礼及身而修:荀子的礼的个体修养之维

Xunzi's Ritual Theory for Individual Cultivation

通常的荀子礼学研究往往取径于宏观的政治哲学的视角,关注的是荀子的礼作为社会治理的典章制度的功能和价值。作为一种道德哲学本位的研究,也可取径于一种微观的行为者个体的视角,着重于对荀子的礼的个体修养维度的探讨。基于儒家伦理共同体的社会观,即使在作为典章制度的层面上,礼所确立的社会差别和社会秩序也包含着"积极道德"的价值关切。在伦理学的意义上,作为一种德行观念,礼的价值基础不仅仅在于外在行为的适当性,更在于这种行为上的适当性是仁义等内在德性形之于外的流露和表现。礼依义而成,义由礼而行,正因为礼是义(正当性原则)的实现和表达,礼方始具有了道德规范的意义。此外,礼的践行是对行为者情感的品节、疏导和滋养,并进而促使自然情感升华为道德情感。合而言之,在荀子,对礼的践行也就构成了行为者个体道德修养的一种基本的过程和方式。

The routine way of studying the Ritual theory of Xunzi is oriented with a macro political and philosophical perspective;that is,it is concerned with the functions and values of Xunzi＇s Ritual as the norms and policies for social administration.The present attempt takes an angle of moral philosophy noumenon and starts with the micro individuals,in particular the personal cultivation in terms of the Ritual doctrine.The paper argues that,in the societal view based on the Confucian ethic community,namely at the level of social norm and policy,the social difference and order set up in terms of Ritual includes the value concern of ＂active morality＂ as well.It points out that,from the perspective of ethics,the value basis of Ritual lies not only in the appropriateness of external behaviors,but also on the externalization and expression of the appropriateness of the internal virtue and righteousness.It lays particular emphasis on that Ritual should depend on righteousness and the latter goes with the former.That is,Ritual is the realization and expression of righteousness（i.e.the appropriate principle）,so Ritual finds its moral significance there.Furthermore,the practice of Ritual is a cultivating,orienting and fostering of the conductor＇s affect.To sum up,the practice of Ritual for Xunzi constitutes the process and way of basic moral cultivation for an individual.