戴表元(yuan)7歲(sui)能文,詩文多奇語。早年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)入太學,師(shi)事南(nan)宋(song)禮(li)部(bu)(bu)尚書王應麟和舒(shu)岳(yue)祥等(deng)(deng)文學大師(shi)。南(nan)宋(song)咸淳七年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1271)中進士,授(shou)(shou)迪功郎,次年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)授(shou)(shou)授(shou)(shou)建康(kang)府(今南(nan)京)教授(shou)(shou),德祐(you)元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1275)遷臨(lin)安教授(shou)(shou),行戶部(bu)(bu)掌(zhang)故,均不就,以兵亂(luan)歸剡。歸里后讀經史(shi),作詩文。次年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)三月,元(yuan)兵南(nan)下,避難(nan)天臺、鄞縣(xian)(xian)。祥興二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1279)復(fu)返里。家素貧,戰亂(luan)毀劫后,生活益艱,輾轉鄞縣(xian)(xian)、杭州等(deng)(deng)地,授(shou)(shou)徒賣文為(wei)生,門(men)生中以袁桷最(zui)負盛(sheng)名。元(yuan)至(zhi)元(yuan)二十(shi)九年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)|(1292)聘任奉化養(yang)正堂師(shi),與舒(shu)津、任士林等(deng)(deng)合(he)修《奉化縣(xian)(xian)志》;元(yuan)大德八年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1304)61歲(sui)時(shi),被人推薦為(wei)信州(今江西上饒(rao))教授(shou)(shou),再調婺州,因病辭職。十(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)歸里,后薦為(wei)修撰、博士,皆(jie)不赴,讀書吟詩以終。
戴表元著有《剡(yan)源集(ji)》、《剡(yan)源佚文》、《剡(yan)源佚詩》等(deng)。作品今(jin)存《剡(yan)源文集(ji)》30卷(juan)(juan),佚詩6卷(juan)(juan),佚文2卷(juan)(juan)。
戴表(biao)元學(xue)識淵博(bo),力主改革宋(song)(song)末(mo)學(xue)者萎(wei)蔽風氣,以文(wen)章大(da)家名(ming)重東(dong)南。詩(shi)(shi)(shi)文(wen)清(qing)(qing)新雅潔,多傷時憫亂,同情民(min)間疾(ji)(ji)苦,詠家鄉(xiang)名(ming)山秀水(shui)。戴表(biao)元的一(yi)些(xie)詩(shi)(shi)(shi)流露(lu)著同情民(min)生疾(ji)(ji)苦的感情,例(li)如(ru)《采(cai)藤(teng)行》描寫(xie)商(shang)人和手(shou)工(gong)業者,生活較好,而(er)農民(min)卻承擔著官府的沉重賦稅,結果是“南村種麥空早熟,逐日扃(jiong)門忍(ren)饑(ji)哭。”他另有些(xie)作品寓有對趙宋(song)(song)王朝的故國之(zhi)思,如(ru)《感舊(jiu)歌者》,明代田汝成(cheng)《西湖游(you)覽志馀》稱“戴帥初湖上贈歌者一(yi)絕,有故國之(zhi)思焉(yan)。”此外如(ru)《通(tong)謝張可與參政書》、《二歌者傳》、《己卯歲初葺剡居》、《讀書有感》等,也屬此類。律詩(shi)(shi)(shi)雅秀,力變宋(song)(song)詩(shi)(shi)(shi)積(ji)習,靜細清(qing)(qing)新,風致(zhi)近晚唐(tang)。清(qing)(qing)顧(gu)嗣立《元詩(shi)(shi)(shi)選》評道:“剡源詩(shi)(shi)(shi)律雅秀,力變宋(song)(song)季余習。”其詩(shi)(shi)(shi)文(wen)常被(bei)用作名(ming)言(yan)警句(ju)。
在(zai)元(yuan)初詩人(ren)中,戴表元(yuan)是鼓吹(chui)“唐(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)風(feng)”、力矯宋詩之(zhi)弊的有力人(ren)物,他(ta)在(zai)《洪潛甫詩序》云:始時汴梁(liang)諸(zhu)公言詩,絕無唐(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)風(feng),其博贍(shan)者(zhe)(zhe)謂之(zhi)義山,豁達者(zhe)(zhe)謂之(zhi)樂(le)天(tian)而(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)已矣。宣(xuan)城梅圣俞出,一變而(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)為(wei)(wei)沖(chong)淡(dan)。沖(chong)淡(dan)之(zhi)至(zhi)者(zhe)(zhe)可(ke)(ke)唐(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang),而(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)天(tian)下(xia)之(zhi)詩,于是非(fei)(fei)圣俞不(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)為(wei)(wei)。然及(ji)(ji)其久(jiu)也,人(ren)知為(wei)(wei)圣俞而(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)不(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)知為(wei)(wei)唐(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)。豫章(zhang)黃魯(lu)直(zhi)出,又一變而(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)為(wei)(wei)雄厚(hou)。雄厚(hou)之(zhi)至(zhi)者(zhe)(zhe)尤可(ke)(ke)唐(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang),而(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)天(tian)下(xia)之(zhi)詩于是非(fei)(fei)魯(lu)直(zhi)不(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)發。然及(ji)(ji)其久(jiu)也,人(ren)又知為(wei)(wei)魯(lu)直(zhi)而(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)不(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)知為(wei)(wei)唐(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)。非(fei)(fei)圣俞、魯(lu)直(zhi)之(zhi)不(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)使(shi)人(ren)為(wei)(wei)唐(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)也,安于圣俞、魯(lu)直(zhi)而(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)不(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)自暇(xia)為(wei)(wei)唐(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)也。邇(er)來(lai)百年間,圣俞、魯(lu)直(zhi)之(zhi)學皆(jie)厭。永嘉(jia)葉正則倡“四(si)靈”之(zhi)目,一變而(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)為(wei)(wei)清圓(yuan)。清圓(yuan)之(zhi)至(zhi)者(zhe)(zhe)亦可(ke)(ke)唐(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang),而(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)凡枵中捷口之(zhi)徒,皆(jie)能托于“四(si)靈”,而(er)(er)(er)(er)(er)益不(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)暇(xia)為(wei)(wei)唐(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)。唐(tang)(tang)(tang)(tang)且不(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)暇(xia)為(wei)(wei),尚安得古(gu)?
戴(dai)表(biao)元(yuan)對(dui)理學和(he)科舉制度(du)破(po)壞文(wen)(wen)(wen)學藝術(shu)的(de)現象,反(fan)復加(jia)以(yi)揭(jie)露(lu)和(he)抨擊。袁桷《戴(dai)先生墓志(zhi)銘》記(ji)載他(ta)“力(li)言(yan)后宋(song)百五(wu)十余年理學興而(er)文(wen)(wen)(wen)藝絕(jue)”,這(zhe)一點在(zai)(zai)他(ta)留下的(de)許多文(wen)(wen)(wen)章(zhang)中仍然可以(yi)看(kan)到。如《方使君詩序》記(ji)南(nan)宋(song)末都城臨安士人的(de)風氣:“當(dang)是時,諸賢(xian)高談(tan)性(xing)命,其次不(bu)過馳騖于(yu)竿牘俳諧、場屋(wu)破(po)碎之(zhi)文(wen)(wen)(wen),以(yi)隨時悅俗,無有肯以(yi)詩為(wei)事者(zhe)。”《張仲實詩序》又言(yan),時人“見有橫(heng)眉(mei)擁鼻而(er)吟(yin)者(zhe),輒靳之(zhi)曰:‘是唐聲也(ye),是不(bu)足(zu)為(wei)吾(wu)學也(ye)。吾(wu)學大(da)出之(zhi)可以(yi)詠歌唐虞(yu),小出之(zhi)不(bu)失為(wei)孔氏之(zhi)徒,而(er)何用是啁啁為(wei)哉!’”《元(yuan)史》中說戴(dai)表(biao)元(yuan)于(yu)至元(yuan)、大(da)德(de)間(jian),在(zai)(zai)東南(nan)一帶“以(yi)文(wen)(wen)(wen)章(zhang)大(da)家名重(zhong)一時”,可見他(ta)在(zai)(zai)當(dang)時的(de)影響。
戴(dai)表(biao)元的散(san)文(wen)清深雅潔,蓄而(er)始(shi)發,四方人士爭相師法(fa),為至元、大(da)(da)德年間東(dong)南文(wen)章大(da)(da)家第一(yi)人,人稱江南夫子。宋濂于(yu)元人中推之獨至。《寒光亭記(ji)》、《清峙(zhi)軒(xuan)記(ji)》、《秋山記(ji)》、《觀漁賦》等亦均可讀。《貓議》中以(yi)貓喻人,有言外意;《觀漁賦》寫捕(bu)魚須到大(da)(da)海始(shi)得大(da)(da)魚,溝(gou)渠中只能捉到一(yi)些蝦蛤,發人深省。