本文以《清華大學藏戰國竹簡》第七冊〈越公其事〉的體裁結構與人物文辭為討論重點,嘗試在前人文字釋讀、考證的基礎上,探索此一新見文獻的史學與文學價值。〈前言〉回顧既有研究成果,並從〈越公其事〉的形式與內容二層面切入,指出:在形式方面,〈越公其事〉的性質與篇章結構別具特色,其關涉的「記言」、「記事」議題,更有助吾人重新認識、思索先秦時期的史體類型。在內容方面,〈越公其事〉的人物形象與文辭表現,亦與傳世文獻載錄有顯著差異,值得深入分析。本文第二節論〈越公其事〉的篇章架構與體裁,指出本篇兼包「言」、「事」二體的意圖;其於言事之間連環銜接、承轉有致的特色,更展現成熟的歷史敘事與清晰的文體概念。第三節分析〈越公其事〉的人物文辭,並與傳世文獻對讀比較,針對三個層面:外交辭令的特質、君臣問對的觀念差異、以及先秦古書「文辭挪用」的現象,討論〈越公其事〉人物形塑與文辭表現、古書傳鈔之議題。通過〈越公其事〉與傳世文獻的參照、比較,吾人對於先秦時期的敘事體裁、語言藝術、文本流傳乃至吳越歷史、人物形象的認識,都能獲得更深入與多元的思索。
Focusing on the forms and rhetoric of the Qinghua bamboo slip Yuegong qishi, this article conducts a comparative research between the Yuegong qishi and the transmitted texts such as Guoyu and Zuozhuan, and thereby proposes a reflective thinking of early Chinese historical writing. By reviewing the former research, this article points out that the special form of the Yuegong qishi aroused a question about the typology of early Chinese historical writing which traditionally divided into "record of events" and "record of speeches." Moreover, the most distinguish and controversial features of this newly discovered text are the dialogues made by the king of Wu state and his minister Shenxu. Their speech represented a humble, cautious image that is different from the transmitted texts. This article firstly observes the structure of the Yuegong qishi. Although chapters 1, 2, 3, and 11 are speeches of the kings and ministers of Wu and Yue in contrast with the rest chapters 4 to 10 mainly narrated the events of the "five policies of Yuegong," these two forms of records were well organized and logically combined into a compact historical narrative. This structural feature indicates a clear consciousness of historical form as well as an overall writing strategy beyond single anecdote. Secondly, compared with the transmitted texts, the rhetoric of speeches in the Yuegong qishi shows the similarity in diplomatic parlance, and the difference in the sense of morality. Moreover, the "appropriation of phrases" reveals the circulation of "Wu-Yue story" and its various adoption in different texts. These rhetorical features thus form the different image of the king of Wu state and his minister Shenxu. In sum, the Yuegong qishi shows the clear intention of combining different genres in historical writing, as well as demonstrates the rhetorical diversity which indicates the dissemination of Wu-Yue anecdotes in early China.