观念史研究的一个标本——清华简《保训》补释

One Example in the Studies of the History of Ideas: A Supplementary Interpretation of the Piece“Baoxun”in the Bamboo Slips at Tsinghua University

上古时代社会观念的形成和演变多经历较长的时段,分析不同时段的社会观念的特色,对于认识那个时段的社会思想有重要意义。清华简《保训》为我们提供了关于"中"这一观念从舜到周文王时期的简要演变情况,是不可多得的一个标本式的宝贵材料。《保训》简文的"中"皆文王述舜及上甲微之事时所提到,文王自己并没有直接讲到"中"。文王所述舜时顺民欲、测阴阳为"中",上甲微时得族众为"中",不仅与上古史实颇相符合,也与商周之际正处在由作为实体形态的"中"向作为观念形态的"中"转化的阶段相符合。周文王之时,尚没有"中正"、"中和"之辞,但其发展方向则是要开掘出"中"所蕴含的这些意义。《保训》简文正是有了这种意识而尚未出现"中正"、"中和"词语情况的反映。我们若谓周文王已经有了《礼记·中庸》"致中和"那样的思想,则似失于过早。直到周公的时候,作为意识形态的"中"的观念方正式形成。从观念史演变的角度来审视《保训》释读的难点问题,可能会有较为满意的理解。

In most cases,the formation of a social idea takes place over a long period in ancient times.It is significant to analyze the characteristics of social ideas in different periods for understanding the social thought in those times.Being a rare specimen,the piece'Baoxun'in the bamboo slips at Tsinghua University provides us a glimpse into the evolution of the idea'mean'(zhong,as in'golden mean')in the period from Emperor Shun to King Wen of Zhou.The'mean'in this piece was mentioned when King Wen talked about Emperor Shun and Shangjia Wei,but King Wen did not mention'mean'in regards to himself.In King Wen's description,it was'mean'when Emperor Shun conformed to popular will and measured Yin and Yang,as well as when Shangjia Wei gained the support of tribal populations.That accords not only with the facts of ancient history,but also with the period while the mean turned from a practical form to an ideal during the Shang and Zhou Dynasties.At the times of King Wen of Zhou,there had not emerged the expressions of'impartiality'(zhongzheng)or'neutralization'(zhonghe),but these meanings were contained in the simple'mean.'The piece'Baoxun'is just a reflection of such situation.It would be premature to say that King Wen of Zhou had the thought of'attaining a state of harmony'in'Golden Mean'of The Book of Rites.The idea of'mean'as an ideology bloomed in the times of the Duke of Zhou.A satisfactory understanding of the aporia of interpreting the piece'Baoxun'might be acquired if we review it from the perspective of the evolution of an idea.