由大一、浑沌说礼——兼论中国文明的起源问题

On the Ancient Chinese Ritual in Terms of taiyi and hundun

“大一”、“浑沌”是中国古代哲学中的重要概念或范畴。“大一”或作“太一”、“泰一” ,实与“道”、“一”及“太极”同物而异名。“大一”主要指向自然 ,属天道 ,是关于宇宙本原的概念 ,而最终演化为天帝 ;“浑沌”由“大一”而来 ,则主要指向人类社会 ,属人道 ,是关于社会本原的概念。并最终演化为人 (皇、黄 )帝。人类社会乃由浑沌为始 ,一步一步分别 ,一步一步开通。分化浑沌 ,则男女有别 ,是礼理出 ;告别蒙昧 ,则排除血婚 ,是礼事现 ;战胜野蛮 ,则夫妇定位 ,是礼形生、礼器成。而随着君臣有正 ,上下、贵贱、等级有分 ,则礼制确立。于是中国历史由浑沌 ,而三皇 ,而五帝 ,终于实现三代文明。总之 ,礼生于分别 ,成之文明 ,礼是中国文明形成的重要标志。

Taiyi and hundun are two important concepts or categories in ancient Chinese philosophy. The former refers to the nature, and is about the knowledge of the origin of the cosmos; the latter refers to the interrelationships among the human beings. Society starts from hundun , differentiates gradually, goes through barbarism and savagery and then comes to civilization. Man is differed from woman when hundun differentiates; blood marriage is eliminated when barbarism ends; social roles of husband and wife are set when savagery is surmounted. Ritual follows civilization. Ritual sprouts from differentiation and takes shape in civilization. Ritual is one of the important indicators making the formation of Chinese civilization.