Listen to this articledàn jiàn xìngqíng, bù dǔ wénzì 但见性情，不睹文字
To Impress Readers with True Feelings Oblivious of Its Wording
文学作品完美呈现作者的本性真情，让读者全身心感受到性情的真与美，而感觉不到文字的存在。由唐代诗僧皎然（720—796？）提出。此语一是强调性情为本，文字只是工具；二是强调写作者与接受者都要得意忘言；三是突出文学艺术以心会心的特点，只有通过心灵对话才能激活言语之外的多重意蕴。它体现了中国古代文学重视意象、意境构造的特点。
This happens when a literary work reveals to its reader the truth and beauty of its author’s innermost feelings, to the point that the reader becomes oblivious to the wording. Such an idea was first raised by the Tang Dynasty poet-monk Jiaoran (720-796?). It emphasizes three points. First, the core value of literature is to express one’s true feeling; the wording is only a tool. Second, both the author and reader should focus on the meaning while forgetting the words. Third, tacit understanding is crucial to art and literature. Only through dialogue between souls can a variety of illocutionary implications be activated. The whole term highlights the importance of imagery and artistic ambience in classical Chinese literature.
引例 Citations：
◎两重意已上，皆文外之旨，若遇高手如康乐公，览而察之，但见情性，不睹文字，盖诣道之极也。（释皎然《诗式·重意诗例》）
（诗句具有两重以上的意蕴，都属于言外之旨。如果碰到谢灵运这样的高人，仔细阅读他的作品，你只会感受到诗人的本真性情，不会注意他的文字，这大概是因为他的作品已经臻至诗歌创作的最高境界了。）
Poetic lines carry two or more implications, lying outside of language itself. If you encounter a truly great poet such as Xie Lingyun, you will be struck with his bold and uninhibited expression of feeling and forget his wording. This is probably because his works have reached the highest level of poetic excellence. (Shi Jiaoran: Poetic Styles)
◎［杜甫《九日蓝田崔氏庄》］通首八句，一气夷犹，开合顿宕而出。但见情性，不睹文字。（方东树《昭昧詹言·续卷四·杜公》）
（通篇八句诗，好像有一股气从容行于其中，左右开合，跌宕起伏，直至完全抒泄。通篇只感受到诗人的本真情性，不会注意他的文字。）
This eight-line poem is permeated with a calmly executed vital energy. It is sometimes vigorous, sometimes quiet and elegant. It rises and falls rhythmically until it has given full vent to the author’s pent-up feelings. So impressed with the author’s true feelings, readers will pay no heed to his actual wording. (Fang Dongshu: Rambling Words to Expose the Secrets of Poetry Writing)
