“尊孔”与“释孔”的悖论——兼及韩愈与道统

Dilemma of Adhering to Confucianism and Deducing Confucianism——On Han Yu and Confucian orthodoxy

儒学在释义与发展过程中遇到“尊孔”与“释孔”这样一对矛盾,形成各种学说各自为政的混乱状况。孔子而后,由谁接续道统,聚讼不休。这一状况结束于韩愈。韩愈梳理出一条明晰的道统:道统始于尧、舜,而后依次为:禹、汤、文王、武王、周公、孔子、孟子。然而韩愈提出道统,自己却未被续入道统。这是因为统治者只需要假儒学,不需要真儒学。

The dilemma of adhering to Confucianism and deducing Confucianism has existed in the interpretation and development of Confucianism. Different schools have been holding on to different doctrines. There has been no agreement about who should be the successor to Confucius. But when Han Yu emerges, the dispute is over. It is Han Yu who puts forward a clue. Han Yu points out that Confucianism originates from Yao and Shun and then goes through Yu, Tang, Wen Wang, Wu Wang, Zhou Gong, Confucius and Mencius. Han Yu summarizes Confucian orthodoxy but is not accepted by the doctrine. The reason is that the rulers prefer a pseudo-Confucianism to Confucianism itself.