佛教出版事業; 陳慧劍; Buddhist publishing industry ; Hui-chian Chen ; 宗教傳記 ; 佛教文學 ; 台灣佛教雜誌出版業; Buddhist biography ; Buddhist writer
摘要
《弘一大師傳》為入選台灣中山文藝獎的第一部宗教傳記，其作者陳慧劍（1925－2001）亦以此書，開創戰後白話佛教小說的長河。本文釐清陳慧劍由軍旅出身的大兵作家、佛教雜誌編輯，以至台灣佛教傳記作家的推手的一生，藉以探討台灣佛教作家由兼職轉向專業的過程。陳慧劍一生筆耕，致力佛教文學創作，其所撰述以及策劃之僧尼傳記，自民國五十年代中期，即廣度流通，影響力為其他僧俗佛教作家無法向背。他又身兼佛教刊物編輯、連載作家、佛教傳記家、佛學院國文教師、佛教界文膽與書記等不同角色，直到民國九十年代以後，聲名漸寢。陳的創作生涯，顯示佛教刊物以信徒為主的小眾傳播，逐漸專業、專責化的過程，以及自學起家的信徒型作家，如何被社會通俗作家與精緻化的佛教報導媒體取代。換言之，陳的文學與信仰生涯，為現代佛教文學與通俗文學交涉的絕佳例證──因為弘法文宣組織的市場化，現代僧尼傳記變成個人心靈自助的通俗文學，改變宗教傳記的書寫方式與去宗教化的功能。本文分為四段：困境中寫作不輟的筆、陳慧劍與佛教出版界、陳慧劍本人的著作出版、光輝過往？陳慧劍的僧尼傳記特色。分別介紹陳慧劍的生平、著作、信仰與文學觀念，以及他與佛教出版界的淵源。運用他的年譜、日記、序跋、親友追憶，呈現陳慧劍身為戰後台灣佛教第一位「專業」作家的歷史定位。方法學上，本文嘗試從作家、編輯與雜誌出版業的關係，來建構佛教文學的發展與特徵。某一程度上，本文亦釐清戰後台灣佛教雜誌出版業的發展脈絡。 As the first religious biography won the National Literature Reward in 1968, The Biography of Venerable Hong-yi promised a brighten career for Buddhist writer, Hui-chian Chen (1925-2001), as well as the succeeding interest in publishing Buddhist biographies in the Buddhist circles. Chen was self-educated during World War II and devoted himself to editing Buddhist magazines after discharged from army. In the 1960s, the income of a Buddhist writer and editor was definitely insufficient to support a family. Chen had continuously written and edited Buddhist biographies to get extra income; even though he finally got teaching jobs in high school and trade school, he never stopped writing, or quitting editing Buddhist magazines all his life. However, Chen was forgotten by the salutatory development of Buddhist publishing industry in the 1990. This paper aims to investigate the career of Hui-chian Chen as a Buddhist writer and editor, in order to reconstruct the history of Buddhist publishers in post-war Taiwan. Especially, I will discuss how the Buddhist writer and editor changed from amateur to profession job. The result will not only re-estimate the historical reputation of Chen as the first Buddhist biographical writer, it will also indicate the development of Buddhist publisher industry, as well as the representation styles and function of Buddhist biographies. This article is divided into four sects, analyzing the Chen's career as a writer, his relation with the Buddhist magazines and publishers, the characteristics of his work, as well as his historical reputation in the Buddhist circle. By examining his life, moreover, it will hopefully illuminate the situation of the Buddhist publishing industry from the 1950s to contemporary Taiwan.
