在《三國志通俗演義》的編撰史上，毛宗崗絕對擔任關鍵性角色，其卓越的改編讓毛本成為清初已降的流行讀本。但毛氏究竟改編哪些部分？改編是否受到古典文學體裁的影響？均是毛氏小說理論外仍須進一步追問的課題。本文認為，其中贊體的變化是值得注意的對象。不論是受到傳統史學，或有詩為證的說書傳統的影響，多數明版《三國》內存在各種贊體。對此，毛氏不但刪除廟贊與論贊，選擇以「近體」為詩贊的主要表現形式，更為重要的是，其編撰具強烈體裁修辭性的近體詩贊，使其獲得統一的表述。體裁修辭性是巴赫金研究言語體裁提出的概念，概念核心是：任何言語的意圖旨在表述，具有辨識性的表述通常帶有穩定的結構和形式，由此產生體裁的情態與評價。確實相較於其它明版《三國》，毛本《三國》詩贊正呈現出幾乎統一的表述形式，故應有其相應的修辭性。基此，本文試從「抒情的主題與意識」與「抒情的對象與評價」兩方面進行相關探討，發現毛氏所選的近體詩贊，乃是繼承詠史詩的抒情傳統，並翻轉說書系統中「有詩為證」的弊病，呈現毛氏獨特的近體詩贊之文人抒情修辭性，經此彰顯小說的主題。某種程度對毛氏來說，近體詩贊的表述形式能充分傳達其意圖和修辭，是最適合作為小說贊體的體裁。從體裁的角度，毛氏和其他明版《三國》的差別不在版本系統，而是不同編撰者的小說詩學，是小說編撰者的詩學和表述決定其最後樣貌，毛氏的近體詩贊充分證明這點。本文相信從體裁修辭性出發，可以深入明白小說編撰者及各種言語體裁的真正差異，這是研究小說編撰時極為有效的觀點和起點。

Mao Zong-gang's edition of Popular Romance of the Three Kingdoms has become widely popular since the early days of the Qing Dynasty. Questions remain as to what exactly is adapted in his version of the story, and under what influence, if ever, of classical ideas of genre? This article proposes that Mao's adaptation of the zan (hymn of praise) in this classic is the most significant formal innovation, and that it thus provides a key to his concept of the novel. Following the convention of standard historical writing as well as story-telling, most versions of the “Three Kingdom” in the Ming Dynasty contain the zan part. Mao differs from other compilers by retaining the poetic form of the Jin-ti as the main form of the zan, removing others such as miao-zan (temple hymn) and lun-zan ( deliberative praise), both of which appear in other versions of the novel. This undertaking highlights the rhetorical effect of genre maneuver, brings forth unity to the entire novel and thus enhances thematic coherence. The rhetorical function of the genre, as Mikhail Bakhtin says, is central to discourse. Language intends discourse, and a recognizable discourse, with a steady form and structure, coveys emotional attitudes and evaluation. Indeed, Mao's use of the poetic zan achieves a high level of unity of discourse, as other editions do not. The rhetorical features in Mao's edition deserve serious investigation. Mao's use of the poetic zan, as this article finds out, steps away from the story-telling tradition to intone with the poetic sub-genre of “chanting history.” It bears a strong lyrical quality that ultimately fuses into the novel's total thematic vision. This study reveals Mao's unique way of genre-rhetoric handling from two perspectives: “lyrical consciousness and theme” and “lyrical object ad evaluation.” Mao's innovative maneuver evinces the poetic zan's effectiveness in novel writing. It also proves that Mao stands out from other compilers not because he follows a story line of different origin but because of his poetics of novel implied by his artistic representation. We therefore believe that the study of genre and its rhetorical effect is the best way to approach the compilation of the novel.