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翁方綱「肌理說」的理論
On Chi Li Sho (Theory of Texture - Organicity in Poetry) of Wêng Fang Kang
並列摘要
Dissatisfied with the scope of Wang Yü Yang's 王漁洋 Shên Yün Sho 神韻説 (Poetics of Flavour), Wêng Fang Kang 翁方綱 puts forward his theories of poetry known as the Chi Li Sho 肌理說. Wêng sees Shên Yün as part of the discussion of ching chieh 境界. In a conscious attempt to steer away from the imitative and stagnant style of the Kê Lü School 格律派 of the Ming Dynasty. Wang Yü Yang acclaims the secluded and tranquil style of two T'ang poets Wang Wei 王維and Mêng Hao Jan 孟浩然. However, when poets become too concerned about pursuing the ideal of retired serenity, their works may often become very much detached from reality. As the core of Wang Yü Yang's poetics lies in imitating the T'ang poets, Wêng thinks that it is actually not too different from the Kê Lü School in terms of their fundamental essence. In order to supplement the Shên Yün Sho, Wêng Fang Kang resorts to T'u Fu's idea of ＂chi li hsi ni ku jou jün＂ 肌理細膩骨肉匀 (fine texture and a due proportion of bones and muscles) and Hau Yü's maxim ＂Ya li li hsün kao＂ 雅麗理訓誥 (seriousness in high elegance). Wêng Fang Kang highlights the notion of chi li and li in these two quotations in his discussion of poetry. He thinks that the reason why Wang Yü Yang's poetry is removed from reality is that he has not understood the importance of li. According to Wêng Fang Kang, chi li can be rendered as yi li義理. To have a thorough knowledge of yi li, one has to be well-versed in the liu ching (the Six Classics). One should approach the Six Classics from the standpoint of traditional k'ao ting 考訂 scholarship which puts considerable emphases on detailed textual criticism. The view that writing and textual scholarship are identical is actually very close to the viewpoints of the T'ung Ch'êng 桐城 School's leading scholar Yao Nai 姚鼐. Furthermore, Wêng Fang Kang also sees t'ung ching 通經 (thorough knowledge of the Classics) as a criterion in evaluating the poetry of the various dynasties. He thinks that poetry in the Ming Dynasty experienced a low ebb because of the negligence of the classics. Between knowledge and temperament, he has much more respect for the former as an essence of good poetry. Bearing such a view, he has highly recommends the poetry of the Sung Dynasty because it is much more solidly rooted in the classics. For this reason he acclaims Huang T'ing Chien's 黃庭堅 poems because they show good grounding in the classics. He looks down upon poetry which is merely an expression of the poet's spontaneous overflowing feelings. Besides, he upholds the concept of shih chiao 詩教 in his poetics. In terms of these two aspects, he is definitely much more thorough than Shên Tê Ch'ien 沈德潛 in his Kê Lü Sho. As Wêng Fang Kang enjoys very high esteem among the poets in the Ch'ien Lung 乾隆 and Chia Ch'ing 嘉慶 periods, and his poetics has had much impact during this time. There are, however, quite a number of poets such as Yüan Mei 袁枚 and, Hung Liang Chi 洪亮吉 of the School of Hsing Ling性靈 who were critical of his poetic theory.