文字之樂 : 梅堯臣晩年の唱和活動と「樂」の共同體

Those who are familiar with the poetry of the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) will already be aware that the poets Mei Yaochen 梅堯臣 (1002-1060) and Ouyang Xiu 歐陽脩 (1007-1072) frequently created poems on the "changhe-shi" 唱和詩 model, a form in which cycles of poems are created in exchanges among poets. This article attempts to discuss the importance of Mei's work to the history of classical Chinese literature by focusing chiefly on the changhe-shi of his later years. Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 of this article presents a progressive analysis of the changhe-shi exchanged between Mei Yaochen and other poets. In his later years, fuelled by the richness of growth and experience, Mei produced an increasing amount of work using the seven-syllable form. As he became better acquainted with the poetry techniques, he created elaborate pieces, reforming his use of subject matter and poetic image, and the practice of xian-yun 險韻 and jin-ti 禁體. Chapter 3 discusses ideas of composition and receptivity in the writing of changhe-shi during the Northern Song dynasty, and traces the genealogy of the poetic concept of "the joy of reading and writing". This poetic originated in the Confucian idea of virtue, which had enjoyed prominence in the consciousness of poets since the Six Dynasties. Generally speaking, this "joy" is separated into two types: 1. The personal joy of the hermit. 2. The joy of changhe-shi between poets. The former is self-sufficient, and experienced when an individual is in pursuit of personal development and moral cultivation. The latter is experienced by those seeking for competition and training in poetic technique, and is founded in friendship with other poets. I also mention that Tao Yuanming 陶淵明 in Wu-liu-xian-sheng zhuan 五柳先生傳 took an unusual approach towards this conceptualisation of "joy", based on the premise that "one should take up writing leisurely and represent one's pleasure in it". Finally, in Chapter 4, I consider the literary circle formed between Mei Yaochen and Ouyang Xiu. The progressive trend in changhe-shi during Northern Song dynasty enabled Mei and Ouyang to deepen their understanding of "the joy of reading and writing", by establishing the idea of "zi le qi le" 自樂其樂, or "the literary community of joy". In their view, the activity of creating changhe-shi is not only a process of expressing the joy of pursuing collectivity and recreation, but also involves the practice of Confucian virtue. Ouyang Xiu considers Mei Yaochen to an ideal Confucian poet who possesses literary and moral virtue. I conclude by reitterating my first assertion, that Mei Yaochen played an important part in the formation of Song poetry in the "literary community of joy".