顔真卿三書《放生池碑》與唐代放生文化

Yan Zhenqing's Three Calligraphy Works on the Stele of the Pond for Releasing Animals and the Culture of Releasing Caged Animals in the Tang Dynasty

唐代著名書法家顔真卿爲記肅宗乾元二年設八十一所放生池事,十六年間以楷體正字先後作《天下放生池碑銘》,上《乞御書天下放生池碑額表》,撰《乞御書題額恩敕批答碑陰記》。顔真卿三書《放生池碑》是唐代放生文化高度繁榮的生動案例。此後,朝臣刻碑銘文與帝王敕令立法、文人詩歌創作、民間筆記叙事,共同構成唐代放生文化傳播的重要路徑。以上四種傳播路徑的原始驅動和自覺選擇,折射出唐代放生文化頌德推恩、敬天順時、崇仁厚生和勸善懲惡的精神旨歸。文章以顔氏書法碑刻爲引,多維觀照唐代官方至民間的放生風貌,從而探尋唐人放生行爲所藴藏的文化内涵和精神訴求。

The famous Tang calligrapher,Yan Zhenqing(709-785),wrote three calligraphic works in the regular script over a period of ten years,in order to record the establishment of eighty-one ponds for the release of animals by the Emperor Suzong(711-762,r.756-762)in 759.These were the Stele Inscription of the Pond for Releasing Animals of the World,the Plea for Imperial Calligraphy to Be Used as the Heading for the Stele Inscription of the Pond for Releasing Animals of the World and the Note Engraved on the Verso of the Stele on the Imperial Bestowal of the Heading of the Stele Inscription of the Pond for the Releasing Animals of the World.These three works vividly attest to the flourishing culture of releasing animals in the Tang dynasty.Subsequently,inscriptions carved by court officials,along with imperial edicts,literary creations and folk narratives,collectively formed important pathways for the dissemination of this culture.The driving forces and conscious choices behind these four pathways reflect a culture which extolled virtue,respect for Heaven and the rhythm of Nature,the promotion of benevolence and welfare,and the encouragement of righteousness and punishment of evil.Taking Yan Zhenqing's inscriptions as its starting point,the present paper examines the practice of releasing animals in offcial and popular contexts during the Tang dynasty,with the aim of exploring the spiritual appeal and cultural tenor implied by this practice.