“为有源头活水来”——当代文化科学观照下的易经

"To Have the Source of Flowing Water":Contemplating I Ching under Contemporary Culture and Science

从当代文化科学发展的视野,对作为六经之首的易经起源及其价值进行了深入挖掘和解读。通过论证易经生成之三部曲:自然易→占筮易→人文易①,揭示了"易"之卦爻象数源于自然,易经之本在象数,其精髓乃"道法自然"。由此不仅提升出中国自然哲学、生命哲学与人文教化,而且开出了中国古代生成整体论的"科学"和数学算法体系。文章揭示了易经作为中国文化总源头所蕴含的自然、占筮、哲学、"科学"等"多维立体结构",试图澄清其中相互关系与不同层次。主张从当今文化科学发展的高度,揭示与彰显易经象数本有的自然、数理与"科学"蕴含,赋卦爻辞以新意,开辟易学创新之道。并试图由此为厘清中国古代科学发展线索,超越西方近代科学的机械构成论与主客二分之认识论,探索中国文化、科学的自主创新提供文化资源与思想启迪。

Taking the perspective of development of contemporary culture and science, this article examines and interprets the evolutionary process that gave birth to and the significance of the first of the Six Classics, I Ching. The author argues that the three stages of development of I Ching from naturalism to divination and, finally, to Humanism reveals that the symbols of Gua Yao used in I Ching originated from the natural world. Rooted in the Xiang （as metaphorical imagery）-Shu（algorithm） , I Ching＇s essence is ＂TAO＂ functions as Nature. This classic led to, not only the development of the Chinese natural philosophy, philosophy of life and humanistic education, but also brought forth China＇s ancient science and mathematical system of arithmetic based on an emerging and holistic view of Nature. This article highlights the difference in which the Xiang-Shu is applied in science and divination, thereby demonstrating I Ching＇s prominence as the source of the Chinese culture and its multi-dimensional structure. From this foundation of tracing the origination of I Ching, the article proposes a way forward for innovative research of the classic to： （i） transcend dualism in the cognitive science of the West, （ii） correct existing misunderstandings and inadequacies in the study of I Ching, （iii） clarify the developmental path of ancient science, and （iv） explore cultural resources and ideological inspirations for the self-organizing innovation of China＇s culture and science.