Biography

Han Yu was born in 768, in Heyang (河陽, present day Mengzhou) in Henan to a family of noble lineage. His father worked as a minor official but died when Han Yu was two, who was then raised in the family of his older brother, Han Hui. He was a student of philosophical writings and confucian thought. His family moved to Chang'an in 774 but was banished to Southern China in 777 because of its association with disgraced minister Yuan Zai. Han Hui died in 781 while serving as a prefect in Guangdong province. In 792, after four attempts, Han Yu passed the jinshi imperial examination. In 796, after failing to secure a position in the civil service at the capital, he went into the service of the provincial military governor of Bianzhou until 799, and then of the military governor of Xuzhou. He gained his first central government position in 802 on the recommendation of the military governor. However, he was soon exiled for several possible reasons: for failing to support the heir apparent's faction, his criticism of the misbehavior of the emperor's servants, or his request for reduction of taxes during a famine.

From 807 to 819 he held a series of government posts, first in Luoyang and then in Chang'an. During these years, he was strong advocate of reimposing central control over separatist northeastern provinces. This period of service came to an end when he wrote his famous Memorial on Bone-relics of the Buddha presented to Emperor Xianzong. The memorial is a strongly worded protest against Buddhist influence on the country. The Emperor, offended by Han Yu's criticism, ordered his execution. He was however saved by his friends at the court, and was thusly demoted and exiled to Chaozhou instead. After Han Yu offered a formal apology to the Emperor a few months later, he was transferred to a province nearer to the capital. Emperor Xianzong died within a year, and his successor Emperor Muzong brought Han Yu back to the capital where he worked in the War Office. He was then appointed to a high-ranking position after he successfully completed a mission to persuade a rebellious military commander to return to the fold.

Han Yu held a number of other distinguished government posts such as the rector of the Imperial university. At the age of fifty-six, Han Yu died in Chang'an on December 25, 824 and was buried on April 21, 825 in the ancestral cemetery at Heyang.

Thoughts and beliefs

Although generally not considered a philosopher, Han Yu was an important Confucian intellectual who influenced later generations of Confucian thinkers and Confucian philosophy. He also sponsored many literary figures of the turn of the ninth century. He led a revolt against pianwen (駢文), a formal, richly ornamented literary style, advocating a return to a classical, simple, logical, and exact style. He felt that this classical style of writing—called guwen (古文), literally, "ancient writing"—would be appropriate for the restoration of Confucianism. To him literature and ethics were intertwined, and he advocated the personal assimilation of Confucian values through the Classics, making them part of one's life.

Han Yu promoted Confucianism but was also deeply opposed to Buddhism, a religion that was then popular at the Tang court. In 819, he sent a letter, "Memorial on Bone-relics of the Buddha", to the emperor in which he denounced "the elaborate preparations being made by the state to receive the Buddha's fingerbone, which he called 'a filthy object' and which he said should be 'handed over to the proper officials for destruction by water and fire to eradicate forever its origin'. Han Yu contrasted the Chinese civilization and barbarism where people were "like birds and wild beast or like the barbarians". He considered Buddhism to be of barbarian (夷狄) origin, therefore an unsuitable religion for the Chinese people.

Han Yu was also critical of Taoism, which he considered to be a harmful accretion to Chinese culture. He nevertheless made the distinction between Taoism, a homegrown religion, and Buddhism, a foreign faith. In "The Origin of Dao" (原道, Yuandao), he argued that the monasticism of both Buddhism and Taoism to be economically nonproductive, creating economic and social dislocation. He also criticized both of these beliefs for being unable to deal with social problems. He considered Confucianism to be distinct from these two beliefs in linking the private, moral life of the individual with the public welfare of the state. He emphasized Mencius's method of assuring public morality and social order, and his concept of the expression of Confucian spirituality through political action would later form the intellectual basis for neo-Confucianism. Han introduced the ideas of the succession of the Way (道統, daotong), as well as the concept of the "teacher" (師, shi) who embodies the Way as expressed in "Discourse on Teachers" (師說, Shishuo). Although Han Yu attacked Buddhism and Taoism, some of his ideas have Buddhist and/or Taoist roots; the succession of the Way for example was inspired by the Buddhist idea of transmission of the dharma, while his concept of the "teacher" originated from the Buddhist and Taoist idea of religious mentor.

In his "Discourse on Teachers" (師說, Shishuo), Han Yu discussed the necessity and principles of learning from teachers, and criticized the phenomenon of "shame to learn from the teacher" in the society at that time. He stated that "a disciple need not be necessarily inferior to the teacher, while the teacher need not be necessarily more virtuous than the disciple. The only fact is that may acquire Dao earlier or later the others, there may be specific field that one specialized in."

Literary works

Prose

Han Yu is often considered the greatest master of classical prose in the Tang. He was listed first among the "Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song" by Ming Dynasty scholar Mao Kun. Together with Liu Zongyuan he headed the Classical Prose Movement to return to the unornamented prose of the Han Dynasty. He considered the classical "old style prose" (古文, guwen) to be the kind of writing more suited to argumentation and the expression of ideas. Han Yu's guwen however was not an imitation of ancient prose, but a new style based on the ancient ideals of clarity, concision, and utility. Han Yu wrote in many modes, often with discursiveness and daring experimentation.

Among his most renowned essays are his polemics against Buddhism and Taoism and support for Confucianism, such as "Buddhism Memorial on Bone-relics of the Buddha" and "The Origin of Dao". Other notable works include "Text for the Crocodiles" in which he declares that crocodiles be formally banished from Chaozhou, and "Goodbye to Penury" that describes his failed attempt to rid himself of the ghost of poverty.

Poetry

Han Yu also wrote poetry. However, while Han Yu's essays are highly regarded, his poetry is not considered exceptional. According to A History of Chinese Literature by Herbert Giles, Han Yu "wrote a large quantity of verse, frequently playful, on an immense variety of subjects, and under his touch the commonplace was often transmuted into wit. Among other pieces there is one on his teeth, which seemed to drop out at regular intervals, so that he could calculate roughly what span of life remained to him. Altogether, his poetry cannot be classed with that of the highest order, unlike his prose writings".

The poem where Han Yu ruminated on getting old by recounting how he lost his own teeth is "Losing Teeth" (落齒).

Significance and assessment

Han Yu ranks among the most important personalities in the history of traditional Chinese culture. His works not only become classics in Chinese literature, but his writings redefined and changed the course of the tradition itself. He was a stylistic innovator in the many genres he wrote in, and was a major influence on the literary and intellectual life of his time as well as later dynasties. The writings of Han Yu were influential to Song Dynasty writers and poets, in particular Ouyang Xiu who popularized the use of guwen as advocated by Han Yu, a style that would stay as the model for Chinese prose until the revolution in Chinese literature of modern China. In an inscription for a shrine to Han Yu, Song Dynasty poet Su Shi praised Han Yu:

All the major accounts of Han Yu's life agree that he had an open and forthright character, which manifested itself in his unswerving loyalty to his friends. According to Li Ao, Han Yu was a great conversationalist and an inspired teacher: "His teaching and his efforts to mold his students were unrelenting, fearing they would not be perfect. Yet he amused them with jokes and with the chanting of poems, so that they were enraptured with his teaching and forgot about returning home". The sense of humor that is so obvious in his writing was also important in his life. Herbert Giles judged that it was "due to his calm and dignified patriotism that the Chinese still keep his memory green".

Han Yu led a defense of Confucianism at a time when Confucian doctrine was in decline, and attacked both Buddhism and Taoism which were then the dominant belief systems. His writings would have a significant influence on Neo-Confucians of later eras, such as the Song dynasty scholars Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi. He introduced a new intellectual direction for Confucianism as well as influential ideas to later Confucians. However, he was criticized by Song Confucians for being much more of a stylist than a moralist.

Most modern scholarship, although content to assign to Han Yu a secure place in the history of Chinese literature, has been embarrassed by the violence of his Confucian passions.

Memorial

In honor of Han's contribution to Chaoshan when he was exiled to Chaozhou, the Han River flowing through Chaozhou is named after him. Han Yu Temple in Chaozhou was established since the Song dynasty at the riverside of Mount Han, which also named after him.

Studies

Erwin von Zach wrote Han Yüs poetische Werke, a German language study. The Poetry of Meng Chiao and Han Yü, a book by Stephen Owen published by the Yale University Press, was the first substantial English-language study of Han Yu. It was published 13 years after Zach's book.

Modern references

In an essay on Kafka, the Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges, in making the argument that "each writer creates his own precursors", placed Han Yu as one of the antecedents of Kafka due to some resemblance between them.

Descendants

Han Yu's descendants held the title of "Wujing boshi" (五經博士; Wǔjīng bóshì).

In 1976, Han Yu was the subject of a high-profile defamation lawsuit in Taiwan called Han Sih-Tao v. Kuo Sho-Hua. In that case, Han Sih-Tao, a 39th-generation direct descendant of Han Yu, brought a criminal suit against Kuo for writing a defamatory article alleging Han Yu died of a venereal disease because he frequented some houses of ill repute. Many celebrated academic experts on Chinese literature testified as expert witnesses on one side or another. After extensive litigation, Kuo was fined for a token amount (about US$30) for criminal libel.

家世

漢弓高侯韓頹當裔孫韓尋，後漢隴西太守，世居潁川，生司空韓棱，字伯師，其後徙安定武安。後魏有常山太守、武安成侯韓耆，字黃耇，永興中，自赫連屈丐來降，位常山太守，假安武侯，仍居常山之九門。卒，贈涇州刺史，謚曰成。耆生茂，字元興，尚書令、征南大將軍、安定桓王。生子：韓備、韓均、韓延壽、韓天生。

• 七世祖：韓耆，字黃耇，魏常山太守、安武子。

• 六世祖：韓茂，字元興，北魏安定公，贈涇州刺史、安定王，謚號桓王。

• 五世祖：韓均，字天德，定州刺史、安定康公。

• 高祖：韓皎，雅州都督。

• 曾祖：韓仁泰，曹州司馬。

• 祖：韓叡素，桂州長史。生晉卿、季卿、子卿、仲卿、雲卿、紳卿、升卿。

• 父：韓仲卿，秘書郎。

• 兄：韓會：長兄，曾任起居舍人，妻鄭氏。韓會於父母過世後，和妻子共同撫養韓愈(時3歲)長大，人稱「有德行言詞，為世軌式」。鄭氏過世後，韓愈作《祭鄭夫人文》弔祭兄嫂，感念養育之恩。

　• 韓老成：又稱十二郎。韓介之子，過繼給韓會，生一子一女。韓老成和韓愈共同長大，「未嘗一日相離」。死後，韓愈作《祭十二郎文》，追思兩人之情，並稱自己「自今已往，吾其無意於人世矣」。

• 韓介：二兄，官至率府參軍。子韓老成。

• 韓弇，三兄。

生平

韓愈自稱是漢代諸侯韓王信的後裔，父韓仲卿。韓愈出生不到幾歲，母親過世，三歲喪父，受大哥韓會（即十二郎韓老成之伯父兼養父，韓老成被韓愈二哥韓介過繼給韓會）撫育，隨兄長為官轉徙長安、韶州（今廣東韶關）等地。後韓會病逝韶州，隨嫂鄭氏護喪返回河陽。後又避難宣城（今安徽宣城），與侄韓老成，同由鄭氏撫養成人，情逾手足。

韓愈至七歲才開始讀書，十三歲能寫文章，自言「前古之興亡，未嘗不經於心也，當世之得失，未嘗不留於意也」。唐朝貞元二年（786年）赴長安應試，無門第資蔭，三試不第。貞元八年（792年）古文家陸贄、梁肅知貢舉，韓愈曾多次交遊梁肅門下，好寫古文的韓愈，因此得以中進士。應吏部試，又三次不中，憤慨之餘稱「為考官所辱」，打算求船東下。貞元十一年（795年），三次上書宰相，希得薦舉而不得。

貞元十二年（796年），汴州宣武軍亂，隨宣武軍節度使董晉赴任，擔任「觀察推官」。期間與孟郊相識交遊，李翱、張籍入其門下。董晉卒，改任武寧節度使張建封屬下「節度推官」。張建封死，遷居洛邑。

貞元十七年（801年），經由李翱引薦給陸慘，獲得薦選，任國子監四門博士，貞元十九年(803)前，著《師說》。貞元十九年（803年）任監察御史，因關中旱災，上《御史臺上論天旱人饑狀》，糾彈國戚京兆尹李實，遂貶陽山令，深受百姓愛戴，百姓甚至以「韓」字，為兒取名。這一年侄子韓老成去世，寫《祭十二郎文》。

永貞元年8月（805年）憲宗即位，大赦天下，韓愈改任荊州江陵府法曹參軍，韓愈甚感失望，寫下「棲棲法曹掾，何處事卑陬」。

元和六年（811年）任國子博士，作〈進學解〉，受裴度賞識，擢為禮部郎中。815年隨裴度征淮西，因功擢任刑部侍郎，並作〈平淮西碑〉。因碑文內容推崇宰相裴度，實際作戰平定淮西的李愬，妻子是唐安公主女因而控訴韓愈所作碑文不實，李愬的屬下石孝忠推倒碑文，唐憲宗只好命段文昌重撰碑文。

轉任刑部侍郎時，元和十四年（819年）正月，因反對唐憲宗迎接釋迦牟尼佛佛骨而被貶為潮州刺史（今廣東潮州）。

往潮州路上，已經生病的愛女也因為不堪路程折磨而病死，韓愈傷感不已，來到了藍關（今陝西藍田）時，大雪紛飛，韓愈見到姪孫韓湘（傳說韓湘就是八仙之一的韓湘子）。不禁再三嗟歎道：「吾為汝成此詩。」詩吟：「一封朝奏九重天，夕貶潮陽路八千；願為聖明除弊事，肯將衰朽惜殘年！雲橫秦嶺家何在？雪擁藍關馬不前；知汝此來應有意，好收吾骨瘴江邊。」

到了潮州之後，韓愈用心治民興學、又藉以工抵債釋放奴婢，與潮州大顛和尚成為好友。後來在潮州又寫《祭鱷魚文》，往河裏扔了一豬一羊，然後組織百姓獵殺鱷魚，往河中倒入生石灰、硫磺等，據聞鱷魚就此絕跡。事實上，後來宰相李德裕、宋朝陳堯佐在潮州時，看見鱷魚仍在。韓愈卒後，當地乃建韓文公廟供奉。

在潮州任內，韓愈上表懺罪謝恩曰：「臣以狂妄戇愚，不識禮度，陳佛骨事，言涉不恭，正名定罪，萬死莫塞。陛下哀臣愚忠，恕臣狂直，謂言雖可罪，心亦無它，特屈刑章，以臣為潮州刺史。既免刑誅，又獲祿食，聖恩寬大，天地莫量，破腦刳心，豈足為謝！」並陳述邊地困境，希冀憐憫之心：「臣所領州，在廣府極東，過海口，下惡水，濤瀧壯猛，難計期程，颶風鱷魚，患禍不測。州南近界，漲海連天，毒霧瘴氛，日夕發作。臣少多病，年纔五十，髪白齒落，理不久長。加以罪犯至重，所處遠惡，憂惶慚悸，死亡無日。單立一身，朝無親黨，居蠻夷之地，與魑魅同群，苟非陛下哀而念之，誰肯為臣言者？」表進，敕令改任袁州（今江西宜春）。

唐穆宗即位後，奉旨回京，歷任國子監祭酒、兵部侍郎、吏部侍郎、京兆尹兼御史大夫等職，是人稱其為「韓吏部」

長慶四年（824年），八月因疾告假。十二月二日（西曆12月25日），於長安靖安里的家中與世長辭，年五十七 。贈為禮部尚書，謚為文。

寶曆元年（825年），三月葬於河陽。

宋元豐元年（1078年），神宗追封為昌黎伯，並從祀孔廟。

身後

當時伽藍四萬所，僧尼二十六萬五千餘人，王公與士民花費過多金錢且盲目迷信佛教的風氣，一度對唐朝造成頗大的經濟壓力，雖然韓愈曾有逼迫所有僧侶還俗的言論，但事實上他並不完全反佛，所以他也不避諱與僧人應酬唱和，如潮州大顛、三平義中師徒。他也反對道教對仙丹的迷信，要人們食用丹藥，說因此「殺人不可計」，但並不是針對道家思想。韓愈以「道統」自命，三十六歲時已經「而視茫茫，而髮蒼蒼，而齒牙動搖」（〈祭十二郎文〉），晚年有「落齒」詩：「去年落一牙，今年落一牙。俄然去六七，落勢殊末已」。後來在長安城南興建過豪宅，也有絳桃、柳枝等妓，能歌善舞。長慶四年（824年）敬宗即位，同年十二月韓愈因病去世，年五十七。妻子出身范陽盧氏，二子韓昶、富平令韓州仇，有一女為李漢妻，一女為蔣系妻。韓愈去世後，〈韓文公墓誌銘〉是由其生前指定的高徒皇甫湜撰寫，李翱令作行狀。

現在孟州市西虢鄉韓莊（傳為韓愈老家）修建有韓文公墓。廣東潮州市潮州韓文公祠是中國大陸現存保存最完整歷史最久遠的紀念韓愈的專祠。臺灣屏東縣內埔鄉的昌黎祠（韓愈廟）是臺灣唯一主祀韓愈的廟宇。

1976年，韓愈身後評價在臺灣產生「誹韓案」，學者於《潮州文獻》說韓愈死於花柳病，被韓愈後人控告誹謗成案，引起論戰。

文學

古文成就

韓愈散文內容豐富，形式多樣化，眾體兼長，不落俗套，力求創新，構思奇巧，詞鋒銳利，雄奇奔放，氣勢磅礡，汪洋恣肆，曲折多變，波瀾起伏，想像豐富，感情充沛，析理透闢，邏輯嚴密，設譬巧妙，筆觸幽默，句法則駢散交錯。

韓愈文章以排斥佛老，闡明儒家之道為宗旨，《師說》、《送董邵南序》、《原性》、《原道》、《諫迎佛骨表》、《進學解》、《送窮文》、《柳子厚墓誌銘》，備受傳誦。後世尊為「唐宋八大家」之首。

主張

韓愈主張「文道合一，明道為主」，柳冕首先提出(文以載道)，周敦頤首先寫出(文以載道)四字，宣揚儒道，攘斥佛、老，「破駢為散」，反對六朝以來的駢文文風，主張恢復三代兩漢自然質樸的文體，「言貴獨到」，「詞必己出」，要「文從字順」。

韓愈主張思想復古、文學復古，以復古道為目的，復古文為手段，而所謂道，是指儒家的道。韓在繼承的基礎上亦有所創造和革新，主張學古文「師其意不師其辭」「唯陳言之務去」。

領導古文運動

貞元、元和年間，韓愈和柳宗元開始寫作古文，由於有理論有創作，故有成就。韓愈有自信，百折不回，又善宣傳，廣收門徒，遂形成聲勢浩大的社會運動。

韓愈繼承前人之經驗，意志堅強，大力提倡古文。正如李漢「昌黎先生集序」說：「時人始而驚，中而笑且排，先生益堅。」他既有理論，又有優秀作品示人，得到李翱、皇甫湜、張籍、孟郊等文友和後進支持，故能領導古文運動。

宋明理學的先驅

儒學在魏晉南北朝以來，受佛道兩教大盛所影響，漸漸失去統治地位。韓愈本身主張復古，反對佛教。為儒教爭取統治的地位，以代替佛教或道教統治的地位。為後來宋明理學產生了先驅作用。韓愈在他的道統傳承的說法中把孟子說成孔子的繼承人，並認為聖人之道在孟子以後失傳，使孟子在道統中具有了與孔子同等的地位，這就把孟子的地位大大提高了。影響到後來宋明理學的學者把《孟子》一書列入四書，使孟子在中國文化中的地位真正提高起來。而另外在宋代《大學》被尊為四書之一，獲得了儒家重要經典的地位，而闡揚《大學》其實在韓愈已經開始。

詩歌

其詩有論者以為可以列李白杜甫之後，居全唐第三。韓詩以文為詩，以論為詩，求新求奇，有氣勢，對糾正大曆詩風起到了一定作用，對宋詩產生了較大影響。王安石以韓愈《薦士》評孟郊詩反過來評韓愈本人：「橫空盤硬語，妥貼力排奡」，概括其詩風。葉燮論韓詩：「韓愈為唐詩之一大變。其力大，其思雄，崛起特為鼻祖。」趙翼《甌北詩話》云：「詩家好作奇句警語，必千錘百鍊而後能成。如……昌黎之『巨刃磨天揚』、『乾坤擺雷硠』等句，實足驚心動魄，然全力搏兔之狀人皆見之」。他的代表作有《南山詩》、《調張籍》、《聽穎師彈琴》、《左遷至藍關示侄孫湘》、《早春呈水部張十八員外》、《春雪》、《晚春》等。

墓誌

韓愈亦善寫墓誌銘，是時「長安中爭為碑誌，若市買然。」韓愈文名日盛，達官貴人常求其為先人撰墓誌銘，潤筆之金甚高，韓愈亦來者不拒。司馬光《顏樂亭頌》一文指出，韓愈「好悅人以銘志，而受其金」。韓愈寫一篇《謝許受王用男人事物狀》，潤筆費用是「受馬一匹，並鞍、銜及白玉腰帶一條」。《謝許受韓弘物狀》記載曾收得韓弘致贈的「絹五百匹」，相當於四百貫錢，而時韓愈一個月的薪水只有二十五貫錢，當官反成副業。部分「諛墓」之作，在當時頗受譏斥。其友劉叉故意取其黃金數斤而去，云：「此諛墓中人得耳，不若與劉君為壽。」元代王若虛說：「韓退之不善處窮，哀號之語，見于文字。」又說：「退之不忍須臾之窮。」

尊儒反佛

元和十四年（819年）正月，唐憲宗要將鳳翔法門寺的釋迦牟尼佛佛骨迎至宮中供養三日，崇佛之風再次興起，舉國若狂，有人「焚頂燒指，百十為群，解衣散錢，自朝至暮，轉相仿效，惟恐後時」。韓愈上《諫迎佛骨表》（《論佛骨表》）諫阻天子迎佛骨，認為「佛本夷狄之人」，佛教自外于天下國家，讓佛教凌駕于儒學之上，有被同化為夷狄的危險，且佛徒滅棄封建倫常，「口不言先王之法言，身不眼先王之法服，不知君臣之義、父子之情」、「子焉而不父其父，臣焉而不君其君，民焉而不事其事」。同時韓愈還認為，佛教耗費大量財富，加重了百姓負擔，且信佛的皇帝沒有好下場，「唯梁武帝在位四十八年，前後三度捨身施佛，宗廟之祭，不牲宰，晝日一食，止於菜果，其後竟為侯景所兵逼，餓死台城，國亦尋滅。事佛求福，乃更得禍。由此觀之，佛不足信，亦可知矣。」他主張「人其人，火其書，廬其居」，將佛骨「投諸水火，永絕根本，斷天下之疑，絕後代之惑」。憲宗聞之大怒，將處以極刑，裴度、崔群力救道：「愈言訐牾，罪之誠宜。然非內懷至忠，安能及此。願少寬假，以求諫爭。」帝曰：「愈言我奉佛太過，猶可容；至謂東漢奉佛以後，天子咸夭促，言何乖剌邪？愈，人臣，狂妄敢爾，固不可赦。」於是貶其為潮州刺史（今廣東潮州）。

評價

文起八代之衰

• 蘇軾在《潮州韓文公廟碑》盛稱其「匹夫而為百世師，一言而為天下法，是皆有以參天地之化，關盛衰之運。」「獨韓文公起布衣，談笑而麾之，天下靡然從公，複歸于正，蓋三百年于此矣。文起八代之衰，道濟天下之溺。忠犯人主之怒，而勇奪三軍之帥。此豈非參天地，關盛衰，浩然而獨存者乎？」，並作詩稱讚韓愈：「公昔騎龍白雲鄉，手抉雲漢分天章。天孫為織雲錦裳，飄然乘風來帝旁。下與濁世掃粃糠，西遊咸池略扶桑。草木衣被昭回光，追逐李杜參翱翔。汗流籍湜走且殭，滅沒倒景不可望。作書詆佛譏君王，要觀南海窺衡湘。歷舜九嶷弔英皇，祝融先驅海若藏，約束蛟鱷如趨羊。鈞天無人帝悲傷，謳吟下招遣巫陽。犦牲雞卜羞我觴，於粲荔丹與蕉黃。公不少留我涕滂，翩然披髮下大荒。」

• 蘇洵稱讚韓愈文章「如長江大河，渾浩流轉」。

• 韓退之所撰寫《祭十二郎文》與李密的《陳情表》、諸葛亮的《出師表》並列為中國三大抒情文之一，南宋謝枋得《文章軌範》引用安子順之說：「讀《出師表》不哭者不忠，讀《陳情表》不哭者不孝，讀《祭十二郎文》不哭者不慈。」

• 章學誠稱韓愈的碑誌文是「心識古人源流，隨時通其變化」（《文史通義‧墓銘辨例》）。

• 茅坤說：「世之論韓文者，共曾稱碑蒜；予獨以韓公碑文多奇崛險譎，不得《史》《漢》敘事法，故于風神處或少道逸。」（《唐宋八大家支鈔·論例》）

• 錢仲聯：「韓愈的散文，氣勢充沛，縱橫開合，奇偶交錯，巧譬善喻，或詭譎，或嚴正，具有多樣的藝術特色。」

• 毛澤東1936年在保安會見愛德加·史諾時說：「學校里有一個國文老師（袁吉六），學生給他起了個「袁大鬍子」的外號。他嘲笑我的文章，說它是新聞記者的手筆。他看不起我視為楷模的梁啓超，認為他是一個半通不通的人。我不得不改變我的文風，去鑽研韓愈的文章，學會了古文的措詞。所以，多虧袁大鬍子，今天我如果需要的話，仍然能夠寫出一篇過得去的古文。」晚年毛澤東讀歐陽修《新唐書·李汲傳》時寫下批語：「韓愈文集，為李汲編輯得全，歐陽修得之于隨縣，因以流傳，厥功偉哉。」

裂道與文以為兩物

• 吳虎臣《能改齋漫錄》卷十謂荊公「不以退之為是」。

• 韓愈說自己反對閹黨，「日與宦者為敵」，但是貞元十三年，韓愈曾作〈送汴州監軍俱文珍序〉，對宦官俱文珍歌頌備至。後來又作《順宗實錄》，對俱文珍亦多加褒辭。魏了翁嘲笑他「韓公每是有求於人，其詞輒卑諂不可據」。

• 韓愈善寫「諛墓」之文，清初顧炎武在書信中評他：「韓文公文起八代之衰，若但作《原道》、《原毀》、《爭臣論》、《平淮西碑》、《張中丞傳後序》諸篇，而一切銘狀概為謝絕，則誠近代之泰山北斗矣；今猶未敢許也」。

• 張耒論韓愈「以為文人則有餘，以為知道則不足」（《韓愈論》）。

• 朱熹指責韓愈「裂道與文以為兩物」（《讀唐志》）。

• 章太炎說：「韓對死生利祿之念，刻刻不忘：登華山大哭，作《送窮文》，是真正的証據。」韓愈登華山，「度不可返，乃作遺書，發狂慟哭」，最後被華陰縣令救下。

• 周作人對韓退之則不以為然：「講到韓文我壓根兒不能懂得他的好處」，「總是有舊戲似的印象」，「但見其裝腔作勢，搔首弄姿而已」。他在《秉燭談談韓文》又說：「假如我們不贊成統治思想，不贊成青年寫新八股，則韓退之暫時不能不挨罵，蓋竊以為韓公實系該運動的祖師，其勢力至今尚瀰漫于全國上下也」、「如有人願學濫調古文，韓文自是上選」。

治宋學之首

• 錢鍾書《談藝錄》認為：「韓昌黎之在北宋，可謂千秋萬歲，名不寂寞矣。」又說「古來薄韓者多姓王」。

• 陳寅恪在《論韓愈》中論及韓愈排斥佛教，「呵抵釋迦，申明夷夏之大防」。

• 錢穆：其排釋老而返之儒，倡言師道，確立道統，則皆宋儒之所濫觴也。嘗試論之，唐之學者，治詩賦取進士第，得高官，卑者漁獵富貴，上者建樹功名，是謂入世之士。其遯跡山林、棲心玄寂，求神仙，溺虛無，歸依釋老，則為出世之士……獨昌黎韓愈氏，進不願為富貴功名，退不願為神仙虛無，而倡言乎古之道……此皆宋學精神也，治宋學者首昌黎，則可不昧乎其所入矣。

• 陳來認為韓愈和他的弟子李翱提出的復興儒家的基本口號與發展方向，確乎是北宋慶曆時期思想運動的先導。韓愈在他的道統傳承的說法中把孟子說成孔子的繼承人，把孟子的地位大大提高，影響後來宋明理學的研究。

名句

• 業精于勤而荒于嬉，行成於思而毀于隨。 ──《進學解》

• 師者所以傳道、授業、解惑也。 ──《師說》

• 道之所存，師之所存也。 ──《師說》

• 今夫平居里巷相慕悅，酒食遊戲相徵逐，詡詡強笑語以相取下，握手出肺肝相示，指天日涕泣，誓生死不相背負，真若可信；一旦臨小利害，僅如毛髮比，反眼若不相識，落陷阱，不一引手救，反擠之，又下石焉者，皆是也。 ──《柳子厚墓誌銘》

• 是故弟子不必不如師，師不必賢於弟子；聞道有先後，術業有專攻，如是而已。——《師說》

軼聞

• 韓愈的畫像多半將他畫為有著美髯、戴著紗帽的男子，然而據沈括《夢溪筆談》（卷四）所記，韓愈其實是位肥胖且寡髯的男子，而現在的形象其實是與五代十國時的韓熙載搞混了。因為韓熙載諡號文靖，江南人稱呼他為韓文公，而韓愈亦被尊稱為韓文公的關係。」

• 五代時人陶榖《清異鄉錄》載：昌黎公逾晚年頗親脂粉，故可服食；用硫磺末攪粥飯，啖雞男，不使交，千日，烹庖，名 火靈庫 ，公間日進一隻焉，但是，始亦見功，終致絕命。

• 與孟郊齊名的詩人賈島在赴試時，嘗騎一驢趕路，於路上突詩興一發，做得一詩句:「鳥宿池邊樹，僧推月下門」。然而不知要用「推」字為好，抑或是「敲」字為佳，於是在驢上做動作。正在思惱時，正遇韓愈出巡，而賈島不知此事，渠之驢竟走至隊伍之間，於是被韓愈的護衛捉拿，而後被押帶到韓愈暫宿的驛所訊問。韓愈問賈島：「為何衝撞本尹？」島回：「大人，下生實不知大人出，於做一詩，正琢磨用字，因而失禮，望大人恕罪！」愈：「是何詩句？」島:「大人，學生做『鳥宿池邊樹，僧推月下門』，不知欲用『推』字，或為『敲』字，甚為苦惱，故此失禮。」韓愈思忖良久，回曰：「做『敲』字佳矣。『推』表有盜竊之意，是罪矣。故以『敲』字甚好」。成了「推敲」一詞的來源。