从体用关系角度理解儒家的道德论述——兼论当代儒学的核心价值观

An Understanding of the Confucian Ethics from the Perspective of the Relationship of Ti and Yong and the Core Value of the Contemporary Confucianism

在中国哲学史上,"道"的概念是一个富有理性的具有本体意义的哲学范畴。儒、墨、道、法诸家均然。但百家所论之"道"的涵义各不相同。儒家的"道"是集政治、伦理、道德功能于一体的本体性概念,有多种涵义,而最重要、最根本的是以"道"为根本之德,是人生的根本原则、政治的最高理想和治国安民的战略。儒家之"德",是指对"道"的体悟、实践,是"道"的具体表现形式。在儒家思想逻辑中,道、德关系实质上是体用关系,"道"是根本之德,是"体","德"是道之体现,是用。在儒学诸多价值观念中,最重要的核心价值观念是"仁",儒学的根本之道就是"仁"道。"仁"与其他德目(如义、礼、智、信、和、敬等)的关系,不是并列关系,而是体用关系。仁是道之体,义、礼、智、信、和、敬等是道之用。历代儒家对儒学核心价值观的概括,就根本之道而言,都指仁道。但对体现"仁"道的"常德",认识不尽一致,有四维、五行、六德、八德诸说。文章认为,从立足于当今时代的精神需求、同时又最具普世性的价值视野而言,还是以"一道(仁道)五德(义礼信和敬)"来概括儒学的核心价值观比较恰当。现代社会的精神危机与道德失落,正在呼唤儒学的核心价值。作为"以道自任"的儒者,应该自觉承担起弘道责任,为弘扬儒学的道德人文精神、为建设民主文明、多元和谐的的未来世界而克尽其责!

In the history of Chinese philosophy,the concept of ＂Tao＂ is a philosophical category that full of the rich rational and ontological meaning.So were the Confucianism,Mohism,Daoism and Legalism.However,the concept of ＂Tao＂ is interpreted differently by different schools.For example,Taoism sees ＂Tao＂ as an absolute conceptual entity that is omnipresent,self-being and self-operating;whereas,the ＂Tao＂ in Confucianism is an ontological concept which has political,ethical and moral functions all in one.Among the many meanings of ＂Tao＂ in Confucianism,the most important and fundamental is the morality which is based on ＂Tao＂,and is the basic principle of life,and is the ideal in politics and the policy to run a country and provide stability to its people.The ＂De＂（morality） described in Confucianism is the understanding and the practice,as well as the reflection of ＂Tao＂.In the logic of Confucianism,the relationship of ＂Tao＂ and ＂De＂ in essence is the relationship of ＂Ti＂（foundation or base） and ＂Yong＂（practice）,which means ＂Tao＂ is the fundamental moral that serves as ＂Ti＂,and ＂De＂ is the reflection of ＂Dao＂,which is the practice.The most important core value in Confucianism,among many other values,is ＂Ren＂（goodness）,which is also the fundamental ＂Tao＂ in Confucianism.The relationships of ＂Ren＂ and other virtues（such as ＂Yi＂,＂Li＂,＂Zhi＂,＂Xin＂,＂He＂ and ＂Jing＂ etc） are not parallel;rather,it is the relationship of ＂Ti＂ and ＂Yong＂.The ＂Ren＂ is the entity of the ＂Tao＂,and the other virtues are the practice of the ＂Tao＂.The general understanding of the fundamental core value in Confucianism refers to ＂Ren＂,however,there are different interpretations of the virtues to reflect the ＂Ren＂,such as ＂si wei＂（four virtues： Li,Yi,Lian,Chi）,＂wu xing＂（five practices： Ren,Yi,Li,Zhi,Xin）,＂liu de＂（six virtues： Zhi,Ren,Sheng,Yi,Zhong） and ＂ba de＂（eight virtues： Xiao,Ti,Zhong,Xin,Li,Yi,Lian,Chi） etc.This article believes the core value of Confucianism as ＂one goodness（Ren Tao） and five virtues（Yi,Li,Xin,He,Jing）＂,which is the understanding based on the spiritual needs of contemporary society and a universal perspective on values.The spiritual crisis in the society and the lost of morality are calling the core values of Confucianism to assist all the Confucians to take on the responsibility towards building a democratic and harmonious future world.