策文体的生成路径及其与考试制度的互动关系

The Generated Path of “Policy” and Its Interactive Relationship with the Examination System

楚简"策"字的本义是"马箠",在使用过程中逐渐衍生出"简册"和"谋"这两种含义,为策成为一种文体名称做了充分铺垫。策文体形成于战国时期,经历了口头谋议的记录即《尚书》六体之一的"谟"和书写文本两种形态,后一种是严格意义上的策文体。策与其他上行文体的区别在于它具有极为明确的现实针对性,因而能够成为"历久不衰的考试文体"。从汉代施行的察举制到魏晋时期的九品中正制再到隋唐以降的科举制,试策都是一个重要环节。考试促进了策文体的规范化和拟试策文的写作,许多影响深远的策文就是在这个过程中产生的。考试制度也对策文写作产生了负面影响:一部分考生致力于揣摩上意而不敢直陈己见,这样的策文只是功名富贵的敲门砖。

The original meaning of"policy"( ce) in the Chu bamboo slips is"the whip of the horse".Over time,the two meanings of"booklet"and"strategy"gradually came into existence,turning"policy"into the name of a literary style."Policy"took hold in the Warring States period and subsequently developed into two forms:"Mo"in the Book of Documents as a verbal record and a written text,with the latter being a stricter literary style.What makes"policy"a testing style for thousands of years was the difference between policy which had very clear realistic relevancy and the other styles of texts presented by officials to the emperor.The test of policy played an important role in promoting the standardization of policy and the writing of the test plan based on the system of reviewers-cited-officials in the Han Dynasty,the system of Jiu Pin Zhong Zheng in the Wei and Jin Dynasties,and the imperial examination system in the Sui and Tang Dynasties.Various policy texts with far-reaching influences were produced during this process.At the same time,the examination systems exerted a negative impact on policy: some candidates went to great lengths to figure out the emperor's intentions and refrained from expressing their personal opinions.Such a policy was only a stepping stone for fame and fortune.