践行义理,不忧即乐——论明代理学中的苦乐观

Adhering to Beliefs——No sorrow Means Happiness——On the Outlook of Suffering and Happiness in Confucian School of Idealist Philosophy of the Ming Dynasty

“孔颜之乐”是宋明理学中的核心问题之一,对这一问题的讨论集中体现了宋明理学家们的苦乐观。明代理学虽然是对宋代程朱理学的继承,但是在对“乐”的看法上又有所差异。与宋代程朱苦乐观相同,明代理学家们如曹端、薛瑄和胡居仁等也用“天理”来诠释“乐,”也认为“乐”是心中“纯粹天理”境界,但是由于他们比较注重人生实践,对于宋代理学家们要求“格”那无穷无尽的“天理”感到既不切实,又有脱离人生的感觉,于是明代的理学家们大都把“理”诠释为“当然”之则。故而他们心中之“乐”主要是与所当然之“理”合而为一境界中所体会到的无忧与心安。

Confucian and Yanhui＇s contentment in their sordid social environment and their own living conditions is one of the central questions in Confucian school of idealist philosophy of the Ming Dynasty. Discussion over this issue expressed the outlook of suffering and happiness of the scholars of rational Confucian philosophical school. The philosophical school in the Song Dynasty succeeded to Cheng Hao＇s and Zhu Xi＇s philosophical thoughts in the Song Dynasty; however, their outlooks of ＂contentment＂ were different. Scholars in the Ming Dynasty philosophical school like Cao Duan, Xue Xuan and Hu Juren interpreted-＂contentment＂ via ＂natural law＂ and held that ＂contentment＂ was a realm of ＂pure natural law＂ at heart. They paid much attention to life practice, so they felt it infeasible to limit that boundless ＂natural law＂, and had a feeling of escaping the human life. SO most of the scholars in the Ming Dynasty philosophical school defined ＂law＂ as a principle of ＂natural＂. So the ＂contentment＂ in their hearts is mainly free of care and ease of mind.