信仰、职责与政治:南怀仁对选择星占术的立场与态度

Faith,Duty and Politics:Ferdinand Verbiest's Attitude Towards Soothsaying and Astrology

文章以《妄择辩》、《妄推吉凶辩》、《妄占辩》和《预推纪验》等文献为基础,分析了南怀仁对中国传统选择、星占术和西方星占术不同的立场态度。南怀仁批驳中国选择术不能推定吉凶祸福,却辩护其存在合理之用。对中国星占术,南怀仁意图在理论和实践上将其彻底推翻。对天文气象学等西方星占术,南怀仁却坚信其确有实效,并在钦天监内将其付诸实践。为了迎合清廷的政治文化,南怀仁最终依照中国军国星占学的传统奏报异常天象。政治是决定南怀仁对中国选择星占术采取何种态度的首要因素,南怀仁对中西星占术不同立场的根源在文化信仰。

This paper investigates the four books, Wang Ze Bian, Wang Zhan Bian, Wang Tui Ji Xiong Bian, and Yu Tui Ji Yan written by Ferdinand Verbiest, and examines Ferdinand Verbiest＇s attitude towards soothsaying and astrology. Ferdinand Verbiest adamantly opposed the Chinese soothsaying and astrology because of his Catholic faith. However, he did not overturn the theory of Chinese soothsaying because of the political situation and the duty of Astro-calendric Bureau. Meanwhile, Ferdinand Verbiest attempted to overturn the theory and practice of Chinese astrology. Although Ferdinand Verbiest refuted Chinese astrology, he firmly believed astrometeorology which was a part of European astrology. In the end, Ferdinand Verbiest ceased the memorial to the throne about astrometeorology, and reported abnormal celestial phenomena according to Chinese astrology. Politics was the key element in Ferdinand Verbiest＇s attitude towards Chinese soothsaying and astrology, while cultural belief was the reason why he had taken different attitudes towards Chinese astrology and European astrology.