对朱子理气“一元”“二元”争论的看法

On the Dispute Between"Unitary" and "Binary"

在朱子学研究领域,"一元"与"二元"的争论由来已久。钱穆虽然提出了"理气一体浑成"的理论,但并没有解决这一纷争。中国传统思想中只有"元"或"一元"的理念,而且其中体现的是一种整体性思维,根本就没有如西方一般的"一元论"与"二元论"对立的思维。朱子虽然一再强调理气不杂、理在气先,但说到底不是为了真的分疏哪个在先哪个在后的问题,而是为了相对于"气"而突显"理"的优先属性。因此,绝对不能说朱子学是二元论,即便说朱子学是一元论,也应做好概念分疏,以免用西方学术语言"肢解"朱子学。就此而言,钱穆的"理气一体浑成"的道理确实对朱子学及中国传统学术思想有所见地。

Dispute between＂ unitary＂ and ＂binary＂ has a long history in the field of research on Zhu Xi＇s philosophy. Although Qian Mu put forward the theory of unity of ＂Li＂ and ＂Qi＂, the dispute has not been solved yet. In Chinese traditional theories, there are only concepts of ＂unit＂ and ＂unitary＂, which manifests the thought of entirety, but not any conflicting thoughts between ＂ unitary＂ and ＂binary＂ as in the west. Although Zhu Xi repeatedly emphasizes on the non-mixing of ＂Li＂ and ＂Qi＂, and ＂Li＂ is superior to ＂Qi＂, the point is not to decide which one is superior to the other, but to manifest the superiority of ＂Li＂. Therefore, Zhu Xi＇s philosophy can never be considered as ＂binary＂. Even if his philosophy is taken as ＂unitary＂, it is still necessary to ctarify certain concepts in case that it should be mistaken by western academic terms. In this sense, Qian Mu＇s theory of unity of ＂Li＂ and ＂Qi＂ is coherent to Zhu Xi＇s philosophy and Chinese traditional academic thoughts.