中國現代鄉土散文初探

A Preliminary Study on Modern Chinese Nativist Prose

陳德錦(CHAN Tak Kam)

《新亞學報》 18卷 (1997/07) Pp. 357-372+506

摘要

本文追溯中國現代鄉土散文與「鄉土文學」的關係，介紹「鄉土散文」在中國現代文學中的發展概況，並嘗試指出「鄉土散文」的特徵，並求進一步以文學類型的角度觀察此一特殊之散文品類。

並列摘要

No other kinds of literature have been so extensively practised in modern Chinese literature as prose. The period of 1920s was a golden age since modern Chinese prose had a widespread experiment; travels, memories, reportage, lighthearted essays, propagandist essays, etc. Under a general influence from the West, writers had ultimately succeeded to reform the classical prose with a new kind of writing. One will not hesitate to say that the most convenient medium to express one's ideas and emotion is prose. Yu Dafu郁達夫had even foreseen that modern Chinese prose could merge harmoniously the elements of ＂humanity＂, society, and nature＂. It is noticeable that many writers try their best to identify themselves by means of prose, in respect to the different styles of prose writings from 1920s to 1930s. Nevertheless, besides Western influence, individual creativity could not be underrated. Cultural backgrounds, geographical features and regional language were foregrounded in prose. A school of ＂Xiangtu＂ Literature鄉土文學was named under the movement and ＂Xiangtu＂ Prose鄉土散文formed part of its integrity. Some prominent writers such as Lu Xu魯迅, Mao Dun茅盾, Fei Ming廢名and Shen Congwen沈從文often established themselves by writing ＂Xiangtu＂ Prose and even some who seemed unlikely to do so had actually written such prose on occasions. To a considerable extent, ＂Xiangtu＂ Prose had fulfilled Yu Dafu's concept of ideal prose-writing. It also broadened the scope of modern Chinese prose and developed to be a kind of literature in its own way. More important, it explains the moods and modes of creativity of modern Chinese writers. The essay traces back the origin of ＂Xiangtu＂ Prose in respect to its close relationship with ＂Xiangtu＂ Literature and concludes that ＂Xiangtu＂ Prose encompasses the following characteristics: (1) Local colour; (2) Record of regional customs and languages; (3) Lyricism; and (4) Openness in its generic form.