才性论与清中叶古文思想的分化

“The Influence of Talent and Personality” and the Differentiation of the Classical Essays Theory in the Qing Dynasty

才性论是清中叶人们选择学术领域的重要依据。在才性论基础上,袁枚选择了"入文苑",为了提升文学的地位而建立起"古文之道形而上"的理论,将道学与考据逐出古文壁垒,从理论上把古文创作导向纯文学之路。章学诚则重"神解精识",倡"比事属词",认为"必具纪传史才乃可言古文辞",不承认韩愈等人文家正宗的地位,实则要用史学取代文学。姚鼐"天与人一"的古文理论实现了对义理、考据、辞章的统合,既重先天禀赋,更重后天的学习,立论中允,影响力也最大。

＂The Influence of Talent and Personality＂ is an important basis on which the scholars in the mid-Qing dynasty choose their research fields. Based on that, Yuan Mei（1716-1797）, a Qing poet and essayist, finally makes up his mind to enter the literary field. He comes up with the theory that the significance of classical essays lies in its exclusion of Dao- ism and the textual study from the shrine of classical literature, and its pursuit of its metaphysical value with the view to improving the status of literature so as to lead the the creation of classical essays onto the road of pure literature. Howev- er, Zhang Xuecheng（1738-1801）, a man of letters as well as a historian, lays emphasis on ＂wonderful appreciation and accurate interpretation＂. For him, writers should list the facts logically when writing, and only real historians are entitled to write classical essays. Therefore, he denies the orthodox status of many classical essay writers such as Tang essayist Han Yu（768-824）. In essence, Zhang is trying to replace literature with history. Yao Nai（1731-1815）, another Qing es- saysist, holds that ＂man is an integral part of nature＂. This theory of classical essays, which is virtually an integration of argumentation, textual study and literary works, stresses the importance of both nature and nurture. As Yao＇s theory, which puts more emphasis on nurthur, is impartial in its argumentation, it is therefore the most influential of all.