“君子行礼,不求变俗”:清代考据学的社会性格

Social Character of Textual Research in the Qing Dynasty

从"社会性格"的视角看,清代考据学相较于宋明理学具有两个鲜明特点:其一,传统的"行道"之途在清代虽已阻断,但考据学预设"道"在古经之中,必通文字训诂方能得道,以此高峻的得道门槛为士人保留了一个相对自由的"守道"空间;其二,清儒有其特殊的"行道"方式,他们已不是如宋、明儒那样直接在民间布"道",而是在自己所求之"道"与所布于民间的"教化"之间做出了细致的区分;他们虽希望以"礼"来教化民间,但这个施行于民间的"礼"却往往未曾与他们在经书中发现的"道"趋于一致。基于此两点,杨念群《何处是江南》一书的核心观点——清代士林思想在清朝严酷控制的氛围下以难以自足的状态存活下去,而越来越成为清廷整体政治规划的一个组成部分——就值得反思了。

Compared with that of Song and Ming dynasties, the textual research in Qing Dynasty has two distinctive characteristics： 1. It presupposed that Dao was embedded in the classics and can only be achieved by Semantics. So a relatively free atmosphere of maintaining Dao was preserved because of the high standards of attaining it. 2. Confucian scholars in Qing dynasty had their special way to preaching Dao which was different from that of scholars in Song and Ming dynasties who taught Dao to the masses. In addition, Qing scholars made clear distinction and clarification between their Dao and the one they spread to the public. They instructed people by rituals but they found there was difference between rituals and the Dao in the classics. Taking the above-mentioned two points into consideration, the core viewpoint of Yang Nianqun＇s book Where is the Jiangnan that Qing scholars could hardly keep their independence due to the rigid control of the government and evolved into active participation of the political planning of the state administration, is to be reconsidered.