《易經》與《詩經》均為中國現存最早典籍之一。由於兩書創作年代均可追溯至西周初期，雖一為詩歌創作，一為占筮之用，彼此撰作旨趣各異，然《易經》的「象」或《詩經》的「比興」，均以「象徵」（symbol）做為其藝術形式表現主要的手法，來涵括其文本間接、隱微、婉轉、深層，並具意義的文化標記，兩者頗為異曲同工，故六經中惟《易》最近於《詩》。由於《易經》與《詩經》都大量使用動植物等名物來傳達訊息。因此，透過兩書中動植物象徵義涵的會通比較，不僅可以瞭解其象徵義涵並比較其異同，更可觀察兩書書寫時空的廣狹、書寫手法的異同、遣詞用語與象徵義涵的關係與承繼性，以及逆溯兩書字裡行間的原始奧義與詮釋上可能的啟發，以收相觀而善的效驗，希冀藉以開拓易學與詩經學研究的新途。

The Book of Changes and the Book of Songs, the earliest extant Chinese books, can be traced back to the era of the early Western Chou. Although he purposes of the two books are different, the Book of Changes is concerned with divination and the Book of Songs with poetry, they are similar in that the both use symbols as an expression of artistic form. Both books use symbols to express meaning through both direct and indirect meaning and metaphor. Thus, by comparing the symbols of animals and plants found in the two books, we can understand the meaning of the symbols and compare the similarities and differences in the meaning of the symbols used at the time each book was written. We can further examine the method of the writing, the language used and the relationship between the symbols and interpret their original meaning and to explore the possible emotions that they generate in the reader. It is hoped that through this analysis a new method of studying the Book of Changes and the Book of Songs may be developed.

易經;詩經;經學;象徵;動物;植物

Book of Changes;Book of Songs;symbol;animals;plants;Classics