本計畫乃持續通過文士階層與科舉文化的積澱，探勘唐代知識階層「以道自重」的模式。亦即探討科舉文化如何型塑文人階層的「神聖」文化人格模式。將持續聚焦於唐代「哲學突破」前後，儒道思想的傳統，將如何安頓「文人政治」與「文人王朝」的衝突。有助於鋪陳此一由理性化為感性、由社會化為個體、由歷史化為心理的「文人王朝」建構行程。此一「文人王朝」的想像與擬議，除了奠基於唐代「文人政治」的實體之外，更簇集了外緣文人階層的行為模式，以及群體人格。透過文人沙龍、科考請托、官場黨爭、文學崇拜的社會氛圍；唐代文人階層的形塑，本文認為誠是一市場導向的「迴路」型供需關係。亦即文人由應試前後的「沙龍」式洗禮，次第進入科考與官場機制的品管與產出，嗣後成為文人政治的「全然參與者」或是「參與觀察者」；並且與科舉制度積澱之下，病態文化人格的類型，相互參照，進而論證神聖文化人格的理想範式。唐代士人如何由超越的「天命」，轉向「天道」與人文的理性範疇？此一階段獨特的文學崇拜與「文道關涉」的療癒模式，有助於唐代士人擺脫時命不濟、功名前定的線性時間發展觀。亦即透過傳奇與詩歌的敘事，遞進而為天人、物我、人己的的交感境界。本文試圖運用神話「推原」的義理，作為闡釋社會與個體、理性與感性、歷史與心理的統一的中介。此一議題的疏通，也有助於證成「士巫關涉」文化人格原型，以及納入「聖巫關涉」此一儒家神話體系的義理向度。
In this paper I continue my investigation of the scholarly class of China and the accumulated wisdom of the imperial examination system. In this part of the study I focus on “the way of dignity,” an important concept during the Tang dynasty. I pay particular attention to how the concept of sacredness was molded by the imperial examination system. I also present detailed discussions of the concept of “philosophical breakthrough” during the Tang dynasty, and how Confucian and Daoist thinkers dealt with the tension between the ideals espoused in their literature and the harsh reality of statecraft, both of which help elucidate the prevailing ideas of the period on rationality, the individual, and history.
