试论孔孟荀对礼制合法性基础的构建

Kongzi, Mengzi and Xunzi’s Construction of Legitimacy Foundation of Ritual System

在古代社会,礼源于祭祀,天命秩序构成礼制秩序合法性的终极根源。春秋以降,天命陨落,周礼出现严重的合法性危机。孔子以"仁"释"礼",开启了从人道的角度为礼寻求内在合法性基础的先河。孟子则进一步将礼安顿在内在心性之中,将"心"作为礼的合法性基础。孔孟的理论取向注定他们更多地强调礼的自觉性而忽视礼的权威性。荀子则通过"群——分——礼"的逻辑推演,为礼构建了外在的社会生活和经验层面的合法性基础,使礼更具现实性和强制性,但同时也暗藏了忽视人的主体精神、过度强调道德他律的片面性,最终使其思想沦为君主专制统治的工具。

In ancient society, rites originated from fete. Fatality Order constituted the basic root of ritual system＇ s legitimacy. During Chunqiu period, Fatality Order declined and Zhou Rite was faced with legitimacy crises. Kongzi explained ＇ rites＇ with ＇benevolence＇ , and started to pursue the legitimacy foundation from the point of humanity. Mengzi furthered to explain the ＇ heart＇ as the legitimacy foundation of rites. Kongzi and Mengzi＇ s theories emphasized the consciousness of rites and ignored the authority of rites. Xunzi developed the outer social life and experience as the legitimacy foundation of rites through the logic deduction of ＇ group, division and rite＇ and made rites practical and compulsory. On the other hand, Xunzi＇ s theory ignored the human＇ s subject spirit and overstressed the moral＇ s heteronomy, which made it the tool for emperors＇ antarchy.