盛唐进士诗人的科考心态与时代精神新论

A New Discussion on the Mentality and Spiritual Outlook of the jinshi Poets Concerning the Imperial Examination in the Prosperous Period of the Tang Dynasty

盛唐的绝大多数诗人都是通过进士考试脱颖而出,一般研究者都认为科举考试给士人们打通了入仕门路,因而其时代精神是乐观昂扬、积极进取的。本文从诗人心态的角度切入,发现诗人们的科考心态是淡定的,中第后的现实处境也颇多坎坷,盛世的官场并没有给进士们多少大有作为的发展空间。所以诗人们摆脱贫贱的动机远多于建功立业的抱负。进士考试本身并不能造就优秀诗人,而进士诗人在希望与失望的复杂情感交织下,伴随着理想与现实的冲突,他们才写出了最优秀的诗歌作品。

Most of the poets in the prosperous Tang Dynasty showed up prominently through the imperial examination. The general researchers argue that the imperial examination opened a way for the intellectuals to enter the official position, so their spiritual outlook is optimistic and enterprising. By viewing the poets’ mentality, this paper finds that the poets’ mentality in the imperial examination was peaceful, and they still faced many frustrations after passing the examination. In general, the officialdom in flourishing age did not give them too much space for advance. Therefore, the poets’ motivation to get rid of poverty were far more than their ambition to make achievements. While the examination itself did not produce excellent poets, they wrote the best poems under the conflict between ideal and reality.