“兴、观、群、怨”新解

A New Interpretation of“Xing, Guan, Qun, Yuan”

孔子提出"诗可以兴,可以观,可以群,可以怨",对中国诗学影响巨大。前贤对这段话有过许多讨论,尤以朱熹的解释最具权威。朱熹指出宋代学者对"可以观"的解说义有未安,然而,他自己对"兴、观、群、怨"的解释同样也不在一个逻辑层面上。如果将孔子的这段话放在其教育理念和教育实践的语境中,就会发现,"兴、观、群、怨"既不是诗歌创作论,也不是诗歌本体论,而是诗歌功用论。孔子强调学《诗》可以"起人之善意","观己之得失",使人"和而不流","怨而不怒",从而令学《诗》者领会礼乐文化精神并完善其道德人格。"兴、观、群、怨"有其内在逻辑,实际上体现的是孔子所提倡的"为己之学"。当然,"为己之学"最后要"推己及人",改造家庭与社会,即在完善君子人格的基础上"事父""事君",以实现儒家的社会政治理想。"兴、观、群、怨"蕴涵有许多有价值的诗学命题,推动了诗歌理论的发展。

Confucius puts forward the idea that ＂ poetry helps to inspire, to observe, to keep company, and to express grievances＂ （xing, guan, qun, yuan） , which had a huge impact on Chinese poetics. Among numerous interpreters of this idea, Zhu Xi was the most important authority. While he argues that the interpretation of ＂guan＂ by scholars in the Song Dynasty was unreliable, his own interpretations of Confucius＇s words were not logically consistent, either. Situated in the context of his own educational ideas and practices, one would discover that Confucius＇s words are about neither the composition nor ontology of poetry, hut its use. Confucius stresses that by studying The Book of Songs, ＂one＇s benevolence is inspired＂ and ＂merits and demerits observed＂, so that one ＂keeps company without being undiscriminating＂ and ＂expresses grievances without being indignant＂. In the end, one is able to appreciate the spirit of rites and music and improve his moral character. The inner logic of ＂xing, guan, qun, yuan＂ is that they all embody what Confucius upholds as ＂studying for the sake of self-improvement＂, which, undoubtedly, leads to ＂improvement of others＂, so as to reform households and society. In other words, it aims at ＂serving the father＂ and ＂serving the king＂ based on improved gentlemen character, which points to the ideal socio-political condition envisioned by the Confucian School. This is one of the many poetic theses in ＂xing, guan, qun, yuan＂.