荀子生卒年问题新证——以《盐铁论》两则记载为中心

A New Proof about the Year of Xunzi' Birth and Death ——Focus on two records about Xunzi in Yantielun(盐铁论)

学界于荀子生卒年大有疑辩。综考史料,刘向曰荀子始游齐于宣王、威王时实误自《史记》错简文字(从胡适之说),威王实早于宣王而非相反,宣王、威王末年至春申君死时荀子至少113或132岁;若谓《史记》"年五十始来游学于齐"的"五十"是"十五"之误并从刘向所言荀子始游齐时间,则齐襄王初年荀子仅33或42岁,此与其在齐襄王时"最为老师"、"三为祭酒"不匹。据《盐铁论·论儒》齐湣王末年"孙卿适楚"的记述,荀子年50始游齐当约在齐湣王末季的公元前286年,至齐襄王末年正70余岁,至春申君死时90余岁,终生百岁上下。而《盐铁论·毁学》"方李斯之相秦也,始皇任之,人臣无二,然而荀卿谓之不食,睹其罹不测之祸也"非荀子寿至李斯为丞相或遭杀戮时之证据,因为论者不知此"谓"有版本作"为"是讹字,且此"睹"本作"覩",非亲见意乃"懂得"意,其用法见同书他篇及《王力古汉语字典》等,此段文字不过言荀子曾因预知李斯命运而事先告诫过李斯勿食秦而已,"然而"前后事并非同时发生。如此,所有秦汉言荀史料可统一,《盐铁论》两则言荀史料也可统一,《盐铁论·毁学》言荀之讹字及学者于其之误解可得厘正。

Academic circles have great doubts about Xunzi＇s birth and Death. Liuxiang said that the time of Xunzi＇s initial travel to Qi coutry is the period of Xuanwang and Weiwang kings, and this was Liuxiang＇s mistake which summarized from Simaqian＇s Shiji. It was 113 or 132 years old and least ifXunzi＇s initial travel to Qi coutry is in the Period of Xuanwang and Weiwang kings ofQi coutry. If Xunzi＇ initial travel to Qi coutry is not at 50 years old but at 15 years old, then Xunzi would be 33 or 42 years old in the early period of Xiangwang king, and these dose not comply with facts that Xunzi is ＂the oldest teachers＂ and ＂three times as priest＂ in the period of Xiangwang king. According to records of Yantielun （盐铁论） , Xunzi bomed in 286BC approximately, and was 70 years old in the late of Xiangwang period, and was more than 90 years old when Chunshenjun died. In the sentence of old version of Yantielun which is ＂方李斯之相秦也,始皇任之,人臣无二,然而苟卿谓之不食,睹其罹不测之祸也＂, the word ＂为＂ is ＂谓＂ originally, and the word ＂睹＂ is ＂覩＂ originally. The meaning oft he word ＂睹＂ or ＂靓＂ in Yantielun is looking or understanding, and the meaning of the word ＂睹＂ in ＂睹其罹不测之祸也＂ in Yantielun-huixu is understanding. Xunzi understanded that Lisi （李斯） would face disaster, So he told Lisi not to go to Qin coutry to be an official.