北宋初年的行卷风尚和古文复兴

北宋初期的文坛沿袭着晚唐五代以来的华靡风气。这种文风也影响到以文词取仕的科举考试的评判要求,致使大量追求平易风格、提倡儒家之道的优秀作家被排除在仕途之外。流行于当时的行卷风气,反其道而行之,使一些力图改革文风的士子和显人联系起来,既为士子拓展了成功的道路,又为显人扩大了社会的影响。这种风气对振兴宋初衰败的文坛,提携文学的新人,复兴并弘扬唐代韩愈、柳宗元倡导的古文精神,起到了间接的积极推动作用。

A Fashion of Exam Papers and the Revival of Classical Stylistics in the Early years of Northern Song Dynasty

Owing to a continuity in the development of literary thought, the literary circles in early North Song Dynasty inherited a resplendent style of Late Tang and the Five Dynasties. Such a style also influenced on the standards of imperial examination in selecting officials - to - be by their writings. It excluded the officialdom of a great many excellent writers who were pursuing a plain style and advocating Confucianism, Contrary, a then prevalent style in examination papers made some of the scholars who tried to reform stylistics relate themselves to influential persons, which opened a path for the scholars to success, and extended those influential persons public impact. Such a social atmosphere gave an active, though indirectly, impetus to the revival of literature which had been declining in early Song Dynasty, the guidance for and support to new figures of literature, and a renaissance and display of the spirit of ancient literature sponsored by Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan.