元好問의 『詩文自警』 ‘15則’ 考察

Abstract

This study aims to speculate upon the writing date of “Shi Wen Zi Jing(詩文自警)” and analyze the overall narrative style and contents of the “Fifteen items(15則)” based on Yuan-Haowen(元好問)’s “Fifteen items” in the “Shi Wen Zi Jing.” “Shi Wen Zi Jing” was first mentioned in “Jinshi(金史); Yuan-Haowenzhuan(元好問傳)” and Hao Jing(郝經)’s “Yishan Xiansheng Muming(遺山先生墓銘)” and is assumed to have already been destroyed by the early Ming(明) era. The fact that the “Fifteen items” mainly discuss poetry-writing education and essential writing skills infers that “Shi Wen Zi Jing” was published under Yuan-Haowen’s extensive, long-term process, spanning from his early years of poetry education to his later years in life, of assembling and organizing luinformation. The “Fifteen items” overall narrative unfolds by quoting predecessors’ words related to poetry education and composition or by adding Yuan-Haowen’s personal comments and opinions. Most of its contents are concise yet still fully manage to holistically discuss various topics related to poetry writing. “The Fifteen items” key points roughly include: first, try to read a wide range of the predecessor’s publications but also focus on making it your own; second, the true purpose of reading is in cultivating your personality; third, strive to argue in an aesthetically “neutral” way, by aiming to pursue dynamic in your writing while maintaining overall balance and appropriately linking your words with the central theme of the sentence; fourth, refrain from excessive elaboration and emulation but instead, seek to thoroughly acquaint yourself with the predecessor’s writing and endeavor to develop your own style based on it; fifth, you should not destroy the overall balance of the text by only focusing on trying to write clever phrases. Above all, the fact that the “Fifteen items” provide detailed descriptions of “what to do” and “what not to do” in practical writing over twenty-one clauses in the ninth item, quote Lü-Benzhong(呂本中) to give specific examples of selecting good books and incorporating its benefits in the tenth item, and elaborate the way to view sentences and provide vital skills to write them through Lü-Zuqian(呂祖謙)’s words in the twelfth item shows that “Shi Wen Zi Jing” possesses great material value in the study of Yuan-Haowen’s poetry composition and criticism theory. Nevertheless, the problem of authenticity and lack of quantity of the “Fifteen items” still poses limits to the study to this day.