曾国藩的礼学思想试探

On Zengguofan's Lixue Thoughts

曾国藩自幼深受传统文化的熏陶,却成为近代文化的重要开拓者,在某种程度上受赐于传统的礼学思想。他吸纳了先秦至清初礼学思想的素养,认为"礼"不等同于礼节仪式,而是修齐治平的根本,万事万物的归结。"其学问宗旨以礼为归",认为礼学经典是经世之学,以及立身处世和修身养性的必读书,并将其作为融通汉、宋两家的途径。他继承了礼以"时"为大的思想,主张因时变通,从而能够进行不同于传统的某些改革。但又不赞成"轻徇俗好",仍坚持传统礼制的基本精神,维护旧的社会秩序,从而限制了变革思想的进一步发展。在近代的历史条件下,"礼"所蕴含的"不泥古制"的变易精神,为传统文明转向新的文明提供了一条渠道。这不能不说是曾国藩及其相类似的传统士人在不同程度上接受近代文化的原因之一。

Zengguofan had deeply been affected by Chinese traditional culture since children, but he became an important pioneer of modem culture. Traditional Lixue thoughts were bestowed upon him, he absorbed Lixue thoughts from the Pre- Qin to the early Qing Dynasty, thought Lixue was different from ceremonies, it was the fundamental of administration, and was the summary of all things. He maintained reform and change, insisted on the basic spirit of traditional Lixue, and on upholding the old social order, so his reforming thought was limited. However, his reforming thought provided a way to new civilization for traditional civilization.