中国古人对文学的几种基本态度

The Basic Literary Views of Chinese Ancients

“五四”以前 ,中国文人所持有的文学观主要有三种 ,即 :以文为用、以文为哭和以文为戏 ,它们不仅在两千多年的历史上始终起到重要的作用 ,而且至今依然发生影响。在上世纪 5 0 -70年代 ,我们对“以文为用”评价偏高 ,对“以文为戏”则多有贬责。其实 ,这三种文学观各有其积极和消极的方面 ,应该以历史的、科学的眼光给以冷静的分析。

Up till the May Fourth Movement, Chinese intellectuals mainly had held three kinds of literary views, namely, literature for the practical purpose, literature as a way of complaint and as a way of recreation. These views had always played a very important role in the history of over 2000 years and are still exercising influence up to now. During the 1950s-1970s, we set a high value on the first view but a lower one on the third. In fact, each of the three has their positive as well as negative points, so that analyses of them should be made from historical and scientific perspectives.