晚明东林党人“生命意识”析论——关于士人精神的一种政治文化阐释

The Analysis on the Life Consciousness of Dong Lin Party During the Late Ming Dynasty——Interpreting of Political Culture on Spirit of Ancient Intellectuals

在中国古代士人群体中,晚明东林党人是“以身殉道”的典型。文章对这种行为背后的生命意识进行分析,认为他们秉承了儒家文化中关于道德理想的优秀传统,在现世的道德追循过程中体味生命的价值和意义。然而,由于“对王权的绝对崇拜和服从”本身就是其道德理想的主题之一,因而他们在循道过程中的“精神超越”必然回归于君主政治。结果是他们在理想与现实的选择中,难免陷于“精神巨人”和“政治侏儒”的两难境地。

Dong Lin Party during the late Ming Dynasty was the typical representative of 'devoting for truth' in Chinese ancient intellectuals. This paper analyzes the life consciouseness through their activities. Dong Lin Party inherited the good tradition of confucial culture's moral ideal and embodied the value and meaning in moral practice. However, obeying the Monarchical power is one theme of their moral ideal, their spirit thanscend would return Monarchiclal Politics. As the result of conflict of idea and reality, they would fall in the dilemma between spirit giant and political dwarf.