明清时期士林文化的走向

Literature Trend of Intellectual Circles in Late Qing Dynasty

士在中国是一个很重要的文化群体,士林文化在中国延续了两千多年。士林文化主体基本可呈现三种走向,一是步入仕途,跻身主流社会,成为士大夫阶层的一员;二是由于精神主体与世俗社会格格不入,进行自我精神放逐或走上颓废的人生道路;三是步入市井阶层,进行通俗文学创作或弃儒经商。这三种倾向在明清时期更加明显。

Intellectual circles are a very important literature colony, and their literature had continued more than 2,000 years in China. Such intellectuals had three developing trends. One was to engage in official career. Another was to self-spiritually exile or to follow a decadent path because their spirit was against the society. The third was to become commonalty, that is, to write light literature and to convert to businessmen. All these three trends become more obvious. This paper is on such three trends.