《老子》“道法自然”辨析

A Corrective Debate on the Lao- tzu' Proverb: “Tao Follows Nature”

《老子》第25章提出了"道法自然"的主张,古今诸多注家脱离具体的文本实际,对其多有不确之解。立足《老子》文本实际,从句法结构、词语古义、原文内涵、话语背景四个方面综合分析考量,"自然"当解为"自然界"或"自然物"、"自然法则"。作为《老子》主要的论道方式,"道法自然"义为借助自然物象或规律来阐发大道内涵;作为《老子》重要的济世方略,"道法自然"义指以自然法则规制世道营作,让世人返璞归真,令天下无为而治。

The 25th chapter of Lao - tzu brings forward the important opinion ： Tao Follows Nature . A lot of ancient and modern scholars , neglecting the details of Lao - tzu , gave various imprecise and unoriginal explanations . Based on the details of Lao - tzu and integration and analysis of the syntactic structure , ancient meaning of words , connotation of original text , discourse context , “Nature” should be interpreted as naturalness or substance or the law of nature .As the main way to analyze Tao , the content of “Tao Follows Nature” is that the connotation of Tao is discovered by dint of physical matter or the order of nature .As the important general plan for social treatment , the meaning of “Tao Follows Nature” is that the social development should be guided by the law of nature in order to make people return rustic and rule the world without action .