界定「文人」為「文人文化」討論的基礎，但「文人」卻不易明確定義。本文試圖藉由士人與詩作的關係，勾勒明代「文人」的形成與形象；進而由文人的詩藝活動，探究「文人文化」的開展過程與基本內涵。 　　本文包含三個部份：首先，由「生命史」的角度出發，進入明代科舉文化下一般士人的生命情境中，對其習詩情緣進行考察，追究士人之詩情如何成為一種人生的歧路。其次，深入文人的詩情世界，討論詩對文人生命所具有的深刻意涵，由此探究詩如何為士人開啟別具意趣的生命情境。最後，討論詩如何在社會層面上開展出相關的社交活動，以至構成「文藝社會」，因而個人得以由此獲取社會定位。 　　 一般而言，明清士人的養成教育中，在認字的基礎教育到達一定程度後，除進而閱讀四書五經外，為了練習八股文中的對仗能力，也多會選讀、背誦部份詩文，甚至在對句練習之外，更進一步地嘗試詩句的寫作。因此開啟了年少學子與詩接觸的機緣，這個習詩經歷可以說只是舉業經營中的一個學習階段，但是有部份士人，在習詩過程中，詩文中豐富深切的情境和他們敏銳善感的年少心情相互觸發感動，因而留連徘徊、甚至陷溺在這種文藝美感中，從此偏離科舉正途，走向另一條人生路徑：以文藝寫作為人生職志，因而成為「文人」。 　　 對於制舉文字外的文藝的愛好和認同，讓士人偏離科舉正業，走上「文人」的路，進入這個歧途的文人，大多以詩歌寫作為他們生命活動的重心，詩藝的講究和創作是文人的自我實踐之道，這是他們情感的寄託，也是他們人生意義、生命價值的維繫關鍵。 　　詩之所以吸引士人投入其中，還有其他外在因素。詩其實具有很強的「社交性」，透過詩歌的寫作，除了內涵上，透過文字的流通、傳閱，在作者與讀者之間引發共鳴，導致內在的感情交流外；在社會層面上，詩的寫作及其相關活動，也可以發展出極為繁複的社交活動，營結出密實的人際網絡，凝聚、編組對文藝寫作有興趣文人，開展相關的藝文活動；甚至在這當中進行各種評鑑工作，由此在現實社會中營造出一個獨特的「文藝社會」，在此文藝社會中，士人可藉以建立他們的身分認同，以至於形成一種特定社會文化，而對此特定文化的認同並投合於這種文化，就成為特定的社會身分，因此這也成為一種社會價值。士人可以根據這個來肯定他們自己。

This study explores the nature of the Ming literati and their culture through examining the ways they learned and created poetry. First, an investigation of the poetry learning within the Ming examination life explains the reason why passion for poetry opened up an alternate life path for Ming literati. Second, a close examination of their emotional attachment to poetry and the profound influence poetry had on them illuminates the special life experiences generated by this art form. Third, an inquiry into poetry's social function makes it clear that poetry contributed not only to the development of literati social networks, but also to the formation of a “literary society” within which their social status was recognized. 　　The basic education for the Ming elite was composed not only of extensive reading of the classical curriculum (such as the Four Books and Five Classics) but also of the ability to appreciate and compose poetry. Most people considered poetry no more than an instrument for learning how to produce couplets in the eight-legged essay style that was central to success in the exams to be qualified as imperial bureaucrats. However, some developed strong attachment to this art form and were thus diverted from the conventional scholar-official career paths. This group of unconventional gentry was often called literati (shiren), whose most salient attribute lay in their shared passion for literature. It is important to note that Chinese poetry-making was not a solitary aesthetic experience but a highly socialized activity: literati interacted and corresponded with one another, exchanging their poems. As a result, this group of non-conventional literati developed a social network and value system distinct from elite society as a whole, opening up a new cultural space for late imperial Chinese literati.