《法言》“捽茹”考

An Examination of“Zuoru”in Fayan

对《法言》“捽茹”一词的解释,众说纷纭,迄今未有定论。前代学者观点分歧的深层原因是“捽”“茹”组合在词义层面不和谐,因此推测“捽”是通假字,理解为“吃喝”义。旧有观点大多将“捽茹”理解为颜渊“箪食瓢饮”典故的附属成分。考察《法言》原文的思想内容,“箪瓢捽茹”实际涵括两个典故,“箪瓢”出自《论语》,“捽茹”则出自《孟子·尽心下》“舜之饭糗茹草也,若将终身焉”,是“茹草”的变体,属于典故词。“捽茹”作为典故词在宋代兴盛,与宋代士人尤其是北宋司马光对《法言》的推崇有直接关系。由此说明文献的影响力、语素义的明晰度对典故词成词及其流行具有重要影响。

The Fayan was authored by Yang Xiong,a renowned scholar of the Han Dynasty.The term“zuoru”(捽茹)in the text has been subject to diverse interpretations by scholars of earlier periods,and a definitive conclusion has yet to be reached.Upon reviewing the perspectives of previous scholars,it is evident that the root cause of the disagreement lies in the lack of harmony between the combination of“zuo”(捽)and“ru”(茹)at the lexical level.Consequently,scholars during the Qing Dynasty commenced speculating that the character捽in the word was a Tongjia character.The original definition of“zuo”is to grasp and pull someone’s hair.In the context of lexical evolution,the term“zuo”has the potential to evolve towards a generalized meaning of“to pull out,to grasp and hold”.Nevertheless,an examination of the literature from the Pre-Qin and Han Periods indicates a limited generalization of the meaning of“zuo”.There is only one instance in The History of the Han Dynasty where the act of“zuo”is not targeted towards a specific body part.This situation has persisted without change even in subsequent periods.The term“ru”has the capacity to function as both a noun and a verb.Hence,there are two perspectives regarding the structure of“zuoru”:the verb-object structure and the parallel structure.“Zuoru”is an allusion word.According to the traditional perspective,“danpiao”(箪瓢)and“zuoru”are believed to have originated from the same allusion to the deeds of Yan Yuan as documented in the Analects of Confucius.In this paper,a new perspective is proposed:“danpiao zuoru”(箪瓢捽茹)is actually comprised of two allusions,with danpiao originating from The Analects of Confucius,and“zuoru”from The Works of Mencius.The term“zuoru”serves as an alternative expression for“rucao”(茹草).This observation can be illustrated by analyzing the ideological content present in the text of Fayan.The primary theme of this passage in Fayan is the unwavering moral character of Yan Yuan,who remained steadfast in his convictions regardless of his financial status.Yan Yuan led a life of destitution,yet he was perceived to possess the same virtues as Shun.The two men are frequently compared by people.The transformation of“rucao”into“zuoru”is a crucial link.There is only one instance documented in the literature of the Qin and Han Dynasties where the target of the“zuo”action is not the human body,but rather the weeds.The minor distinction lies in the fact that the“cao”(草)mentioned in The Works of Mencius refers to wild and edible vegetation.The term“rucao”refers to the act of consuming wild vegetables,while“zuoru”denotes the action of gathering and consuming wild vegetables.Essentially,the two terms have the same meaning.The term“ru”typically denotes cultivated vegetables,while“zuo”conveys the idea of“grass”.Therefore,“zuoru”specifically denotes the gathering of wild vegetables,as opposed to cultivated ones.The brilliance of Yang Xiong’s use of words is evident in this context.This paper also examines the use of“zuoru”as an allusion word in subsequent generations.Based on the literature,it appears that this term has not been used for nearly a millennium.The use of this word by literati began in the Song Dynasty,coinciding with the increased value placed on Fayan.Sima Guang,a renowned scholar of the Northern Song Dynasty,expressed great admiration for Yang Xiong and undertook the compilation of a book titled Fayan Jizhu(法言集注).By examining the historical trajectory of the emergence and decline of the allusion word“zuoru”,three primary insights are gleaned.Firstly,the allusion word is intricately linked to literature,and its impact has fluctuated across different periods.The heightened influence of literature serves as a significant external catalyst in the development of allusion words.Secondly,a crucial internal factor that influences the popularity of words is rooted in the language itself,specifically in the clarity of semantic meaning.Ambiguity in semantic meaning and lack of clarity in structure can have a detrimental impact on the use and reception of allusive language.Furthermore,the investigation of the historical development of the Chinese language encompasses the analysis of the origins and obsolescence of lexical items.This task encompasses not only ascertaining the time of their inception and discontinuation,but also comprehending the factors contributing to their establishment and wane.