從舊體精粹到非詩非文：論易順鼎之生命境遇與詩藝展演

Abstract

本文以詩人易順鼎為研究對象，將其視為清末民初的古典詩壇中，以死亡執念為核心，兼擅多種詩歌體式，具備精湛乃至獨特詩藝的重要個案；並試圖結合易氏之生命史，具體分析那顆無法修復，僅能藉由否定性修辭與自我之耗損，以稍求安頓的脆弱心靈，進而追問：清末民初情境下的詩人如何憑藉詩歌技藝之精粹，以不同之體式，若有似無地呈現、回應、反思眼下那逐漸有別於古典語境的近現代感受？敏銳之詩心基於何等的存在危機，方令悠久之文學範式轉變為非詩非文的寫作？詩人及其作品又是如何將個人生命與固有之表意格式發揮到極致，進而擺盪於「古／今」，依違於「新／舊」，加以展示言說自我和世界的模式？

究其實，易順鼎幼年親歷太平天國並屢逢天災，生命歷程中幼兒早夭、妻子亡故、長姊辭世的悲哀，皆造成或淺或深的疤痕；一切悲傷夾雜著科場失利與家國動蕩的焦慮，在遭逢母喪期間導致幾近失控的情緒爆發，生性多哀少樂的詩人變本加厲地調度傷感之情緒與符碼，又令淚水成為一無所有之個體直面現實的最佳媒介，自我毀滅也成為餘生──尤其是國變後──唯一可去往的道途。然而，強烈的死亡驅力又隱含重生之渴望，極端的情緒與文學表現，顯示的既是個體的心理危機，更是傳統文學及文化的困境，交纏著「死／生」、「破壞／重組」的反思辯證，實是值得深入且細緻的解讀。緣此，本研究從詩歌體式的角度入手，分析最能體現詩人標舉之「對屬」、「用典」技藝的七律，與歷來被視為最顯其人特色的歌行，以及易氏晚年那頗受新舊二派抨擊的「非詩非文」之作，嘗試在體式與內容的交錯互動中，重新思考近現代情境下「舊詩」的表現潛力與存在意義。要言之，本研究所進行的，誠非詩壇名家的文學風格與形象泛論，而是以個案為切入點，所衍生出的「議題」探尋與辯證。

This paper examines the life and works of the poet Yi Shunding as a significant case study of the classical poetry scene in the Late Qing and Early Republican era. He was known for his mastery of diverse poetic forms, demonstrating his virtuosic and unique artistry, as well as his fixation on death as a central theme. Concurrently drawing on his life history, the analysis will delve into the soul of this fragile and traumatized artist, who could only resort to the use of negation techniques in his works as well as self-depletion in pursuit of some relief. This study asks the following questions: • How does a poet from that era leverage his mastery of poetic techniques and diverse forms to subtly present, respond, and reflect upon a modern sentiment that is gradually diverging from the classical context? • How affected is a sensitive poet’s heart by existential crises that he chooses to turn a time-honored literary form into writing that is neither poetry nor prose? • How does he combine his life story with a long-established expressive form to achieve excellence, navigating the space between the ancient and modern contexts, in accordance and also deviating from the new and the old? • How does he, then, tap into these to express both the self and the world? Upon deeper examination, his life experiences offer insights into his sorrows. As a child, he lived through the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and various natural disasters. As an adult, he lost his young child, wife, and elder sister. His misery was intertwined with his setbacks at the imperial examination and the volatile political situation. Following the death of his mother, he was consumed by overwhelming emotions that bordered on losing control. He was also naturally prone to sorrow rather than joy, and his works reflect this by incorporating more despairing emotions and symbols. His tears served as a coping mechanism, as he had no one and nothing to rely on. His only path forward was self-destruction, especially at a time of political upheavals. Nonetheless, the powerful call of death belies the desire for rejuvenation. Through his intense emotional and literary outpourings, he exposes a personal crisis and the challenges for traditional literature and culture. The opposing forces of life and death, destruction and reconstruction, reflected in his work, demand a nuanced interpretation. Therefore, this paper focuses on the study of his quatrains with seven-character lines, which he had long considered ideal for using paired illusions and references. Additionally, this paper analyzes his musical ballads, a form that is often deemed to be most expressive of individualistic style. Furthermore, it delves into the “non-poetry/prose” works created in his later years, which faced criticism from both the classical and modern schools of thought. The aim of this paper is to reconsider the expressive potential and significance of classical poetry in the modern era through a case study of Yi Shunding. In essence, this paper is not a general discussion of his literary style and image, but rather an exploration and debate of the extrapolated themes from his works.