周作人“桐城派”批评之梳理与反思

Review and Reflection on Zhou Zuoren’s Criticism of Tongcheng School

周作人的“桐城派”批评集中于古文“载道”方面,他指斥其内容空疏、思想刻板、形式固化、过于工具化。在否定性评价之外,周作人还追溯了整个“文统”体系,为新文学发展追寻渊源,挖掘出“桐城派”中的现代性因子,承认“桐城派”古文对新文学的滋养。他的批评和“桐城派”内部的“自批评”有一致性。周作人评价“桐城派”着眼于文学发展规律,注重思想源流,重建文学评价体系,主张发展“言志”文学而反对“载道”文学。其观点可谓“片面的深刻”,不乏真知灼见,但又带有局限性。考察周作人的“桐城派”批评,有助于审视新文学和传统古文之间的关联。

Zhou Zuoren’s criticism of Tongcheng School is centered on ancient prose’s ability to“Convey Tao”.He criticized Tongcheng School for its empty content,rigid thought,fixed form and excessive instrumentalization.In addition to the negative evaluation,Zhou Zuoren also traced back to the whole“literary system”to seek the origin of the development of new literature.He excavated the modernity factor of Tongcheng School and acknowledged the nourishing function of Tongcheng School’s ancient writings to the new literature.Zhou Zuoren’s criticism is consistent with the“self-criticism”within the Tongcheng School.Evaluating Tongcheng School,he focused on the law of literary development,emphasized the source of thought,rebuilt the literature evaluation system,and advocated the development of“will-expressing”literature while opposed the literature of the conveyance of Tao.Zhou Zuoren’s view is unilaterally profound,insightful but limited.Investigating his criticism of Tongcheng School is conducive to examining the relationship between new literature and traditional ancient literature.