沈德潜
沈德潜（1673～1769）是清代诗人，字确士，号归愚，出生于长洲（今江苏苏州）。他在乾隆元年（1736）荐举博学鸿词科，乾隆四年（1739）成为进士，并曾担任内阁学士兼礼部侍郎的职务。沈德潜是叶燮的门人，他在诗歌中主张温柔敦厚的格调，提倡歌功颂德的作品。然而，他也有少数篇章反映了民间的疾苦。他的著作包括《沈归愚诗文全集》，以及选编的《古诗源》、《唐诗别裁》、《明诗别裁》、《清诗别裁》等，这些作品在流传中颇为广泛。沈德潜于1769年去世。
之死
The First of the Nine Elders: Shen Deqian was the leader of the Nine Elders a group of senior officials in the Qing Dynasty. He lived to the age of ninety-seven and held a high position as the Grand Preceptor to the Crown Prince. Although this title was merely honorary it was extremely rare for someone to hold such a position in the Qing Dynasty. Shen Deqian lived a long life but his rise to prominence came late. He passed the imperial examination and became a Hanlin scholar at the age of sixty-seven already an old man. However Shen Deqian was a well-known scholar in the Jiangnan region and excelled in poetry. After entering the Hanlin Academy Shen Deqian did not perform well in the routine examinations. However due to Emperor Qianlong's favor he was not sent to be a county magistrate but instead entered the Emperor's study obtaining the title of Imperial Reader. From then on his career advanced smoothly and he continued to rise in rank. Until his retirement in his eighties Shen Deqian never left the Emperor's side. Shen Deqian's only reliance for such good fortune was his skill in poetry and his ability to cater to the Emperor's preferences while remaining low-key. Therefore some people believe that Shen Deqian was actually a ghostwriter for Emperor Qianlong and that Qianlong's poems were actually written by Shen. However after reading some of Emperor Qianlong's poems it is likely that Shen only made revisions and edits to them. The Qing Dynasty's official history also states that he corrected Emperor Qianlong's Imperial Poetry Collection. However it seems unlikely that he was the actual ghostwriter as Qianlong's poems were of poor quality some resembling crude oil and others resembling prose with forced rhymes. It is highly unlikely that they were the work of an experienced poet.
As an old scholar and senior official Shen Deqian spent over a decade by the Emperor's side being cautious and careful as if walking on thin ice or standing on the edge of a precipice. He never revealed any hint of his pride in editing the Emperor's writings. As a result he earned increasing favor fame wealth and after his death a posthumous title and a temple for worship. However things did not go as planned. Although the old scholar managed to live peacefully during his lifetime trouble eventually found him. The reason for this trouble was that although he had become a senior official his vanity had not truly been cast aside. Regardless it was a rare honor to edit the Emperor's writings and he did not dare to speak of it at the time. However he did not want this achievement to be forgotten after his death. Therefore Shen left clear traces of his glory in his posthumous manuscripts. Unexpectedly what the old scholar wanted to pass down to future generations was precisely what the Emperor feared the most. After Shen Deqian's death Emperor Qianlong used an excuse to deceive Shen's family and obtain his posthumous manuscripts. Now the old scholar's secret was exposed. The Emperor was furious and could not openly express his anger so he found an excuse to strip Shen of his posthumous title abolish his temple and destroy his tombstone. It was as if he wanted to dig up the grave and desecrate the corpse. Some say that this was because Shen Deqian had written a poem titled Black Peony which angered the Emperor.
沈德潜之死详情»
生平
沈德潜是一位早年家境贫寒的读书人。从23岁起，他继承了父业，以授徒教馆为生，度过了40多年的教馆生涯。尽管生活并不如意，但他并没有放弃学习，在奔波的同时，勤奋读书。在16岁之前，他已经通读了《左传》、《韩非子》、《尉缭子》等书籍。他早年师从叶燮学习诗词，不久就以诗文名世，自称深得叶燮诗学大义，他的自负可见一斑。
沈德潜非常热衷于功名，但是这样一个才华横溢的读书人居然屡次未能通过科举考试。康熙三十三年（1694）他被录取为长洲县庠生后，40年间屡次落榜。在雍正十二年（1734）应博学鸿词科考试时，他又被朝廷斥贬，他的诗作也被禁止流传。他在四十岁时写下了《寓中遇母难日》一诗，表达了他对光阴如过客的感慨和对四十岁竟无所成的不甘寂寞之情。从22岁参加乡试开始，他一共参加了17次科举考试，最终在乾隆四年（1739）才中进士，时年67岁。从此，他开始了官场生涯，备受乾隆皇帝的宠爱。乾隆七年（1742），他被授予翰林院编修的职位。次年，他被调任左中允。之后，他又先后升迁为侍读、左庶子、侍讲学士，担任日讲起居注官。乾隆十二年（1747），他被任命在尚书房工作，并晋升为礼部侍郎。乾隆十三年（1748），他担任会试副考官，并保留原职衔和俸禄。乾隆十六年（1751），他被加封礼部尚书。期间，他曾为父母乞求诰命，乾隆皇帝给予了三代封典，并赐诗。其中有一句诗写道：“我爱沈德潜，淳风挹古福。”侍郎钱陈群在旁边唱和，称赞道：“帝爱沈潜德，我羡归愚归。”皇帝的赐诗和和诗中巧妙地嵌入了沈德潜的名字“德潜”和号“归愚”，一时间成为艺林盛事。当沈德潜70岁时，乾隆皇帝召他讨论历代诗源，他博古通今，对答如流，乾隆大为赏识，称他为江南老名士，并对大臣们说：“我和沈德潜的友谊，是从诗开始的，也以诗终。”后来，乾隆还为他的《归愚诗文钞》写了序言，并赐予了几十首御制诗。在这些诗中，他将沈德潜比作李白、杜甫、高启和王士祯。沈德潜77岁时辞去官职，回到故乡居住在木渎山塘街，著书作述，并担任苏州府学教授。
沈德潜生平详情»
文学主张
沈德潜的诗论中，他强调诗歌的作用是为封建政治服务的。他认为诗歌可以理性情，善伦物，感鬼神，设教邦国，应对诸侯。他提倡温柔敦厚的诗教，认为这是最重要的。他的诗论主要见于他所著的《说诗晬语》和他编的《古诗源》、《唐诗别裁集》、《明诗别裁集》、《国朝诗别裁集》等书的序和凡例中。
在艺术风格上，沈德潜注重诗歌的格调。他的诗论一般被称为“格调说”。格调指的是诗歌的格律、声调，同时也指由此表现出的高华雄壮、富于变化的美感。他的格调说源于明代七子，因此他在明代诗歌中推崇七子而排斥公安、竟陵，论诗歌体格则宗唐而黜宋。他认为唐代的诗歌是至高无上的，而宋元时期的诗歌则流于卑靡。
沈德潜强调音律的重要性，他认为诗歌以声为用，微妙之处在于抑扬抗坠之间。他认为读者应该静气按节，密咏恬吟，才能体会到前人诗歌中难以表达的妙处。他引用朱熹的话说：“讽咏以昌之，涵濡以体之。”他认为这是真正能够引起读者兴趣的读诗方式。
然而，沈德潜的诗论与明七子的说法实际上是不同的。他的诗论有一个最重要和最根本的前提，就是要求诗歌有益于统治秩序，合于温柔敦厚的诗教。他认为诗歌应该关乎人伦日用，涉及古今成败兴坏的原因，才能被认为是有价值的。如果诗歌动作温柔乡语，那么它就是害人心术的，是不应该存在的。
总的来说，沈德潜的诗论强调诗歌的作用是为封建政治服务的，他提倡温柔敦厚的诗教。他注重诗歌的格调和音律，认为诗歌应该具有高华雄壮、富于变化的美感。然而，他的诗论与明七子的说法有所不同，他认为诗歌必须符合封建政治的要求，关乎人伦日用，才能被认为是有价值的。
沈德潜文学主张详情»
文学创作
沈德潜是明代文学家，他的诗作数量庞大，现存有2300多首。其中很多作品都是为统治者歌功颂德而写的。这些诗作中，有一些反映了社会现实，如《制府来》、《晓经平江路》、《后凿冰行》等。这些作品描绘了一些社会景象，展现了人们的生活状况。然而，这些作品中也常常带有封建统治阶级的说教内容，给人一种教训的感觉。
例如，《观割稻了有述》这首诗，一方面描绘了天灾为患，民生困苦的情景，描述了旱灾和洪水给人们带来的痛苦。另一方面，诗中又劝告百姓要安贫乐道，要知足常乐。这种说教的内容，使得这些诗作缺乏了一些生动的气息。
然而，在沈德潜的近体诗中，也有一些作品是清新可诵的，具有一定的艺术功力。例如，《吴山怀古》、《月夜渡江》、《夏日述感》等作品，通过细腻的描写和优美的语言，表达了作者对自然景色的感慨和思考。这些作品给人一种清新的感觉，让人愿意去品味和欣赏。
除了以上提到的作品，沈德潜还有其他的著作。他的著作包括《沈归愚诗文全集》（乾隆刻本），其中包括了《年谱》、《归愚诗钞》、《归愚诗钞馀集》、《竹啸轩诗钞》、《矢音集》、《黄山游草》、《归愚文钞》、《归愚文续》、《说诗晬语》、《浙江省通志图说》、《南巡诗》等多个部分。这些著作涵盖了沈德潜的诗歌和文学作品，展示了他的才华和创作成果。
总的来说，沈德潜的诗作数量庞大，其中有一些作品反映了社会现实，但也常常带有封建统治阶级的说教内容。然而，在他的近体诗中，也有一些作品具有清新可诵的特点。除了诗歌作品，沈德潜还有其他的著作，展示了他的才华和创作成果。
沈德潜文学创作详情»