青年毛泽东一篇“自讼”赋

A Rhyme Prose on“Self-Litigation”by Young Mao Zedong

青年毛泽东在1915年8月致萧子升的信中,抄赠了一篇“自讼”赋。该赋共390个字符,借鉴了枚乘《七发》的赋体,以客、主问答的叙事形式展开,借物言意。毛泽东求学期间在读赋时也会学作赋,作过多少赋现在难以知道。毛泽东在致萧子升信时,只说送“日记一段”“试一观之”,而不说以一赋相赠,其意是表明谦逊态度,而不在信中卖弄风骚。他这篇“自讼”赋,贵在自责;对自己的学养、品德、修齐、言行、志向进行自我反省,作一明确的评判;敢于解剖自己,以高标准严苛要求自己,以祈实现“大我”的目标。

In a letter to Xiao Zisheng in August 1915,young Mao Zedong copied out a rhyme prose on“self-litigation”from his diary.With 390 characters in total,this rhyme prose drew on the fu style of Mei Cheng’s“Qi Fa(Seven Strategies or Approaches)”and developed in the narrative form of question and answer between a guest and a host.It expressed profound meaning by referring to specific objects.During his school period,while reading rhyme proses,Mao Zedong also learned how to compose one.It is difficult to know how many rhyme proses he ever wrote.In the letter to Xiao Zisheng,Mao only said“send you a diary entry”and“try reading it”,rather than“present you with a rhyme prose”.That was meant to show his humility rather than to coquettish his literary excellence.This rhyme prose on“self-litigation”is praiseworthy for the self-accusation it reveals.In it,Mao Zedong conducted self-reflection on his own academic literacy,morals,training and integrity,words and deeds,as well as aspirations,and made a clear judgment on each aspect.He dared to dissect himself and held himself to a high standard in the hope of realizing the goal of“the greater self”.