Neo-Confucian genealogy and local narratives : literati discourse on Lin Guangchao in Puyang, Fujian during the Song-Yuan transition

Abstract

This article analyzes the development of Neo-Confucian genealogy from the view of local literati in the thirteenth century. Focusing on the context of the late Song dynasty after 1241, when Neo-Confucianism became academic orthodoxy, this article focuses on the question why the literati of Puyang, Fujian, canonized Lin Guangchao (1114-1178), a literary figure, instead of Chen Mi (1170-1230), who identified with Neo-Confucianism. Liu Kezhuang (1187-1269) and Ling Xiyi (1193-1271), who both had great influence in the intellectual field, reshaped the image of Lin Guangchao in Puyang. Although they complimented Lin Guangchao’s literary talents and morals, they also connected Lin with Neo-Confucian scholars like Zhu Xi to define the superiority of Lin Guangchao. On the contrary, the importance of Chen Mi in Puyang was neglected by Liu Kezhuang. During the Yuan dynasty when some literati mentioned Lin Guangchao, they, however, could not distinguish the difference between Lin and Neo-Confucians and simply regarded Lin as a Neo-Confucian. 晚宋在中國史上的一大標誌，是確立了程朱理學的官方正統地位。然而，從地方的角度視之，理學在各地的影響力並不一致。如在福建莆陽受到士人推尊的先賢，是被時人認為帶有較強文學性的林光朝，高度認同理學的陳宓，反而相對受到忽視。為掌握此一現象，本文探討在晚宋知識界具有影響力的劉克莊、林希逸如何重新書寫林光朝。他們對林光朝的推尊，雖是落實於莆陽地方，但其論述策略，卻是不斷地與官方支持的程朱理學進行對話，以期抬升林光朝的知識地位。到了元代，元人在編撰《宋史》林光朝傳時，即以晚宋文士的論述為基礎，進一步將林光朝詮釋為南宋洛學的首倡者，從而將林光朝納入理學的傳衍譜系。本文藉由探討此一過程，從地方士人社群的角度，反思理學知識版圖的組構。