说彝伦——殷周之际社会秩序的重构

Restructuring the Social Order during the Dynastic Change from Shang to Zhou

商周之际,周武王与箕子皆讲"彝伦",表明对重构社会秩序问题的关注。构建社会秩序必须得到社会各阶层多数人的认可,据《尚书.洪范》,此即"彝伦攸叙",反之就是"彝伦攸?"。古今学者多重视《洪范》的内容,而忽略箕子进献的动机。其实箕子进献的目的并非为周王朝的巩固提供历史经验,《洪范》九畴也不是什么治国大法。在商周鼎革的历史背景下,箕子力图引导武王,使之重蹈商纣亡国的覆辙。箕子始终是商的忠臣,从未与周王朝同心同德。历史进程没有按照箕子的意图发展。周初彝伦的重建,使周王朝在很大程度上超越了早期国家的君主专制,行政管理也比以前更有成效,社会局势因此得以长期稳定。

During the dynastic change from Shang to Zhou, both King Wu of Zhou and Ji Zi, a prominent minister of the Shang Dynasty, actively advocated a normative order (彝伦), showing their concern for restructuring the social order. A social order must have the assent from the majority of all social strata to be established, which means, according to 'The Great Plan' (洪范) of The Book of Documents (尚书) presented to King Wu by Ji Zi, that 'the norms are put in order.' The opposite situation is one in which 'the norms become abandoned.' While scholars in the past and today put much emphasis on the content of 'The Great Plan,' they usually overlook Ji Zi’s motivation. As a matter of fact, Ji Zi, a devoted and loyal minister of the Shang, did not present 'The Great Plan' to provide historical lessons for consolidating Zhou rule. Rather, during the dynastic change from Shang to Zhou, he endeavored to lead King Wu on to the road that had led to the ruin of King Zhou of Shang. He never identified with the Zhou Dynasty. However, history did not develop as Ji Zi had intended. The restructuring of the hierarchical order of society at the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty enabled it to transcend its system of autocratic rule and become more administratively efficient, leading to a long period of social stability.