"poem" No Explanation "and" Poetry "yan Zhi"

In recent years, there has appeared a heated dispute over the establishment of "Chinese hermeneutics" in internal academic circles. We think that, only after we systematize the materials of classics commentary in China and after we realize the differences on theory and method between China and the West, should "Chinese hermeneutics" be established. The Chinese ancient study of Confucian classics(经学) presents the traditional thought and method of classics understanding and interpretation. When meditating ancient study of Confucian classics from the perspective of hermeneutics, we will have a more thorough understanding on the establishment of Chinese hermeneutics.In the author's opinion, the contention between the New Text School (经今文学) and the Ancient Text School (经古文学) in the Former and the Later Han Dynasty is essentially the contention on two different interpretation ideas. The New Text School interpreted the Five Classics (五经) on the principle of morality. And the Ancient Text School interpreted them on the principle of history. The two propositions, "the Book of Songs has no lasting explanation" (《诗》无达诂) and "the Book of Songs presents the intention" (《诗》言志) , represent the two Schools'different interpretation ideas and understanding forms."The Book of Songs has no lasting explanation" is a hermeneutics proposition of classics studying. According to this proposition, the meaning of the classics is the Sage's intention, which represents the Mandate of Heaven. When people make a clear understanding to the classics, they will realize and grasp the Sage's intention, and they will get the ability to go into action in accordance with the Mandate of Heaven. Therefore, while understanding and interpreting classics, people shouldn't be confined to the words; but should "know what the text means, and overpass the words" (见其指者,不任其辞) . To know what the text means is to grasp the dimensions of meaning — "all the meaning is in accordance with Sage/Heaven". And to overpass the words refers to the proposition that "the Book of Songs has no lasting explanation", namely, that "the Book of Changes has no lasting divination" (《易》无达占) , and that "the Spring and Autumn Annals has no lasting statement"That "the Book of Songs presents the intention" is a hermeneutics proposition of history studying. According to this proposition, the classics are the recordings of the historical facts. Due to the impact of this idea, Five Classics have been taken as the historical works. The Confucian classics represent the historical facts, and the historical facts would come back to our lives. Consequently, classics understanding should be based on characters research so as to seek the truth in them. In this way, the "original meaning" of the classics could be grasped.The New Text School and the Ancient Text School have different compasses in classics understanding activities. The hermeneutics idea that "the Book of Songs presents the intention" is retrospective while the hermeneutics idea that "The Book of Songs has no lasting explanation" is prospective. The former idea intends to represent the original meaning of the classics, namely, the historical facts, where as the later attaches the meaning of the classics to Heaven which comprising all the moral admonitions. Under the impact of the later idea, the interpretation to the classics should be closely connected with "the actual problems", so this idea has more application than the former idea. Basically, the hermeneutics idea with the sole understanding dimension that "the Book of Songs presents the intention" is closed; and the hermeneutics idea with various dimensions that "The Book of Songs has no lasting explanation" is open.