Draw Inspiration from External Objects

由自然物象或其他事物而触发作者的创作兴致和情感。自然物象或其他事物使作者生发与物象有关联的某种情感，并因此构成作品中的意象。“兴”是一种对外物产生情感反应或起兴反应的心理机能，简称“起兴”“起情”或“兴发”“兴情”。创作者之所以产生这种反应，或是由于本身具有某种情感、兴趣而为外物触发；或是由于外物寄寓了创作者的某种情感而成为一种意象，创作者又由此意象而体验到其中所蕴含的情感。前者相当于主体对物象的心理投射效应，后者则是物象呼唤、引导主体进入移情体验。自然物象、文艺作品中的物象及一切对象都具有起兴、起情、兴发、兴情的作用。南朝刘勰在《文心雕龙·诠赋》中以此语概括汉代抒情小赋的特点，同时也指出一般抒情作品的审美效果及创作要求。

This term refers to the way an author may be motivated to have creative thoughts at the sight of natural objects or other things. The imagery in his work is thus constituted. Xing (兴) here refers to the mental capacity to produce an emotional response to an external object, either because the author feels a certain emotion or interest inspired by the external object, or because the external object has become a vehicle for carrying the author's existing emotion awakened by the imagery. The former is equivalent to the mental projection effect of the subject onto the object, while the latter is the object calling and guiding the subject into empathic experience. Natural objects, objects in literary and artistic works and indeed all objects are capable of arousing emotion and feelings. In his book The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, Liu Xie of the Southern Dynasties used the concept "drawing inspiration from external objects" as a summary of the characteristics of the lyrical works of the Han Dynasty in the style of xiaofu (小赋) and as a description of the aesthetic effects and writing requirements of general lyrical works.

引例 Citations：

◎至于草区禽族，庶品杂类，则触兴致情，因变取会。（刘勰《文心雕龙·诠赋》）

至于赋中草木禽兽以及众多的事物品类，是因为它们触动了创作者的兴致，引发了创作者的情感，而且使作品随事物的变化而努力追求情和物的融合。

As for the plants, birds, beasts and many other things in the fu-style works of the Han Dynasty, they aroused the authors' interest, and they inspired their emotions. Furthermore, they make the work seek the fusion of emotions and things as these changed. (Liu Xie: The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons)

◎来宾，字修文……诗鲜经籍之腴而饶性灵之趣，触兴写怀，都成妙谛。分席词坛，倾心大雅，有以也夫！（法式善《八旗诗话》）

来宾，字修文……他的诗很少撷取经籍中的丰富典故和辞藻，而着重抒写性灵之真趣；触物兴情，抒写心怀，都能生成精妙意趣。在词坛上占有一席之地，让高雅之士倾心欣赏，这也算是有所得吧！

As to the author Laibin, styled Xiuwen... his poems rarely pick up the rich allusions and rhetoric in the classics, but focus on expressing the inner spirit; thus touch the heart, and generate subtle interest. He has a place in the world of words and is highly appreciated by people of sophisticated taste. This sure is an accomplishment. (Fa Shishan: Biographies of Qing Poets)