沈从文创作的佛教意识

The Buddhist Awareness in Shen Congwen's Writings

中国现代文学史上,沈从文的佛教意识是颇为独特的。随着创作实践的不断推进,沈从文的佛教意识也表现得愈加自觉。在早期(1924—1933)创作中,沈从文的佛教意识主要集中在运用佛经表达对于“文学”的见解,以及把宗教信仰对象化为文学创作的信念。沈从文中期创作(1933—1937)的佛教意识则表现在自觉借鉴佛经探索现代小说创作的题材空间、叙事技巧以及试验文字的“抒情”与“韧性”。其后期创作(1937—1949)的佛教意识更为沉潜,表现在运用佛教思维方式构建诗学体系。

Shen Congwen's Buddhist awareness appears to be unique in the modern Chinese literary history.With the progression of his writing practices in different phases,his Buddhist awareness becomes more and more self-evident.In his earlier writings(1924—1933),Shen's Buddhist awareness is mainly embodied in his propositions for literature by applying Buddhist expressions as well as in the transformation of his religious faith into his faith in literary writing,while in the middle period of his writing(1933—1937),the exploration of the range of the subject matters and the narrative techniques of modern Chinese novel writing and the experimentation of literary“sentiments”and“tenacity”with reference to Buddhist scriptures are the major areas where his Buddhist awareness lies.Furthermore,the attempt to build the system of poetics by employing Buddhist thinking in his later writings(1937—1949)reflects the accumulation and composure of his Buddhist awareness.