文章传统与中国现代散文理论的重构

The Essay Tradition and the Reconstruction of Modern Chinese Prose Theory

建设中国特色文论话语,散文理论是最可能获得突破的领域。中国现代散文背后有源远流长的文章传统。在传统文章格局向现代文学格局转换过程中,由文章到散文,经历了复杂的历史过程,形成了现代散文文体的非典型性及其在现代文学格局中的边缘处境,但同时也具备了突破现代文学所面临的困境的可能。中国散文理论的重构应以“人—文”为核心,建构包括知识与经验、思想与情感、精神与境界、文体与语体四个层面的整体理论架构,并将基于“道”、通于“史”、及于“物”、彰于“文”等文章历史特性纳入评价系统,充分吸纳中国传统思想与艺术智慧,沟通“人”“文”,构建富有中国特色和具有可操作性的散文评价话语体系。

Prose theory is the most likely area for a breakthrough in building a discourse for literary theory with Chinese characteristics.Modern Chinese prose originates from a long tradition of the essay(wenzhang文章).In the shift from a literary field dominated by the traditional essay to that of modern literature,the essay was transformed into prose,achieved through a complex historical process.The transformation has resulted in the atypical nature of the modern prose genre and its marginal position in the modern literary setting,but at the same time it has created the possibility of breaking through the dilemma faced by modern literature.The reconstruction of Chinese prose theory should have“human/writing”[the characters composing humanism]at its heart and should construct an overall theoretical structure that covers four levels:knowledge and experience,thought and emotion,spirit and realm,and style and language.The evaluation system should incorporate the historical features of the essay,this is,being based on the Dao and connected with history,touching upon real things,and highlighting ideas through literary composition.It should fully incorporate the wisdom of traditional Chinese thought and art,and build a practical discourse system rich with Chinese characteristics and operability for evaluating prose.