孔子对儒家“为己之学”的奠基

Confucius and the Notion "Learning for one's Self"

在春秋以上的政治格局中,因理想中"德"与"位"的对应,而对于贵族子弟的德性培养成为必须关注的问题。孔子继承了这种对于个人德性培养的教育传统,并以"有教无类"的态度赋予其新的意义,使相关话语不再局限于政治领域而进入哲学的范围,进而建立了一个全新的专门问题域,即所谓"为己之学"。这一问题域为孔子及其诸弟子所设想并践行的伦理生活划定了边界,在其中不但出现了一种新的重要的人伦维度———"师生关系",并且孔子明确从"博文"与"约礼"的两个角度入手,展现出对于人自身存在的关注,而在此意义上,对于人格的塑造,或者说修身工夫的问题,方可被视为此后儒家哲学真正的关注核心。

One political ideal in the Spring and Autumn Period was the perfect match between a gentleman＇ s virtue and his station. As such the cultivation of one＇s virtue became a necessary concern in the aristocrat class. Confucius inherited this traditional educational outlook which emphasized the cultivation of virtue and gave it a new twist by advocating the notion ＂education for all＂ （without concerns for one＇s wealth, class, intelligence, background, etc.）, thus elevating the relevant discourse from one restricted to the political domain to one of philosophy. From this point Confucius established a whole new problematic and called the notion ＂learning for one＇s self＂ （wei ji zhi xue）. This problematic demarcated the boundaries for the ethical life envisioned and practiced by Confucius and his disciples. With it appears not only a new dimension in human connection （that of mentor and student） but also a concern for one＇s own existence, as seen in Confucius＇ emphasis on ＂broaden one＇s intellectual horizon＂ and ＂keep within the bounds of propriety＂. In this sense, the shaping of one＇s character came to be seen henceforth as the real focal concern in Confucian philosophy.