“东亚儒学”如何可能?

How is "East Asian Confucianism" Possible?

“东亚儒学”作为21世纪亚洲研究的新学术领域,绝对不是一种企图在东亚地区寻找欧洲思想的对应物的“反射的东方主义”(reflexive Orientalism),更不是孤芳自赏地带有某种自恋狂(narcissism)倾向的、自我肯定的(self-assertive)的以东亚为范围的新“国学”。“东亚儒学”是一个自成一格的(suigeneris)、自成体系的学术领域,它并不是中国、日本、朝鲜、台湾、越南各地儒学的机械式的组合或拼装,也不是东亚各地儒学的总合而已。相反地,当东亚各地儒者共同诵读孔孟原典,企望优入圣域的时候,东亚儒者已经超越各地之局限性而形成一种“儒学共同体”。“东亚儒学”作为这种东亚“儒学共同体”心智劳动的成果,是一种有机性的思想系统。在这个有机的“东亚儒学”系统之中,并不存在着“中央—边陲”的预设,甚至也不存在着“方法—目的”的预设。相反地,“东亚儒学”撤除一切藩篱,以“东亚”为整体,为“东亚”而存在。在这个意义下的“东亚儒学”,正是21世纪全球化时代中进行“文明对话”的重要精神资产!

This article discusses the rationale, scope, methodology and problematiques in the study of East Asian Confucianism. The new field of ＂ East Asian Confucianism＂ is modified by the two terms mentioned in its designation： ＂ East Asia＂ and ＂ Confucianism＂, First,＂ East Asian Confucianism＂ takes China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan, the main countries of East Asia, as its geographic scope. Next, this geographic area is restricted to the subject of ＂ Confucianism＂. That is to say,＂ East Asian Confucianism＂ examines the intellectual world of East Asia in terms of the penetration of Confucian values throughout East Asis as its geographic field. However, this formalistic account of ＂ East Asian Confucianism＂ still does not explain how or why this designation could be established as a viable concept. The present paper aims to offer an explanation of how the academic field of East Asian Confucianism was established and why it is a promising new field of research. Section 2 introduces the doubts expressed by Japanese scholar Tsuda SSkichi （1873-1961） concerning the validity of the expreession ＂ East Asian Civilization＂. Section 3 confirms that ＂ East Asian Confucianism＂ is a valid new field of study ,which has the special quality of ＂unity in divetsity＂. Section 4 goes on to explain that by viewing Confucian Studies as an intellectual stream in East Asia , we can come up with new questions for investigation. Section 5 offers a summation of the argument.