阐释;第二,他有着浓重的自觉比拟圣贤的文化心态;第三,尤其重要的是这种"圣贤情结"表现在他一生的实践中,他在"立德"、"立言"和"立功"等方面都堪称典范。欧阳修所具备的这种"圣贤情结"有着深刻的认识价值:它充分表明了宋初以来,中国知识分子主体意识的再次高扬;在欧阳修"圣贤情结"的影响下,众多知识分子坚定地认为成为"圣贤"并不是一个遥不可及的梦想,他们认定自己通过努力完全有成为"圣贤"的可能;另外,欧阳修散文简约明白风格的形成也与他有意识地追摹圣贤经典风格有相当大的关联,甚至影响到了宋代众多"拟圣派"作家的出现,这可以看作是欧阳修"圣贤情结"对其散文创作,乃至于宋代散文风貌的形成最直接的影响。

Before the Northern Song Dynasty, a lot of people expected to become saints, but for the whole commu- nity, it had not been widely recognized to call oneself a saint. But the Northern Song Ouyang Xiu reversed this sit- uation. Ouyang Xiu had a strong desire to become a sage. First of all, he was interested in the study and interpre- tation of the teachings of the sages. Second, he had always thought of comparing with sages. Third, he tried to be a sage all the time, being a moral model in saying and doing. With this sage complex, Ouyang Xiu had a pro- found understanding of value, fully showing that the subject consciousness of the Chinese intellectuals soared a gain since the early Song Dynasty. Under the influence of Ouyang Xiu＇s sage complex, numerous intellectuals be- lieved that to become a sage was not a distant dream, and it was possible to become sages through their efforts. In addition, the formation of the contracted and easy-to-understand prose style is related with his intending to chase the sages＇ classical style, even leading to the appearance of numerous ＂Quasi SAN sent＂ writers in Song Dynasty, which can be seen as his prose creation with the sage complex and the most direct impact on the formation of the prose style in Song Dynasty.