“言”、“象”、“意”：中国古代语言观管窥

中国古人，儒道佛各家，都程度不同地怀疑语言的表达功能，低估语言的作用及独立性，视语言为一种不得已而用之的、单纯的思维工具和表达媒介，形成一种以“道”等本体为中心或至上，以“言”等符号为边缘或附庸的等级结构，这也是一种“逻各斯中心主义”。而言说不可言说者，却是中国哲学与艺术强烈的形而上学企图。因此，“立象以尽意”成了一种重要的手段，“象”成了“言”与“意”、“道”之间不可缺少的中介。而这正是我们揭示文学语言符号奥妙的一把钥匙。

LANGUAGE", "IMAGE ", "MEANING": ON THE LANGUAGE PERSPECTIVE OF THE ANCIENT CHINESE

The ancient Chinese schools: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, all take a sceptical attitude towards the expressive function of language in various degrees. They underrate this function and ignore the independence of language and see language as a mere instrument of thinking and medium of expression which people have to use as there is no alternative.Based upon this point a hierarchy is formed which sees the lloumenon of "logic" as the core and supremacy,and language as the fringe and appendage. This is a kind of "logocentrism" Thus,trying to express the indescritable becomes a Strong metaphysical attempt of the Chinese philosophy and art. Hence, "to express meaning fully by establishing an image" has become an important method in which "image" has become an indispensible medium betWeen "language" and "meaning" and "logic" This is the key to bringing to light the subtlety of the symbol of literary language.