藏书对文化传承的贡献

2021-03-26 03:42
文化交流 2021年2期
关键词:天一阁藏书楼藏书家

藏书是我国固有的文化传统,浙江则是有名的“藏书之乡”。历史悠久、传统源远流长,是浙江文化的一大特色。藏书分官府、私人、学校书院、佛寺道观四类,各有特色,而私人藏书是其主流,现简而述之。

会稽钱塘吴兴 浙藏之源

从时间和地域看,早在汉代,吾浙即有私人藏书活动,王充《论衡》手稿抄本的流传即开其端。

王充(27-约97),浙江上虞人,著作以《论衡》名世。他是著名的唯物主义者,《论衡》为人所重,当世即有流传。据载,汉末学者蔡邕入吴,见到《论衡》,视为秘宝,从此学业大进;三国时王朗为会稽太守,曾得其书。后时人称其才学大进,有人断定王朗“不见异人,当得异书”,问之,言其学业得自《论衡》一書,这件事可证浙江当时已有人开始藏书,而这也是全国私人藏书嘉惠后人的最早记载之一。

三国时会稽山阴(今绍兴)人阚泽“家世农夫,至泽好学,居贫无资,常为人佣书,以供纸笔。所写既毕,诵读亦遍。追师论讲,究览群籍,兼通历数,由是显名。”这里所谓的“佣书”,就是以抄书和贩卖图书为生的专业人员。阚泽以“佣书”而成一代学者、东吴孙权重臣,曾有人将他比作汉之扬雄、董仲舒。由此亦可证东汉三国时浙江已有私人藏书活动。

及至晋代,钱塘有范平、褚陶的藏书活动。范平,三国吴时举茂才,后累迁临海太守,家居钱塘徐村(今九溪一带)。范平喜读书藏书,据《晋书·儒林传 · 范平传》所载:“家世好学,有书七千余卷。”其藏书并不私秘,而对“远近来读者,恒百余人”加以接待,不仅公开藏书,任凭借阅,并命其孙范蔚“为办衣食”。后陈文述曾有诗“七录香芸新秘阁,百年黄叶旧江村”称之。

褚陶为范平同时代人,喜读书藏书,自言:“所亲曰圣贤,备在黄卷中,舍此何求?”他的藏书,陈文述有诗称为“西京典籍同刘向,南国藏书匹范平”,可见其藏书之多。

除了绍兴、杭州二地外,吴兴(今湖州)也是藏书较早的地区之一。南北朝期间,南朝的宋、齐、梁三代,浙江的吴兴沈驎士、沈约藏书崛起,沈驎士于灯下抄书成二三千卷,满数十箧;沈约笃志好学,《梁书》称其“好坟籍,聚书至二万卷,京师莫比”。

综合上述,自汉以来,浙江的会稽(今绍兴)、钱塘(今杭州)、吴兴(今湖州)三地区已有文士藏书活动,尔后影响全省,遍地开花,私家藏书已形成一种风气。这种优秀的文化传统发出璀璨的光芒,成为浙江富有特色的文化现象,出现了一大批私家藏书楼,为中国文化史、藏书史谱写了光辉的篇章。

两宋时期 全省兴起

浙江的藏书事业至两宋时期在全省普遍兴起,其根本原因首先是文化教育事业的发达和学术思想的活跃,再就是雕版印书的盛行,为藏书创造了有利的条件。当然,最根本的原因是浙江历史上经济比较发达,为藏书事业奠定了有力的物质基础。

这一时期,杭州藏书得到发展,以私人藏书而论,例如杭州的姚铉、钱勰钱龢兄弟,李清照的南渡失书和杭州护书、周煇的清波藏书、陈起芸居楼藏唐诗等是其著名者。以湖州而论,贺铸、沈思沈偕父子、叶梦得石林藏书、周秘周晋周密祖孙三代“书种堂”“志雅堂”藏书极有名。湖州安吉还出现了像陈振孙这样既是藏书家又是目录学家的大家。嘉兴藏书宋时崛起,涌现了闻人滋南湖草堂藏书、岳珂金佗坊藏书、许裴梅屋藏书等。

浙东越州(绍兴府)素有藏书传统,至两宋而大盛。最著名的是陆宰、陆游、陆子遹三世藏书,他们家的藏书历经三代,而更为人注目的是,陆宰献书三万卷,为充实南宋政府秘书省藏书作出了重大的贡献。陆游这位爱国诗人广为人知,但他的老学庵藏书活动却鲜少人提及,其实内容十分丰富。

浙东的明州(宁波)也在两宋时期藏书崛起,且起点很高,主要有楼钥“月湖藏书”、史守之“碧沚”三世藏书等,使人明晰地看到天一阁的出现并非无因,乃是传统力量的影响。两宋时期浙东藏书除绍兴、宁波外,台州、温州、处州(今丽水)等州府亦多有藏书活动,可以说宋代是浙江藏书的兴起时期。

明清时期是浙江私人藏书的繁荣与鼎盛时期,其特征是范围广,除了通都大邑之外,几乎山村水乡都有藏书活动,再是具有全国影响的藏书楼不断涌现并广为人知,为人们所津津乐道。其中浙东、浙西的藏书呈双峰对峙、各放异彩的势头。

浙东宁波建于明嘉靖年间的天一阁,以收藏地方志和登科录闻名当世和后代,是现存世界最早的三个家族式的古藏书楼之一,其藏书来源是书楼主人范钦的刻意搜求。范钦历官湖北等地,所至即悉心收集地方志书,故原藏地方志和府、州、县志四百三十五种,其数比《明史·艺文志》著录的还多;又大力收集多代登科录,此两种成为天一阁藏书最大特色。又,宝书楼为明代建筑,至今保存完好。尤其是清乾隆皇帝编纂《四库全书》向全国民间征书,天一阁献书六百余种,名声大振。乾隆帝又听闻天一阁藏书楼规制独特,为建造贮藏《四库全书》的藏书楼蓝图专门派杭州织造寅著前往实地考察。

除天一阁外,宁波地区明清之际的著名藏书楼还有丰坊万卷楼、范大澈的卧云山房、谢三宾的博雅堂等等,至明清之际及清代又有黄宗羲的续钞堂、万斯同的寒松斋、郑性的二老阁、全祖望的双韭山房、卢址的抱经楼、徐时栋的烟屿楼等,都是一代藏书名楼。

明代在浙东地区藏书能与天一阁并驾齐驱的则有绍兴的祁承?的澹生堂的三世藏书。清代宁波史学家全祖望曾给以极高评价,他的《澹生堂藏书约》对藏书理论研究方面也作出了贡献。明末清初之际,祁氏澹生堂书散,为争购这批藏书,黄宗羲、吕留良两位学者还因此而反目。祁氏澹生堂影响流播全国。

明清时期的浙西杭州、嘉兴、湖州藏书名声籍甚。乾隆皇帝为修《四库全书》向全国征书,全国献书最多的共四家,除江苏一家外,余三家为宁波天一阁、杭州汪启淑开万楼和鲍廷博知不足斋,四家得赐内府所印《古今图书集成》各一套。消息传出,杭州藏书一时声名大噪。及之清末,全国有四大藏书楼之称,浙江占其半,其一则为杭州丁丙的八千卷楼,杭州藏书更为学界艳羡。

明代嘉兴最有名的藏书楼是项元汴的天籁阁,所藏以宋版书最为著名,且多法书名画,人称“三吴珍秘,归之如流”。清代,天籁阁藏书流入清宫内府,成为乾隆皇帝“天禄琳琅”藏书处的珍品。

湖州藏书在明清时期亦异彩纷呈。及至清末,全国有四大藏书之说,其一陆心源的“皕宋楼”即在湖州,民国间富商刘承干的嘉业堂更为人称为中国古藏书楼的活标本。

对中国文化作出的贡献

浙江藏书家不仅以藏书丰富称名于世,成为一种独特的文化现象,更对中国文化的发展传播作出巨大的贡献。

首先是保存和传播唐诗的贡献。中国文学向来以唐诗、宋词、元曲和明清小说享誉世界。以唐诗而论,它是中国文学的瑰宝,但是经过“靖康之亂”,金人进入开封,进行了大肆掳掠,加之后来兵荒马乱,书籍又是十分脆弱的,除了战争以外,还有水火灾害,故而毁损十分严重。据说,宋孝宗十分喜爱唐诗,做了皇帝后命内侍找唐诗来读,结果只找来几百首,而且文字错讹很多,这就是南宋时保存唐诗的现状。在此情况下,南宋杭州藏书家陈起千方百计通过各种途径收集唐诗。他当时虽是举人出身,但同时又是一位刻书的书坊主人,除了收藏之外,又组织人力刻印。经他的努力,唐诗逐渐恢复原有面貌,对此他的朋友周端臣称他“字画堪追晋,诗刊欲遍唐”。王国维先生经过考证断定陈起当时所刊唐诗“实不可胜计”,又在《两浙古刊本考》中说:“今日所传明刊十行十八字本唐人专集、总集大抵皆出陈宅书籍本也。然则唐人诗集得以流传至今,陈氏刊刻之功为多。”这是十分公正的评价。

另外,值得一提的是,明代海盐藏书家胡震亨汇编《唐音统鉴》对清代《全唐诗》的编著起到了至关重要的作用。彭定求编《全唐诗》是以胡震亨的《唐音统鉴》为主要原始资料,再增益内府藏本汇集而成。对此《四库全书》总目已说得十分清楚:“是编秉承圣训,以震亨书为稿本,而益以内府所藏,补苴所遗”而成的。以上两例足以说明问题。

其次,元曲也是中国文学的瑰宝。元曲指剧曲(杂剧)和散曲两个部分,它代表了唐诗、宋词以来的又一个文学高峰,在中国乃至世界文学史上占有重要地位。据现在所知,在元代立国的八十余年间,有姓氏可考的元杂剧作家有一百多人,见于书面记载的杂剧戏目大约在六七百种。但是随着时间的消逝,大部分已经传失。至今我们见到的大约只有一百六十种左右。在传播和保存元曲方面,有杰出贡献的主要人物就是明代湖州长兴的藏书家臧懋循,他以个人之力收藏了大批元杂剧,并编刊成《元曲选》一百种加以传播,这可以说是浙江的藏书家对中国文化作出的又一杰出贡献。第三,在藏书理论、目录学编纂和典籍护藏方面,浙江藏书家也作出了贡献。这方面的内容很多,举要言之,如明代杭州藏书家高濂论藏书的目的和版本的鉴定,他的见解主要集中在《遵生八笺》中的《论藏书》,明代的绍兴藏书家祁承?在藏书的购书、鉴书、分类编目方面均有真知灼见。

最后,藏书从保存文化的角度说是基本的、最重要的,但在培养人才方面而论,藏书楼实际起到一个摇篮的作用。蔡尚思教授说:“藏书风气的大盛,如钮氏世学楼、祁氏澹生堂、黄氏千顷堂、钱氏绛云楼、郑氏丛桂堂、徐氏传是楼,尤其是范尧卿的天一阁,藏书甚丰;毛子晋父子的汲古阁,前后积书八万四千卷。”他认为,“没有明末这批私人藏书楼,清初黄宗羲等人能博览群书、广搜史料吗?”

蔡尚思教授所列举的明清之际浙江、江苏的大藏书楼培养了一批大学者,孕育了以黄宗羲为代表的东史学派。于此可见历史上藏书楼的重要性。

(作者顾志兴,杭州人。1961年毕业于杭州大学中文系。浙江省社会科学院研究员,原浙江省地方志办公室副主任,现任浙江省古籍保护工作专家委员会委员等职。主要研究浙江文化、文献,对浙江藏书史、雕刻印刷史的研究有较深的造诣。著有《浙江藏书史》、《文澜阁四库全书史》、《浙江印刷出版史》等。)

Zhejiangs Bibliophiles

Book-collecting is a very Chinese thing, and Zhejiang Province, one of the most culturally distinctive regions in China, has long been reputed as “bibliophiles home”. The culture of book-collecting takes different forms in different venues, and varies with different dynasties, with the mainstream being private collection. In Zhejiang, the history dates back in the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), starting from the handwritten copies of Wang Chongs atheism classic, Lun Heng. Wang was a native of Yuyao in eastern part of the province and the copies were made in the region.

Two of the huge fans of the materialists masterpiece were scholar Cai Yong (133-192) of the Han Dynasty and Wang Lang (?-228), prefecture chief of present-day Shaoxing in the Three Kingdoms (220-280) period of China. A man of deep learning, Wang Lang attributed his scholarly attainments to Lun Heng.

The story of Kan Ze, a Shaoxing native, is also beautiful illustration of reading and indicates that book-collecting makes a man shine. Before achieving success and fame, Kan Ze made a living by copying and selling books.

Fan Ping and Chu Tao, both living in present-day Hangzhou, were two important figures in the book-collecting scene in the Jin times (266-420) of China. According to Book of Jin, Fans family had a collection of more than 7,000 volumes and borrowers were welcomed. Chu Taos huge book collection was described by Chen Wenshu, a scholar from Hangzhou, as “second to none in southern China”.

Present-day Huzhou boasts a glamorous history of book-collecting and a host of bibliophiles represented by Shen Linshi (419-503), who made his private collection of thousands of volumes by a writing brush, and Shen Yue (441-513). According to Book of Liang, Shen had a collection of more than 20,000 volumes.

Book-collecting in Zhejiang reached its peak in the Song (960-1279), thanks to the cultural prosperity and the prevailing of woodblock printing in the epoch. The provinces long-time economic vitality also played a vital role.

This period saw the rise of a galaxy of bibliophiles in Hangzhou, such as Yao Xuan, Qian Xie and his brother, Li Qingzhao, Zhou Hui, and Chen Qi, and in Huzhou in northern Zhejiang, represented by He Zhu, Shen Si and his son, and Ye Mengde. Shuzhongtang and Zhiyatang, created by Zhou Mi and enriched by his son and grandson, are considered one of the most distinguished labels in Chinas private libraries. The cultural rich of Huzhou also fostered Chen Zhensun, a master bibliophile and bibliographer. Jiaxing also hosts several prestigious private libraries such as Nanhu Caotang owned by Wen Renci, Jintuofang owned by Yue Ke, and Wintersweet House, created by Xu Pei.

Southern Song poet Lu You was a special figure behind the book-collecting scene in present-day Shaoxing. A lesser-known fact is that the Lu family made a significant contribution to the book-collection of the Song government.

In Ningbo, the rise of private libraries foretold the birth of Tianyige, whose fame needs no elaboration. Bibliophiles in many other places in Zhejiang, such as Taizhou, Wenzhou and present-day Lishui, also left their marks in the provinces cultural map.

The height of splendor came in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911), when bibliophiles activities reached almost all corners in Zhejiang. The period saw the rise of Tianyige in Ningbo, created by Fan Qin and recognized as one of the worlds three oldest private libraries, and a good many eminent labels such as Fan Daches library, Huang Zongxis Xuchaotang, Wan Sitongs Hansongzhai, Zheng Xings Erlaoge, and the libraries of Quan Zuwang, Lu Zhi and Xu Shidong.

In eastern Zhejiang, the rival of Tianyige is the library created by Shaoxing-based Qi Chenghan in the Ming Dynasty.

When Emperor Qianlong called for public contribution to the compilation of Siku Quanshu, four private libraries including one in Jiangsu Province became the biggest donors. The other three were Tianyige from Ningbo, Kaiwanlou owned by Wang Qisu and Bao Tingbos private library in Hangzhou. In the late Qing times, Hangzhou shot to fame because Ding Bings library he named as “Eight Thousand Volumes” was ranked among the countrys “top 4”.

In the Ming Dynasty, the biggest private library in Jiaxing was Tianlaige, owned by Xiang Yuanbian, whose collection boasted a large number of Song books. Many of his books found their way into the private collection of Emperor Qianlong.

In the late Qing Dynasty, Huzhou in northern Zhejiang boasted one of the countrys four most prestigious private libraries. Jiayetang, created by Liu Chenggan in the Republican times, is rated a paragon of ancient Chinese private libraries.

The Contributions of Zhejiang Bibliophiles

Zhejiang Province is the proud host of many heavyweight private libraries that rank among the firsts in terms of the number of volumes and have far-reaching impact on the conservation and sharing of the Chinese cultural glory.

Firstly, the devotion of Zhejiangs bibliophiles contributed greatly to the conservation and broadcasting of the Tang poetry. Human life was not the only victim of natural disasters, political intrigues and wars. Books were as fragile. When Xiaozong, the second emperor of Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), felt he was in the mood of reading some fine Tang poems, the only thing he could find was several crappy volumes full of text typos. Fortunately, a man came to the emperors rescue. Chen Qi, a bibliophile and book-maker living in Hangzhou in the Southern Song times, did his best to seal the beauty of Tang poetry in hand-made books using woodblock printing techniques. According to Wang Guowei (1877-1927), a master of Chinese culture, Chens effort in putting together the jigsaw puzzle “cant be overestimated”.

The contribution of Ming Dynasty bibliophile Hu Zhenheng, born in Haiyan in Haining, to the compilation of Complete Poetry of the Tang, put together by Peng Dingqiu (1645-1717), is worth-mentioning too. It is Hu Zhenhengs Tang Yin Tong Jian that provided most of the source materials needed for the making of Pengs book, which is also clarified by Siku Quanshu (Complete Library in the Four Branches of Literature).

Secondly, many bibliophiles were the guarding angels of some of the most magnificent cultural treasures of China such as the “qu” verses of the Yuan Dynasty (characteristic of tonal patterns modeled on tunes drawn from folk music). Zang Maoxun, a Ming Dynasty bibliophile from Changxing in present-day Huzhou, saved the lost art by collecting materials bit by bit and putting together Selected Works of Yuan Verses.

Thirdly, Zhejiangs bibliophiles contributed uniquely also to bibliography and the conservation of ancient books and records, the proof of which is plentiful. Two good examples are Gao Lian, living in Hangzhou in the Ming times, and Qi Chenghan, a Shaoxing native. In Zunsheng Bajian, Gao Lian presented his penetrating judgments on the purpose of book-collecting and the methodology involved, such as version identification.

Last but not the least, book-collecting is of fundamental importance to the conservation of culture and private libraries have been playing an equally important role in terms of enhancing learning by providing an all-inclusive database. According to Cai Shangsi (1905-2008), a famous historian, “Book-collecting in the long history of China is represented by a good many bibliophiles living in the Ming and Qing times in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces; and it is more than fair to say that Fan Yaoqings Tianyige and the Jiguge created by Mao Zijin and his son are crucial in the making of such well-read masters as naturalist and philosopher Huang Zongxi (1610-1695), whose Mingru Xuean was lauded by Liang Qichao as a new kind of historiography.”

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