从法学命题到文学理论的历史演变——论《尚书》和《文心雕龙》中的“辞尚体要”

《尚书·毕命》中的“辞尚体要”,属于法学命题,所言对象是诉讼办案,强调言辞整体样式的中正、得当;《文心雕龙》将“辞尚体要”主张置于征圣、宗经前提下,带有为文学写作立法的性质,它继承了《毕命》的批判精神,批判对象却由社会恶习转向浮靡文风。在论述结构上,《尚书》中的“体要”,虽强调中正,又兼含关键、简约之义,反映出上古时代汉语词义的混沌性;《文心雕龙》强调文学语言的规范、得当,将中正之义发展为折中的文论思想。“辞尚体要”之“要”,常表达纲领、关键、根本之义,简约之义则由“约”字取代,然而这一点往往为后人所忽视。

“Maxim of Appropriateness” in Shang Shu and Wen Xin Diao Long

One of the pieces in Shang Shu---Bi Ming--mentions the appropriateness of speech in the context of lawsuit, which is, therefore, a legal proposition. Wen Xin Diao Long proposes the maxim of appropriateness under the precondition of following the supremacy and classics, meaning to make regulations for literary writing. The latter inherits the critical spirit of the former, although the target of the criticism shifts from social customs to literary style. Besides, some similarities can he found in their argumentative structures.