董子仁义学新释

A new interpretation of the Thought of Benevolence and Justice by Dong Zhongshu

相比于孔孟,董仲舒的仁义学说很特别。仁的根据不在人自身,无法在现世生活的既定秩序中去寻找,而在于天,人的血气在禀受了天的意志之后而形成了仁。因而仁是天的意志与人的血气相结合的产物。仁是天之心,是天所具有的一种内在化、本质化的倾向。因为仁同时为天、人所共有,所以,仁也可以成为沟通天、人的枢纽或中介。从仁义的功能、作用对象方面看,仁人之爱的对象主要指主体之外及亲情血缘之外的更为广大的人群。而作为外在原则规范的义,在要求别人、他者严格遵循之前,我自己也应该首先无条件地予以接受与奉行。仁往人去,义向我来。远近之分,就是仁义之分、往来之分、内外之分。

The thought of Benevolence and Justice by Dong Zongshu is very special in comparison with doctrine of Confucius and Mencius. Benevolence comes not from the human in the established orders oflhe earthly life to find, but from the heaven, where the human＇s blood and spirit develop it from the will of the heaven. Thus it, as an inherent, essential tendency, bridges it＇s two sources, the heaven and the human. From its function, its target is the wide crowd except for himself and his relatives. As for an external principle, it means one should first unconditionally accept and strictly followed it before he asks other to do. Thus the degree of benevolence and justice is determined by the distance from one＇s own virtue.