Existing hypotheses of the genesis (or the origin) of literature and arts, such as the renowned theory of "mimesis", of labor, of witchcraft, and of play, have made their due contribution, but none of them is entirely convincing. Equally important to the field of study are theories by the Russian scholar Alexander Veselovsky and Chinese scholars Lu Kan and Feng Yuanjun, who have been neglected by academics. It is probable that Giovanni Battista Vico's New Science is the closest to the truth of the origin of arts. Therefore, his ideas are still provocative. This article proposes another hypothesis: literature (poetry) is the product of human beings’ historical practices, which comes into being inevitably due to the desire and pursuit in man's innate nature. The most primal nature of poetry lies in the earliest language and words, wherein poetry comes into being. In other words, the earliest language and words are the most primal poetry, namely the earliest literary form.
Key words
Veselovsky /
Lu Kanru /
Feng Yuanjun /
Vico /
language and words /
the genesis of literature
{{custom_keyword}} /
{{custom_sec.title}}
{{custom_sec.title}}
{{custom_sec.content}}
References
亚里士多德:《诗学》,罗念生译。上海:上海人民出版社,2006年。[Aristotle.Poetics.Trans.Luo Niansheng.Shanghai;Shanghai People's Publishing House,2006.]
杜书瀛:《价值美学》。北京:中国社会科学出版社,2008年。[Du,Shuying.Value Aesthetics.Beijing:China Social Sciences Publishing House,2008.]
恩斯特·格罗塞:《艺术的起源》,蔡慕晖译。北京:商务印书馆,1984年。[Grosse,Ernst.The Beginnings of Art.Trans.Cai Muhui.Beijing:The Commercial Press,1984.]
郭洙若:《卜辞通纂·第三五七片》。北京:科学出版社,1978年。[Guo,Moruo.Collections of Oracle Inscription;357.Beijing:Science Press,1978.]
陆侃如冯沅君:《中国诗史》上。天津:百花文艺出版社,2011年。[Lu,Kanru,and Feng Yuanjun.The History of Chinese Poetry.Vol.1.Tianjin:Bai Hua Literature and Art Publishing House,2011.]
——:《中国文学史二十讲》。济南:山东画报出版社,2007年。[——.Twenty Lectures on the History of Chinese literature.Jinan;Shandong Pictorial Publishing House,2007.]
罗泌:《路史·后记十》,《四部备要·史部》。上海:中华书局,1936年。[Luo,Mi.Grand History.Four Essential Classics.Shanghai;Zhonghua Book Company,1936.]罗振玉:《增订殷墟书契考释》(卷中)。东方学会石印本,1927年。[Luo,Zhenyu.Additional Explanation of Yin Ruins Characters.Vol.2.1927.]
吕不韦:《吕氏春秋译注·古乐》,张双棣等注。北京:北京大学出版社,2000年。[L(u|¨),Buwei.Mister L(u|¨)'s Spring and Autumn Annals:Ancient Music.Eds.Zhang Shuangli,et al.Beijing:Peking University Press,2000.]
马奇:《艺术的社会学解释》。北京:中国人民大学出版社,1988年。[Ma,Qi.Sociological Interpretation of Art.Beijing:China Renmin University Press,1988.]
格奥尔基·瓦连京诺维奇·普列哈诺夫:《没有地址的信》,曹葆华译。北京:人民文学出版社,1962年。[Plekhanov,Georgi.Letter without Address.Trans.Cao Baohua.Beijing;The People's Literature Publishing House,1962.]
阮籍:《阮籍集校注》,陈伯君校注。北京:中华书局,1987年。[Ruan,Ji.Annotated Collected Works of Ruan Ji.Ed.Chen Bojun.Beijing:Zhonghua Book Company,1987.]
弗里德里希·席勒:《审美教育书简》,冯至、范大灿译。北京:北京大学出版社,1985年。[Schiller,Friedrich.On the Aesthetic Education of Man.Trans.Feng Zhi and Fan Dacan.Beijing:Peking University Press,1985.]
司马迁:《史记》第一册。北京:中华书局,1963年。[Sima,Qian.The Records of the Grand Historian.Vol.1.Beijing:Zhonghua Book Company,1963.]
亚历山大·尼古拉耶维奇·维谢洛夫斯基:《历史诗学》,刘宁译。天津:百花文艺出版社,2003年。[Veselovsky,Alexander.Historical Poetics.Trans.Liu Ning.Tianjin:Bai Hua Literature and Art Publishing House,2003.]
乔瓦尼·巴蒂斯塔·维柯:《新科学》,朱光潜译。北京:人民文学出版社,1986年。[Vico,Giovanni Battista.New Science.Trans.Zhu Guangqian.Beijing:The People's Literature Publishing House,1986.]
(1)康德等人之前,16世纪意大利哲学家马佐尼(1548年—1598年)在《<神曲>的辩护》中把诗看作是“摹仿的游戏”,但未展开论述。《<神曲>的辩护》中文译文见《世界文学》1961年第8、9月号,又见伍蠡甫主编《西方文论选》下(上海:上海译文出版社,1979年),199。
(2)具体可参考维谢洛夫斯基:《历史诗学》,刘宁译(天津:百花文艺出版社,2003年),267—80。
(3)陆侃如、冯沅君《中国文学史简编》上编第一讲“中国文学的起源”,原由上海大江书铺1932年出版,2007年山东画报出版社重版,书名改为《中国文学史二十讲》。此图见该书第5—6页。
(4)具体可参看陆侃如、冯沅君:《中国文学史二十讲》(济南:山东画报出版社,2007年),6。
(5)这是就中华大地的情况而言,世界其他地区的旧石器时代,或早一些,或晚一些,但是基本情况相近。
{{custom_fnGroup.title_en}}
Footnotes
{{custom_fn.content}}