Biography

Han Yu was born in 768, in Heyang (河阳, 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 (骈文), 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 (道统, daotong), as well as the concept of the "teacher" (师, shi) who embodies the Way as expressed in "Discourse on Teachers" (师说, 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" (师说, 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" (落齿).

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" (五经博士; 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

汉弓高侯韩颓当裔孙韩寻，后汉陇西太守，世居颍川，生司空韩棱，字伯师，其后徙安定武安。后魏有常山太守、武安成侯韩耆，字黄耇，永兴中，自赫连屈丐来降，位常山太守，假安武侯，仍居常山之九门。卒，赠泾州刺史，谥曰成。耆生茂，字元兴，尚书令、征南大将军、安定桓王。生子：韩备、韩均、韩延寿、韩天生。

• 七世祖：韩耆，字黄耇，魏常山太守、安武子。

• 六世祖：韩茂，字元兴，北魏安定公，赠泾州刺史、安定王，谥号桓王。

• 五世祖：韩均，字天德，定州刺史、安定康公。

• 高祖：韩皎，雅州都督。

• 曾祖：韩仁泰，曹州司马。

• 祖：韩睿素，桂州长史。生晋卿、季卿、子卿、仲卿、云卿、绅卿、升卿。

• 父：韩仲卿，秘书郎。

• 兄：韩会：长兄，曾任起居舍人，妻郑氏。韩会于父母过世后，和妻子共同抚养韩愈(时3岁)长大，人称「有德行言词，为世轨式」。郑氏过世后，韩愈作《祭郑夫人文》吊祭兄嫂，感念养育之恩。

　• 韩老成：又称十二郎。韩介之子，过继给韩会，生一子一女。韩老成和韩愈共同长大，「未尝一日相离」。死后，韩愈作《祭十二郎文》，追思两人之情，并称自己「自今已往，吾其无意于人世矣」。

• 韩介：二兄，官至率府参军。子韩老成。

• 韩弇，三兄。

生平

韩愈自称是汉代诸侯韩王信的后裔，父韩仲卿。韩愈出生不到几岁，母亲过世，三岁丧父，受大哥韩会（即十二郎韩老成之伯父兼养父，韩老成被韩愈二哥韩介过继给韩会）抚育，随兄长为官转徙长安、韶州（今广东韶关）等地。后韩会病逝韶州，随嫂郑氏护丧返回河阳。后又避难宣城（今安徽宣城），与侄韩老成，同由郑氏抚养成人，情逾手足。

韩愈至七岁才开始读书，十三岁能写文章，自言「前古之兴亡，未尝不经于心也，当世之得失，未尝不留于意也」。唐朝贞元二年（786年）赴长安应试，无门第资荫，三试不第。贞元八年（792年）古文家陆贽、梁肃知贡举，韩愈曾多次交游梁肃门下，好写古文的韩愈，因此得以中进士。应吏部试，又三次不中，愤慨之馀称「为考官所辱」，打算求船东下。贞元十一年（795年），三次上书宰相，希得荐举而不得。

贞元十二年（796年），汴州宣武军乱，随宣武军节度使董晋赴任，担任「观察推官」。期间与孟郊相识交游，李翱、张籍入其门下。董晋卒，改任武宁节度使张建封属下「节度推官」。张建封死，迁居洛邑。

贞元十七年（801年），经由李翱引荐给陆惨，获得荐选，任国子监四门博士，贞元十九年(803)前，著《师说》。贞元十九年（803年）任监察御史，因关中旱灾，上《御史台上论天旱人饥状》，纠弹国戚京兆尹李实，遂贬阳山令，深受百姓爱戴，百姓甚至以「韩」字，为儿取名。这一年侄子韩老成去世，写《祭十二郎文》。

永贞元年8月（805年）宪宗即位，大赦天下，韩愈改任荆州江陵府法曹参军，韩愈甚感失望，写下「栖栖法曹掾，何处事卑陬」。

元和六年（811年）任国子博士，作〈进学解〉，受裴度赏识，擢为礼部郎中。815年随裴度征淮西，因功擢任刑部侍郎，并作〈平淮西碑〉。因碑文内容推崇宰相裴度，实际作战平定淮西的李诉，妻子是唐安公主女因而控诉韩愈所作碑文不实，李诉的属下石孝忠推倒碑文，唐宪宗只好命段文昌重撰碑文。

转任刑部侍郎时，元和十四年（819年）正月，因反对唐宪宗迎接释迦牟尼佛佛骨而被贬为潮州刺史（今广东潮州）。

往潮州路上，已经生病的爱女也因为不堪路程折磨而病死，韩愈伤感不已，来到了蓝关（今陕西蓝田）时，大雪纷飞，韩愈见到侄孙韩湘（传说韩湘就是八仙之一的韩湘子）。不禁再三嗟叹道：「吾为汝成此诗。」诗吟：「一封朝奏九重天，夕贬潮阳路八千；愿为圣明除弊事，肯将衰朽惜残年！云横秦岭家何在？雪拥蓝关马不前；知汝此来应有意，好收吾骨瘴江边。」

到了潮州之后，韩愈用心治民兴学、又藉以工抵债释放奴婢，与潮州大颠和尚成为好友。后来在潮州又写《祭鳄鱼文》，往河里扔了一猪一羊，然后组织百姓猎杀鳄鱼，往河中倒入生石灰、硫磺等，据闻鳄鱼就此绝迹。事实上，后来宰相李德裕、宋朝陈尧佐在潮州时，看见鳄鱼仍在。韩愈卒后，当地乃建韩文公庙供奉。

在潮州任内，韩愈上表忏罪谢恩曰：「臣以狂妄戆愚，不识礼度，陈佛骨事，言涉不恭，正名定罪，万死莫塞。陛下哀臣愚忠，恕臣狂直，谓言虽可罪，心亦无它，特屈刑章，以臣为潮州刺史。既免刑诛，又获禄食，圣恩宽大，天地莫量，破脑刳心，岂足为谢！」并陈述边地困境，希冀怜悯之心：「臣所领州，在广府极东，过海口，下恶水，涛泷壮猛，难计期程，飓风鳄鱼，患祸不测。州南近界，涨海连天，毒雾瘴氛，日夕发作。臣少多病，年才五十，髪白齿落，理不久长。加以罪犯至重，所处远恶，忧惶惭悸，死亡无日。单立一身，朝无亲党，居蛮夷之地，与魑魅同群，苟非陛下哀而念之，谁肯为臣言者？」表进，敕令改任袁州（今江西宜春）。

唐穆宗即位后，奉旨回京，历任国子监祭酒、兵部侍郎、吏部侍郎、京兆尹兼御史大夫等职，是人称其为「韩吏部」

长庆四年（824年），八月因疾告假。十二月二日（西历12月25日），于长安靖安里的家中与世长辞，年五十七 。赠为礼部尚书，谥为文。

宝历元年（825年），三月葬于河阳。

宋元丰元年（1078年），神宗追封为昌黎伯，并从祀孔庙。

身后

当时伽蓝四万所，僧尼二十六万五千馀人，王公与士民花费过多金钱且盲目迷信佛教的风气，一度对唐朝造成颇大的经济压力，虽然韩愈曾有逼迫所有僧侣还俗的言论，但事实上他并不完全反佛，所以他也不避讳与僧人应酬唱和，如潮州大颠、三平义中师徒。他也反对道教对仙丹的迷信，要人们食用丹药，说因此「杀人不可计」，但并不是针对道家思想。韩愈以「道统」自命，三十六岁时已经「而视茫茫，而发苍苍，而齿牙动摇」（〈祭十二郎文〉），晚年有「落齿」诗：「去年落一牙，今年落一牙。俄然去六七，落势殊末已」。后来在长安城南兴建过豪宅，也有绛桃、柳枝等妓，能歌善舞。长庆四年（824年）敬宗即位，同年十二月韩愈因病去世，年五十七。妻子出身范阳卢氏，二子韩昶、富平令韩州仇，有一女为李汉妻，一女为蒋系妻。韩愈去世后，〈韩文公墓志铭〉是由其生前指定的高徒皇甫湜撰写，李翱令作行状。

现在孟州市西虢乡韩庄（传为韩愈老家）修建有韩文公墓。广东潮州市潮州韩文公祠是中国大陆现存保存最完整历史最久远的纪念韩愈的专祠。台湾屏东县内埔乡的昌黎祠（韩愈庙）是台湾唯一主祀韩愈的庙宇。

1976年，韩愈身后评价在台湾产生「诽韩案」，学者于《潮州文献》说韩愈死于花柳病，被韩愈后人控告诽谤成案，引起论战。

文学

古文成就

韩愈散文内容丰富，形式多样化，众体兼长，不落俗套，力求创新，构思奇巧，词锋锐利，雄奇奔放，气势磅礴，汪洋恣肆，曲折多变，波澜起伏，想像丰富，感情充沛，析理透辟，逻辑严密，设譬巧妙，笔触幽默，句法则骈散交错。

韩愈文章以排斥佛老，阐明儒家之道为宗旨，《师说》、《送董邵南序》、《原性》、《原道》、《谏迎佛骨表》、《进学解》、《送穷文》、《柳子厚墓志铭》，备受传诵。后世尊为「唐宋八大家」之首。

主张

韩愈主张「文道合一，明道为主」，柳冕首先提出(文以载道)，周敦颐首先写出(文以载道)四字，宣扬儒道，攘斥佛、老，「破骈为散」，反对六朝以来的骈文文风，主张恢复三代两汉自然质朴的文体，「言贵独到」，「词必己出」，要「文从字顺」。

韩愈主张思想复古、文学复古，以复古道为目的，复古文为手段，而所谓道，是指儒家的道。韩在继承的基础上亦有所创造和革新，主张学古文「师其意不师其辞」「唯陈言之务去」。

领导古文运动

贞元、元和年间，韩愈和柳宗元开始写作古文，由于有理论有创作，故有成就。韩愈有自信，百折不回，又善宣传，广收门徒，遂形成声势浩大的社会运动。

韩愈继承前人之经验，意志坚强，大力提倡古文。正如李汉「昌黎先生集序」说：「时人始而惊，中而笑且排，先生益坚。」他既有理论，又有优秀作品示人，得到李翱、皇甫湜、张籍、孟郊等文友和后进支持，故能领导古文运动。

宋明理学的先驱

儒学在魏晋南北朝以来，受佛道两教大盛所影响，渐渐失去统治地位。韩愈本身主张复古，反对佛教。为儒教争取统治的地位，以代替佛教或道教统治的地位。为后来宋明理学产生了先驱作用。韩愈在他的道统传承的说法中把孟子说成孔子的继承人，并认为圣人之道在孟子以后失传，使孟子在道统中具有了与孔子同等的地位，这就把孟子的地位大大提高了。影响到后来宋明理学的学者把《孟子》一书列入四书，使孟子在中国文化中的地位真正提高起来。而另外在宋代《大学》被尊为四书之一，获得了儒家重要经典的地位，而阐扬《大学》其实在韩愈已经开始。

诗歌

其诗有论者以为可以列李白杜甫之后，居全唐第三。韩诗以文为诗，以论为诗，求新求奇，有气势，对纠正大历诗风起到了一定作用，对宋诗产生了较大影响。王安石以韩愈《荐士》评孟郊诗反过来评韩愈本人：「横空盘硬语，妥贴力排奡」，概括其诗风。叶燮论韩诗：「韩愈为唐诗之一大变。其力大，其思雄，崛起特为鼻祖。」赵翼《瓯北诗话》云：「诗家好作奇句警语，必千锤百鍊而后能成。如……昌黎之『巨刃磨天扬』、『乾坤摆雷硠』等句，实足惊心动魄，然全力搏兔之状人皆见之」。他的代表作有《南山诗》、《调张籍》、《听颖师弹琴》、《左迁至蓝关示侄孙湘》、《早春呈水部张十八员外》、《春雪》、《晚春》等。

墓志

韩愈亦善写墓志铭，是时「长安中争为碑志，若市买然。」韩愈文名日盛，达官贵人常求其为先人撰墓志铭，润笔之金甚高，韩愈亦来者不拒。司马光《颜乐亭颂》一文指出，韩愈「好悦人以铭志，而受其金」。韩愈写一篇《谢许受王用男人事物状》，润笔费用是「受马一匹，并鞍、衔及白玉腰带一条」。《谢许受韩弘物状》记载曾收得韩弘致赠的「绢五百匹」，相当于四百贯钱，而时韩愈一个月的薪水只有二十五贯钱，当官反成副业。部分「谀墓」之作，在当时颇受讥斥。其友刘叉故意取其黄金数斤而去，云：「此谀墓中人得耳，不若与刘君为寿。」元代王若虚说：「韩退之不善处穷，哀号之语，见于文字。」又说：「退之不忍须臾之穷。」

尊儒反佛

元和十四年（819年）正月，唐宪宗要将凤翔法门寺的释迦牟尼佛佛骨迎至宫中供养三日，崇佛之风再次兴起，举国若狂，有人「焚顶烧指，百十为群，解衣散钱，自朝至暮，转相仿效，惟恐后时」。韩愈上《谏迎佛骨表》（《论佛骨表》）谏阻天子迎佛骨，认为「佛本夷狄之人」，佛教自外于天下国家，让佛教凌驾于儒学之上，有被同化为夷狄的危险，且佛徒灭弃封建伦常，「口不言先王之法言，身不眼先王之法服，不知君臣之义、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」。同时韩愈还认为，佛教耗费大量财富，加重了百姓负担，且信佛的皇帝没有好下场，「唯梁武帝在位四十八年，前后三度舍身施佛，宗庙之祭，不牲宰，昼日一食，止于菜果，其后竟为侯景所兵逼，饿死台城，国亦寻灭。事佛求福，乃更得祸。由此观之，佛不足信，亦可知矣。」他主张「人其人，火其书，庐其居」，将佛骨「投诸水火，永绝根本，断天下之疑，绝后代之惑」。宪宗闻之大怒，将处以极刑，裴度、崔群力救道：「愈言讦牾，罪之诚宜。然非内怀至忠，安能及此。愿少宽假，以求谏争。」帝曰：「愈言我奉佛太过，犹可容；至谓东汉奉佛以后，天子咸夭促，言何乖剌邪？愈，人臣，狂妄敢尔，固不可赦。」于是贬其为潮州刺史（今广东潮州）。

评价

文起八代之衰

• 苏轼在《潮州韩文公庙碑》盛称其「匹夫而为百世师，一言而为天下法，是皆有以参天地之化，关盛衰之运。」「独韩文公起布衣，谈笑而麾之，天下靡然从公，复归于正，盖三百年于此矣。文起八代之衰，道济天下之溺。忠犯人主之怒，而勇夺三军之帅。此岂非参天地，关盛衰，浩然而独存者乎？」，并作诗称赞韩愈：「公昔骑龙白云乡，手抉云汉分天章。天孙为织云锦裳，飘然乘风来帝旁。下与浊世扫粃糠，西游咸池略扶桑。草木衣被昭回光，追逐李杜参翱翔。汗流籍湜走且僵，灭没倒景不可望。作书诋佛讥君王，要观南海窥衡湘。历舜九嶷吊英皇，祝融先驱海若藏，约束蛟鳄如趋羊。钧天无人帝悲伤，讴吟下招遣巫阳。犦牲鸡卜羞我觞，于粲荔丹与蕉黄。公不少留我涕滂，翩然披发下大荒。」

• 苏洵称赞韩愈文章「如长江大河，浑浩流转」。

• 韩退之所撰写《祭十二郎文》与李密的《陈情表》、诸葛亮的《出师表》并列为中国三大抒情文之一，南宋谢枋得《文章轨范》引用安子顺之说：「读《出师表》不哭者不忠，读《陈情表》不哭者不孝，读《祭十二郎文》不哭者不慈。」

• 章学诚称韩愈的碑志文是「心识古人源流，随时通其变化」（《文史通义‧墓铭辨例》）。

• 茅坤说：「世之论韩文者，共曾称碑蒜；予独以韩公碑文多奇崛险谲，不得《史》《汉》叙事法，故于风神处或少道逸。」（《唐宋八大家支钞·论例》）

• 钱仲联：「韩愈的散文，气势充沛，纵横开合，奇偶交错，巧譬善喻，或诡谲，或严正，具有多样的艺术特色。」

• 毛泽东1936年在保安会见爱德加·史诺时说：「学校里有一个国文老师（袁吉六），学生给他起了个「袁大胡子」的外号。他嘲笑我的文章，说它是新闻记者的手笔。他看不起我视为楷模的梁啓超，认为他是一个半通不通的人。我不得不改变我的文风，去钻研韩愈的文章，学会了古文的措词。所以，多亏袁大胡子，今天我如果需要的话，仍然能够写出一篇过得去的古文。」晚年毛泽东读欧阳修《新唐书·李汲传》时写下批语：「韩愈文集，为李汲编辑得全，欧阳修得之于随县，因以流传，厥功伟哉。」

裂道与文以为两物

• 吴虎臣《能改斋漫录》卷十谓荆公「不以退之为是」。

• 韩愈说自己反对阉党，「日与宦者为敌」，但是贞元十三年，韩愈曾作〈送汴州监军俱文珍序〉，对宦官俱文珍歌颂备至。后来又作《顺宗实录》，对俱文珍亦多加褒辞。魏了翁嘲笑他「韩公每是有求于人，其词辄卑谄不可据」。

• 韩愈善写「谀墓」之文，清初顾炎武在书信中评他：「韩文公文起八代之衰，若但作《原道》、《原毁》、《争臣论》、《平淮西碑》、《张中丞传后序》诸篇，而一切铭状概为谢绝，则诚近代之泰山北斗矣；今犹未敢许也」。

• 张耒论韩愈「以为文人则有馀，以为知道则不足」（《韩愈论》）。

• 朱熹指责韩愈「裂道与文以为两物」（《读唐志》）。

• 章太炎说：「韩对死生利禄之念，刻刻不忘：登华山大哭，作《送穷文》，是真正的证据。」韩愈登华山，「度不可返，乃作遗书，发狂恸哭」，最后被华阴县令救下。

• 周作人对韩退之则不以为然：「讲到韩文我压根儿不能懂得他的好处」，「总是有旧戏似的印象」，「但见其装腔作势，搔首弄姿而已」。他在《秉烛谈谈韩文》又说：「假如我们不赞成统治思想，不赞成青年写新八股，则韩退之暂时不能不挨骂，盖窃以为韩公实系该运动的祖师，其势力至今尚弥漫于全国上下也」、「如有人愿学滥调古文，韩文自是上选」。

治宋学之首

• 钱锺书《谈艺录》认为：「韩昌黎之在北宋，可谓千秋万岁，名不寂寞矣。」又说「古来薄韩者多姓王」。

• 陈寅恪在《论韩愈》中论及韩愈排斥佛教，「呵抵释迦，申明夷夏之大防」。

• 钱穆：其排释老而返之儒，倡言师道，确立道统，则皆宋儒之所滥觞也。尝试论之，唐之学者，治诗赋取进士第，得高官，卑者渔猎富贵，上者建树功名，是谓入世之士。其遯迹山林、栖心玄寂，求神仙，溺虚无，归依释老，则为出世之士……独昌黎韩愈氏，进不愿为富贵功名，退不愿为神仙虚无，而倡言乎古之道……此皆宋学精神也，治宋学者首昌黎，则可不昧乎其所入矣。

• 陈来认为韩愈和他的弟子李翱提出的复兴儒家的基本口号与发展方向，确乎是北宋庆历时期思想运动的先导。韩愈在他的道统传承的说法中把孟子说成孔子的继承人，把孟子的地位大大提高，影响后来宋明理学的研究。

名句

• 业精于勤而荒于嬉，行成于思而毁于随。 ──《进学解》

• 师者所以传道、授业、解惑也。 ──《师说》

• 道之所存，师之所存也。 ──《师说》

• 今夫平居里巷相慕悦，酒食游戏相徵逐，诩诩强笑语以相取下，握手出肺肝相示，指天日涕泣，誓生死不相背负，真若可信；一旦临小利害，仅如毛发比，反眼若不相识，落陷阱，不一引手救，反挤之，又下石焉者，皆是也。 ──《柳子厚墓志铭》

• 是故弟子不必不如师，师不必贤于弟子；闻道有先后，术业有专攻，如是而已。——《师说》

轶闻

• 韩愈的画像多半将他画为有著美髯、戴著纱帽的男子，然而据沈括《梦溪笔谈》（卷四）所记，韩愈其实是位肥胖且寡髯的男子，而现在的形象其实是与五代十国时的韩熙载搞混了。因为韩熙载諡号文靖，江南人称呼他为韩文公，而韩愈亦被尊称为韩文公的关系。」

• 五代时人陶榖《清异乡录》载：昌黎公逾晚年颇亲脂粉，故可服食；用硫磺末搅粥饭，啖鸡男，不使交，千日，烹庖，名 火灵库 ，公间日进一只焉，但是，始亦见功，终致绝命。

• 与孟郊齐名的诗人贾岛在赴试时，尝骑一驴赶路，于路上突诗兴一发，做得一诗句:「鸟宿池边树，僧推月下门」。然而不知要用「推」字为好，抑或是「敲」字为佳，于是在驴上做动作。正在思恼时，正遇韩愈出巡，而贾岛不知此事，渠之驴竟走至队伍之间，于是被韩愈的护卫捉拿，而后被押带到韩愈暂宿的驿所讯问。韩愈问贾岛：「为何冲撞本尹？」岛回：「大人，下生实不知大人出，于做一诗，正琢磨用字，因而失礼，望大人恕罪！」愈：「是何诗句？」岛:「大人，学生做『鸟宿池边树，僧推月下门』，不知欲用『推』字，或为『敲』字，甚为苦恼，故此失礼。」韩愈思忖良久，回曰：「做『敲』字佳矣。『推』表有盗窃之意，是罪矣。故以『敲』字甚好」。成了「推敲」一词的来源。