本文主要探討兩漢魏晉時期誄體文的功能與篇章結構。誄的功能是在喪禮中旌揚亡者對於集體的貢獻，並延伸表達生者之傷感。透過分析現存多篇文本發現，誄體文擁有兩種基本的結構，一為［美好之人已逝－蒙澤之人悲痛］，二為［美好之人－逆反因果－蒙澤之人悲痛］。兩種結構均能列舉亡者的生平行迹並表達哀悼之意，使誄篇呈現如劉勰所觀察到的「榮始而哀終」之鋪陳模式。相比之下，第一種結構先出現，所描寫之傷感較平淡，第二種結構始見於蔡邕，更具有主觀性，且較有空間表現生者之悲緒。魏晉以後，作家傾向使用第二種結構，或可解釋為何陸機認為誄纏綿而悽愴。

The aim of this paper is to discuss the function and the discourse structure of lei (誄), a genre of dirge, in Han, Wei and Jin periods. The function of lei is to praise the deceased's dedication to the public and to further express the sorrow of the living. Through the analysis of multiple texts we find that lei has two basic structures. One of tem is ['the death of the wonderful person-the mourning and grief of the living,]' and the other is ['the wonderful person-reverse causality-the mourning and grief of the living.]' Both of these two discourse structures can enumerate what the deceased had done and where they had been in their lives and to express the condolence as well. They show a narrative pattern as Liu Xie (劉勰) had observed-the glory beginning and the sorrowful end. The first discourse structure appeared comparatively earlier than the second one, and its sorrow depicted is rather reserved. The second structure derived from Tsai-Yung (蔡邕) has a more subjective perspective, so it can easily express the feeling of sadness of the living who had received the favor and kindness from the deceased. Since Wei and Jin periods, writers tended to use the second discourse structure of lei. It explains why Lu Ji（陸機）considered lei sorrowful and touching.