论老子重生思想的源流与道教思想的孕育

Lao Zi's Humanism and the Origin of Taoism

《老子》一书中的重生思想上承容成子,而下开杨朱、秦失、南郭子綦一派。据考杨朱、秦失等本是秦人。春秋战国之时中原一带长期处于战乱之中,秦地相对稳定,故一些避世之士向秦地流徙。这当中也反映出一部分知识分子和旧贵族对西周时代相对安定社会的蜝憧憬。《汉书·地理志》中对秦地的评说,实反映了秦汉以前人的普遍看法。同见于文献记载的中原人至秦地寻求建功立业的现象比起来,为避世全生而至秦地的是一股潜流。但正是这类人的增多,养生、重生的思想在秦地滋长起来。春秋战国时的几位名医产生于秦地,也反映了这个事实。老子因周王室的种种事变使他对当时的社会失去了信心,故西入秦;而杨朱、秦失这些本生于秦地,又受过老子思想影响的人则东至宋、鲁之地,传播具有道家色彩的重生思想,以求以此救世。秦地重生、养生思想同燕齐神仙家思想的结合,孕育了道教,也形成了道家中重生、养生思想向道教思想的转变。

The humanism as advocated by Lao Zi links Rongcheng Zi before him and Yang Zhu and Qin Shi after him. Yang and Qin were natives of Qin, which was an ideal refuge for the intellectuals and aristocrats of the Western Zhou time from the Warring States because of its remote location and relative peace. The Chronicles of Han： Book of Geography has it that Qin was a place running contrary to other parts of China in that its people were not as ambitious for political and military feats, and because of this. it was an ideal place for fostering a humanist life philosophy that placed particular attention to a peaceful cultivation of human welfare. That many of the accomplished medical doctors were originated in Qin further confirms the fact. Lao Zi, totally disillusioned with the social workings of the Zhou Dynasty, retreated to Qin where his humanist thoughts greatly influenced Yang and Qin who later migrated east to Song and Lu with similar thoughts but a more positive view of the redemption of the humanity through religion. This is where Taoism came into being.