略論北宋筆記的傳播及其意義

Abstract

筆記作為一種特殊文體，在北宋時期開始大量出現，其在社會上廣泛流布，因而具有特別的意義。筆記的傳播形態包括稿本流傳、抄本傳閱和雕版刻印三類，就目前資料來看，仍以傳統的手抄本傳布為主。儘管如此，對筆記的閱讀及回應速度之快、範圍之廣，足以令人印象深刻，以《楊文公談苑》為代表的個別筆記作品曾作為中外文明交流互鑒的載體，匯入東亞書籍環流的大潮之中。《夢溪筆談》等部分熱門筆記的流布，不僅具有記錄典章制度、名人軼事的一般功能，更成為北宋政治局勢尤其是新舊黨爭在文學領域的精準投影。在宋人建構祖宗家法、「故事」敘事的話語體系中，筆記是提供「故事」範例的重要組成部分，是宋人政治活動中不可或缺的一種實用文體。

Biji (筆記), as a special literary genre, began to appear in large numbers in the Northern SongDynasty. Because Biji was widely diffused throughout Song society, it had a particular culturalpower. Biji was spread by three types of circulation: manuscripts, hand-copied books, and blockprintededitions. From 960 to 1127, the mode of communication was dominated by traditionalmanuscripts and hand-copied books. Nevertheless, literate persons read and responded to Biji withimpressive speed, covering an extensive scope of topics. The individual works represented byYang Wen Gong Tan Yuan (楊文公談苑) served as a vital carrier for exchange and mutual learningbetween Chinese civilization and foreign civilizations. These works were incorporated into a tide of“book circulation” in East Asia. The flow of some popular Biji, such as Meng Xi Bi Tan (夢溪筆談),recorded details of the political system and celebrity anecdotes and also captured a precise projectionof the political situation in the Northern Song Dynasty, especially competition between old and newparties in the field of literature. Biji is part of the discourse system of the Song people’s constructionof ancestral family law and “political tradition” narrative. Biji is an essential example of “politicaltradition” and an indispensable practical style in the context of Song Dynasty political activities.