“绘事后素”新解

New Understanding of “Painting after Simplicity”

"绘事后素"典出《周礼·考工记》:"凡画繢之事,后素功",是古代一种普遍的绘画工艺规范。《论语·八佾》中,子夏问诗,孔子以"绘事后素"为喻言礼,古人注释多以"先素质"或"后素功"为争论的焦点,并未对"素"做出清晰且详致的解析。通过对先秦绘画工艺中"素功"的考证以及相关文本具体语境的分析可知,"素功"实为用"极色(传统多用黑、白两色)"点、勒、勾、描,以修整画面的一种手法。孔子以"素"喻"礼",指出"仁"是"礼"的核心内容,"礼"是"仁"的终极目标。

＂Painting after Simplicity＂ is a kind of common painting process specification in ancient China,which is from the saying ＂ Anything about painting is after simplicity＂ in Zhou Li· Kao Gong Ji. In Lun Yu·Ba Qiao,Zi Xia asked about poem,Confucius used ＂ Painting after Simplicity＂ as a metaphor. The previous scholars always argued around ＂ quality first＂ or ＂ work behind＂,and there were not clear and detailed interpretation about ＂ Su＂. This article makes a textual research for Pre-Qin painting process and analysis on the specific context of the relevant texts. The study points out that the ＂ Su Gong＂ is a dressing method using extremely colors,traditionally using black and white,to point,pull,trace,or mend,etc. Confucius compared ＂ simplicity＂ to ＂ etiquette＂ in order to indicating that ＂ benevolence＂ is the core of ＂ etiquette＂,and ＂ etiquette＂ is the ultimate goal of ＂ benevolence＂.