外圆内方,刚柔相济——试论《周易》塑造的理想人格模式

Being Externally Round and Internally Square with Firmness and Softness Balanced:The Ideal Personality Modeled by the Zhouyi

《周易》作为五经之首,对于中华民族性格有着重要的影响,其中很重要的一个方面是通过诠释古老的天圆地方宇宙观,塑造了中华民族外圆内方的理想人格模式:效法天道,刚健自强,圆转不穷;效法地道,守正固本,崇德广业;刚柔立本,变通趋时,方智圆神。但是,中国人在现实生活中却很难实现外圆内方、圆神方智的理想,总是处于非圆即方的状态:多数人却走向了世故圆滑,那些始终坚持内在品质和理想的少数人才是中华民族的脊梁。

As the head of the Five Confucian Classics,the Classic of Change has been exerting significant influence upon Chinese character.The most cardinal influence lies in that through revealing the cosmic view of round heaven and square earth the Classic of Change modeled a mode of ideal personality of being externally round（flexible） and internally square（steadfast）,which requests us to follow the Dao（Way） of heaven to nerve ourselves into ceaseless activities,and to be devoted to the Dao of earth to hold correctness and solidity.In other words,it requests us to base ourselves on the balance of firmness and softness,act timely and appropriately.But in daily life,it is difficult to reach this realm and most people tend to incline to one side.Only those who persevere in holding the spirit of the ideal personality are the spine of Chinese nationality.