“以技为喻”释“雕龙”——《文心雕龙》书名再探

“Diao Long” from the Perspective of “Technology as Metaphor”——Further Exploration of the Title of The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons

“以技为喻”是以百工技艺比譬文学创作的独特言说方式,是《文心雕龙》“象喻”批评最重要的分支与譬喻类型。《文心雕龙》书名中的“雕龙”一词,除与“雕龙奭”的典故相关外,亦是以雕龙技艺比类文学创作的“象喻”言说。在“以技为喻”视阈下考察,刘勰以《文心雕龙》命名其论文钜制,寄寓了三重意涵:一是借古代雕龙技艺渐趋繁复的历史演进以及“雕龙奭”典故的修辞指向,说明“雕缛成体”的文学规律;二是借雕龙技艺“金相玉式”“符采相胜”的审美经验,阐述“文质彬彬”“尽善尽美”的文学理想;三是借“龙纹”沟通天人的媒介作用,确立文学“赞天地化育”之神圣功能。

“Technology as Metaphor”is a unique way of expressing literary creation through the analogy of craftsmanship,and it is the most important branch and type of“Xiang Yu”in The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons.The term“Diao Long”in the title of The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons is not only related to“Diao Longshi”allusion,but also uses the technique of carving a dragon as a metaphor for literary creation.From the perspective of“Technology as Metaphor”,Liu Xie named his literary theory works The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons,which contains three-fold connotations.Firstly,with the help of the increasingly complex historical evolution of ancient dragon carving techniques and the rhetorical direction of the“Diao Longshi”allusion,it illustrates the law of literary emphasis on decoration.Secondly,with the help of the experience of dragon carving technology,where the materials and patterns complement each other,the ideal of creating beautiful literary content and form is explained.Thirdly,through the mediating role of the“dragon pattern”in communicating with heaven and humanity,the sacred function of literature to assist heaven and earth in educating the people is established.