韵律的人文涵义——生命律动据以挽留与复制时间的艺术手段

The Connotation of Rhythm: An Art to Keep and Copy Time

诗词中的"押韵",一般认为其功用是为了便于记忆。这种认识几乎消解了"韵"(韵律)的真精神。韵律(乐律/音律)的一个重大原则便是,人类企图以"韵"、以"律"挽留时间的消逝,以回环、呼应、重复来复制已经逝去的时间。无疑,韵律的呼应、回环,就充当了挽留时间、重复时间、复制时间的天然使者。时间总是来无踪、去无影,然而人只有在生命的欢乐或痛苦中,才会感受到它的真实存在。诗韵、乐律的存在,就是摄取、复制上述欢乐与痛苦的一种艺术方法。

The rhythm in poems is generally regarded as a way to an easy reciting, which almost removes the real spirit implied in rhythm. In fact, the significant implication of rhythm is that rhythm and metre are a way for human to keep time, with loop back, echoing and repeats to copy lost time. Time is hard to fathom with no trace, and it only exists in human's happiness and suffering. Rhythm and metre, functioning to keep and copy time, is an art to grasp and copy this happiness and suffering.