论《史记》叙评对比——以《孔子世家》为考察中心

Comparison of Narrative and Comments in Shiji—A Case Study of Kongzi Shijia

司马迁作《史记》,时有传文叙事与论赞要旨歧异之处,两相对比,这其中不仅隐含作者的深意,亦有呈现传主的实际性格与真正精神的作用。《孔子世家》即是叙述孔子从政的挫败,以及礼赞其文化贡献之伟大,由孔子的失败与伟大,使后人可以看到一个"知其不可为而为之"政治失败者的悲剧形象,也显露司马迁对孔子一生追寻理想人格的致敬与称扬。因此,在颠沛流离之中,仍有坚毅不移的心志,方是值得学习的人物;面临流离与刑戮之际,能够超越生命,再造文化价值的士君子,更要向之致意。孔子与司马迁,一为圣哲,一为史家,异代相距四百余年,却有着士君子之风的契合。然而,士君子已逝,今人追思昔者的风采,应更能体会守道者的生命基调,无论世道如何转变,对自我的砥砺与生命价值的追求,才是最大的试炼与考验。

Compiled by Sima Qian,Shiji(Records of the Grand Historian) occasionally presents differences between biographical narratives and the historian's comments.Such comparison not only implies the author's profundities and demonstrates the actual characteristics and true spirits of the character recorded in the biography.Kongji Shijia(Biography of Confucius) is a chapter narrating the frustration Confucius encountered in his political participation and extolling Confucius's grand contribution to the Chinese culture.From Confucius's failures and great deeds,following generations have observed a tragic image of a political underdog that persisted on doing something impossible.Sima Qian's comments on Confucius show high respect and praise for his life-long pursuit of ideal personality.Therefore,a character that possesses firm determination in distress is a character worthy of modeling.Confronted with all the distress and adversities,an intellectual with noble characters who attains spiritual transcendence and rejuvenates cultural values merits regard.Although Confucius and Sima Qian,one as a sage and the other a historian,lived in different times(with a gap of more than 400 years),their personality as an intellectual with noble characters matches.However,because these intellectuals are already history,in memorizing the characters in the past,modern people should be able to better understand the life background of those who practicing Tao consistently.No matter how the external environment changes,self-encouragement and improvement and the pursuit of value in life are major challenges to modern intellectuals.