他開始說「積善云有報」––行善的人是有好報的。可是「夷叔在西山」––伯夷，叔齊為什麼餓死在西山呢？中國古代寫詩的人，一般不在詩句之間加標點符號，所以這裏沒有一個標點。假如我們用新式方法給他加標點的話，「夷叔在西山」這句話後面是應該加個問號或感嘆號的。這句話就是我剛才所說的，是仿效司馬遷把自己的疑問、感慨與敘述傳記結合在一起的寫法：積善如果要是有好的報應，伯夷、叔齊這麼好的人，怎麼竟然會餓死在西山呢？這是一個轉折。
下邊「善惡苟不應」––假如這善惡真的是沒有一個報應的話，那「何事空立言」––為什麼還要空空地說些讓人們去積善的話呢？你看，這又是一個轉折。這首詩歌的情意，也隨著敘述口吻的變化而起伏轉折，表達出詩人深切的感慨。
下面的「九十行帶索，饑寒況當年」，他不但是寫了自己的疑問感慨，而且還運用了意義非常深厚豐富的形象。以前我講過詩歌中的形象可以是大自然中的景物。像我們講他第五首詩裏的「山氣日夕佳，飛鳥相與還」，這是大自然的形象。「九十行帶索，饑寒況當年。」––卻是人世間的形象，不是自然界的形象。
這種形象的來源，可以是你現在所看到的，眼前發生的人和事，也可以是歷史上的人和事。「九十行帶索」中說的是榮啟期，是跟孔子同時的人，這是歷史上的人物，所以是個典故。
中國詩歌上典型的人或事，也濃縮成一個具體的形象。還不只是一個形象，它其中還包含著情節很長，很複雜，很豐富的故事。比如「九十行帶索，饑寒況當年」絕不只是說一個九十高齡的老翁，窮困得連一條衣帶都沒有，只得用一根麻繩繫在衣服上。
這以中國舊日習慣傳統看來，晚年尚且如此，年輕時貧窮困苦就可想而知了。當然這在西方是不大真實的。西方是青年人不窮苦，老年人才窮苦。中國人則不然，中國人子女有責任奉養父母，讓老年人安度晚年。所以榮啟期晚年還這麼窮困，他當年一定是更加窮苦了。
然而這個故事還不只是要告訴你，榮啟期是一個窮困貧苦的老人。不是的！他要告訴你的是榮啟期這個老人雖然在物質上是這麼貧窮，可他是快樂的。同時這個典故還要告訴我們一個道理：如果你果然能夠在心中守住了一個「道」了，你自然就無憂無慮，既無愧於天，也不作於人。
我沒有作過任何對不起天，或對不起人的事情，他說我有什麼可憂愁和恐懼的呢？這才是陶淵明用榮啟期這個典故的真正用意。所以陶淵明後面就說了：「不賴固窮節，百世當誰傳？」上次課我還曾引過（論語》、《孟子》上許多談到君子固窮內容的話。
陶淵明之所以能夠寧可不做官，不要那麼好的物質享受，忍受貧窮忍受著饑餓，也要回去種田，他為的是什麼？就是因為他要求得到內心中的一份平安。所以他說：「不賴固窮節，百世當誰傳？」「固窮」，是說雖然在貧窮之中，你也能夠「固」––就是守住，不動搖。陶淵明在這裏邊都表現了他對於人生的很多反省，很多思考，很多生活上的體驗。
我們今天看下面的第三首《飲酒》詩：
道喪向千載 人人惜其情，
有酒不肯飲 但顧世間名。
所以貴我身 豈不在一生？
一生復能幾 倏如流電驚。
鼎鼎百年內 持此欲何成？
待續 |
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Tao started by saying: It is said that accumulated good brings a reward—people who do many good deeds should enjoy favorable rewards; yet there were Yi and Shu in the western mountains. Why did Boyi and Shuqi starve to death in the western mountains? Ancient Chinese poets generally did not punctuate the lines. If we add punctuation in the modern style, should we add a question mark or an exclamation point at the end of the line: "Yet there were Yi and Shu in the western mountains "? This line, as I said before, imitates Sima Qian's style, being a combination of question, lamentation, and narrative. If good deeds are rewarded, why did such good men as Boyi and Shuqi end up starving to death in the western mountains? This is a turning point.
The next line says: If good and evil are of no consequence—if there is no such thing as retribution for good and evil deeds, then why bother to utter hollow maxims? Why then, do we say these false maxims to make people do more good deeds? There's another twist here. The sentiment of this poem, following the rhythm of its narrative, goes up and down, then turns around, expressing the poet's heartfelt lamentation.
At ninety, Rong used a rope as his belt /And lived in hunger and cold as if he were still young. In these two lines, Tao conveys not only his own questions and lamentations, but also a very profound and meaningful image. I mentioned that poems often describe scenes of Nature. An example would be these lines in the fifth poem: How fine the sunset reflected in the mountain mist! /Birds are flying home in groups.
At ninety, Rong used a rope as his belt /And lived in hunger and cold as if he were still young.These lines describe human rather than natural phenomena. Such images may come from the poet's personal experience of people and events in his immediate surroundings, or they could allude to historical figures and events. At ninety, Rong used a rope as his belt. This reference to Rong Qiqi, a historical figure contemporary to Confucius, carries its own story with it.
Chinese poetry uses tangible images to allude to people or incidents, but those images usually convey a long, complicated, and detailed story. For example, consider the lines, "At ninety, Rong used a rope as his belt /And lived in hunger and cold as if he were still young."
They don't merely refer to an old man in his nineties who was so poor that he tied a hemp rope around his robes because he couldn't afford a proper belt. Based on ancient Chinese customs, if he was that poor in his old age, he must have been even more of a pauper in his youth.
Of course, this may sound implausible in western society, where only old folks suffer poverty, not young people. However, Chinese society is different. Chinese children are obligated to take care of and support their parents in their old age. Thus, if Rong Qiqi was that poor in his old age, he must have been even poorer as a youth.
However, the point of this allusion is not that Rong Qiqi was a poor elder. No, not at all! Tao wanted to convey that although the elder Rong Qiqi was very materially poor, he was very happy. At the same time, this allusion also presents the idea that if you can uphold the 'Tao' in your mind, you will naturally have no anxiety or worry. You have no cause to feel shame before heaven or anyone.
"I have not wronged heaven or any person," he said. "What could worry or scare me?" This is the true meaning of the allusion of Rong Qiqi. Therefore, Tao Yuanming later says: Were it not for those individuals who chose poverty so as to preserve their integrity / What in history would be worth passing down to future generations? In my last class, I mentioned that The Confucian Analects and The Book of Mencius discuss how virtuous people are content in poverty.
Tao Yuanming gave up his government post and his material comfort to suffer poverty and hunger, returning home to farm the land. What was his motivation? He sought only inner peace. Thus he said: Were it not for those individuals who chose poverty so as to preserve their integrity / What in history would be worth passing down to future generations? Even in poverty, such individuals held to their principles without wavering. Here, Tao Yuanming expresses his own reflections about life, his concerns and life experiences. Let's read the third poem in the series "On Drinking":
The Tao has disappeared for a thousand years.
Everyone indulges his own desires.
They have wine, yet do not drink,
Caring only about their worldly reputation.
We cherish the body dearly,
Because we possess it for a lifetime.
But how long can a lifetime last?
It passes as swiftly as a lightning flash.
Being lax for a hundred years,
What can we achieve in this way?
To be continued |
