从"欲"到"德"——中国人性论的起源与早期发展

From "Lust" to "Morals"--The Origin of Chinese Theory of Human Nature and Its Development in the Early Stage

中国早期对人性的认识经历了一个从"欲"到"德",或者说从人的本能到人的本质的过程。孔子以前, "性"就是欲望、本能。当时的人性论主要表现在两个方面,即以"德"御"性"和以"气"释"性"。老子和早期孔子开 始将"德"作为人之为人的内在本质。晚年孔子则进一步以"德"为"性",从而完成了对传统人性论的根本转化。这 实为义理之性之渊源、性善说之滥觞。

The understanding of human nature in early China experienced a process from 'lust' to 'moral', or in other words, from human instinct to human nature. Before Confucius' time, 'nature' meant lust and instinct. The theory of human nature at the time was mainly manifested from two aspects, namely, to resist 'nature' by 'moral', to release 'nature' through 'spirit'. Lao Zi and Confucius in his early period began to regard 'moral' as the inside nature of human being on the basis of which human being came into existence. Taking a further step to regard 'moral' as 'nature', Confucius in his late years realized the fundamental transformation of traditional theory of human nature. This in fact was the origin of rational nature and the beginning of the theory that human being is virtuous in his nature.