唐代文士與中國思想的轉型(增訂本)

陳弱水 著

中晚唐思想變化是本書作者三十年來最主要的研究課題。
本書涵蓋中唐儒家復興的各主要論題,並展現其來由與發展過程,
正是作者學術生涯的重要里程碑。


中國思想在唐宋之際發生了深刻──可說是劃時代──的變化。本書從多個角度考察唐代思想的演進以及此一巨變的形成,希望重建一個動態、立體的歷史過程。

本書探討唐宋之際思想巨變的起點:安史亂後的儒家復興,尤其著重文人與儒家復興的關係;全書分為「總說」和「分論」兩部分。「總說」一篇為針對中唐思想變化起源與性質的大規模、長時期、結構性論述。「分論」九篇則是相關具體問題的探討,內容涉及中古心靈的基調,六、七世紀(南北朝末期至唐初)的思想狀態,安史亂後的文人心態,中晚唐古文運動與儒家復興,中晚唐文人與經學,以及唐代思想變化的社會文化背景。

本書運用了現代歷史學的各種研究取向,包括:個人思想分析、觀念史、個人與集體心態考察、思想的社會史、知識社群研究等取徑;論述內容涵蓋佛教、道教、儒家學說、文學思想、思想的社會關聯,是隋代至唐末五代思想史點與面兼顧的探索和解釋。

 

Literary Men and Intellectual Transformations in Tang China, by Jo-shui Chen, Distinguished Professor of History, National Taiwan University, is a major study of intellectual change in China from the eighth to the eleventh century. The subject of this book pertains to the Tang-Song transition, which is widely viewed as one of the greatest historical changes in

China before the coming of Western powers in the late nineteenth century. On the intellectual side, one major outcome of this all-important transformation was the emergence of a new type of Confucianism that evolved into the cultural orthodoxy of late imperial China. This new approach to Confucianism fundamentally altered the previous intellectual order, which had been much more diverse in structure and had included key roles for both Buddhism and Taoism (mainly in the form of the Taoist religion).

In the book, Professor Chen focuses on the earlier phases of these intellectual changes, roughly, from the middle of the eighth century to the late ninth century, corresponding to the middle and late periods of the Tang Dynasty (609-907). He finds that two main strains of thought existed in the mid- and late-Tang Confucian revival. One rejuvenated the traditional form of Confucianism, emphasizing its function in establishing a sound political order. The other carried a strong anti-Buddhist sentiment and posited that Confucianism should be the guiding principle governing the human world as a whole, including spiritual matters and the cosmological significance of human existence. The former represents mainstream thought at the time, while the latter was the primary source of innovation. Professor Chen also finds that the pivotal force generating the intellectual changes in question might not have been ideas in the Confucian revival per se; rather, change was driven by the fact that many literary writers began to promote the Confucian cause after the mid-Tang era. Literary writing was the most prestigious activity in Tang elite culture, and literary writers enjoyed unrivaled status among the literati. As such, the change in focus of the literary community had an enormous intellectual impact. Professor Chen also analyzes the ideas of mid-Tang intellectual leaders in contrast to the generally held beliefs in the earlier periods of medieval China, thus illuminating both early-Tang intellectual outlooks and the essential features of the Confucian revival as an intellectual trend. Professor Chen’s book is distinctive in its approach, addressing multiple subjects related to the phenomenon of the midand late-Tang Confucian revival from diverse perspectives. The book is thus interdisciplinary in character. It extensively explores literary and religious trends and pays detailed attention to the social origins of ideas. Based on these diverse studies, Professor Chen offers a systematic explanation for a great and complex intellectual transition. The book not only elucidates phenomena and developments that have previously failed to receive adequate scholarly attention but also shows the dynamics—or at least some of the important drivers—of this historical change. In addition to achieving a new and expanded understanding of a critical historical shift, the book lays a solid foundation for further inquiry into the foggy intellectual conditions of the tenth and early eleventh centuries.

(Resource: LANDSCAPE January 2017)

陳弱水

1956年生於臺灣屏東。國立臺灣大學歷史學系畢業,美國耶魯大學歷史學博士。曾任教於美國耶魯大學及哥倫比亞大學、加拿大英屬哥倫比亞大學、日本東京大學,並長期任職於中央研究院歷史語言研究所。現為臺灣大學歷史學系特聘教授、中央研究院歷史語言研究所合聘研究員,並兼任臺灣大學文學院院長。專長為中國中古史、中國思想史、比較思想史。著有Liu Tsung-yüan and Intellectual Change in T’ang China, 773-819、《中國文化史》(合著)、《公共意識與中國文化》、《唐代的婦女文化與家庭生活》、《唐代文士與中國思想的轉型》以及論文數十篇。

Professor Jo-shui Chen
Department of History
增訂本序(摘錄)
陳弱水(本書作者)
 
這本書是二○○九年廣西師範大學出版社版《唐代文士與中國思想的轉型》的增訂本。在本書行將定稿之際,茲簡要說明出版本書的想法與增訂情況。
 
唐代思想──特別是中晚唐思想變化──是我最主要的研究課題。這項研究從博士班時期開始,到現在已經有三十年了。廣西師範大學版《唐代文士與中國思想的轉型》是我在這個工作上的最重要結集。關於這本書,我想做的是一個既能包含中唐儒家復興的各主要方面,又能展現其來由與發展過程的研究,但二○○九年該書出版時,我並沒有完全達成原有的構想。這本書是應廣西師範大學出版社之邀,和《隱蔽的光景:唐代家庭生活與婦女文化》(原名:《唐代家庭生活與婦女文化》,允晨文化實業公司,2006)一起出版的。受邀之時,論唐代思想史的書並未完稿,除了總說長文〈中古傳統的變異與裂解―論中唐思想變化的兩條線索〉在撰寫中,還有一篇論文待作。但是我想,我對唐代思想與中唐儒家復興的研究經營已久,應該趁此機會,將有關論著結集問世,較有體系地呈現自己的研究成果。於是奮力完成總說,出版該書。
 
《唐代文士與中國思想的轉型》出版至今已將近六年。刊行以來,雖然欣慰於研究成果方便為學界所利用,但以該書使用簡體,且未完整達成原來構想,終有憾焉,因而有出版增訂本的謀劃。本書增訂情形如下。首先,增加論文〈中晚唐文人與經學〉一篇。我在廣西師範大學版〈自序〉中曾說,本書採取了多重研究法的取向,也就是,利用現代歷史學發展出的各種研究方法來檢視同一現象。我採用的取徑有:個人思想分析、觀念史(history of ideas)、個人與集體心態考察、思想的社會史(social history of thought)、知識社群研究。新增的論文則屬於學術史的類別,為原版所未有,但著重學術演變與知識社群的關聯,又有異於一般學術史論著。其次,在修訂方面,總說〈中古傳統的變異與裂解〉因出版前寫作稍倉促,有不周之處,做了比較多的修訂。書中其他兩文〈墓誌中所見的唐代前期思想〉、〈排佛論說與六、七世紀中國的思想狀態〉也一併修訂,主要是更正錯誤,調整不妥的表述,更改幅度很小。至於其他作品,雖然也全部校看,略有訂正,但處所甚少,不注明為修訂版。另外要說明,〈排佛論說與六、七世紀中國的思想狀態〉在廣西師範大學版題名為〈排佛思潮與六、七世紀中國的思想狀態〉,後者其實是初稿的題目,由於書稿整理時的失誤,誤入書中,現在也更正。經過這樣的整理,本書幾乎可以說是個人對唐代前期與中期思想史研究的定本了。
 

增訂本序
自序

【總說】
中古傳統的變異與裂解─論中唐思想變化的兩條線索

【分論】
墓誌中所見的唐代前期思想
排佛論說與六、七世紀中國的思想狀態
隋代唐初道性思想的特色與歷史意義
思想史中的杜甫
論中唐古文運動的一個社會文化背景
柳宗元與中唐儒家復興
〈復性書〉思想淵源再探――漢唐心性觀念史之一章
中晚唐文人與經學
中晚唐五代福建士人階層興起的幾點觀察

人名索引