《礼记》哲学诠释的四个向度——以《礼运》、《王制》为中心的讨论

A Four Dimensional Philosophial Interpretation of The Classics of Rites:Focusing on the Two Chapters Li Yun and Wang Zhi

本文拟以《礼运》、《王制》为主,兼及其他篇,略从以下四个方面诠释《礼记》的内涵与意义。第一,礼与礼治本是摆脱原始宗教而进一步人文化的产物,但《礼记》中所讨论的礼之根源与根据在于"天"与"太一"神,其中蕴含着终极性的指向,有宗教哲学的内蕴及意义;第二,《礼记》中对生态系统的认识是以"天地"为中心的一种整体论、系统论的观念。它对人性、物性的辨证认识清楚地表明了一种生态伦理的等差意识,并不忽视不同生物圈有自身的内在价值。《礼记》肯定不同生物圈层有自身价值,要求一种普遍的生态的道德关怀,蕴含着生态环保伦理的内涵与意义;第三,《礼记》主张满足人民的基本公正合理的要求,主张惠民、富民、教民,缩小贫富差距,对社会弱者予以保护,其推行的文官制度、教育制度,为平民、为农家子弟提供了受教育及参与政治的机会。这包含着对最不利者的关爱,其中涉及政治正义的问题,其天下大同、天下为公的社会理想与社会正义观、公私义利观影响深远;第四,《礼记》中有关人的教养与人格成长的思想,体现了儒教文明的特点,其内核是成德之教,其目的是培养君子,成圣成贤,其方法是用礼乐六艺浸润身心,以自我教育与调节性情心理为主,其功能在于改善政治与风俗,其特点是不脱离平凡生活,知行合一、内外合一的体验。我们从以上四个维度对礼做出诠释,尽可能使礼的一些要素创造性转化、创新性发展为现代社会与人的积极要素,为现代社会所用。

Focusing on the two Chapters,Li Yun and Wang Zhi,this paper will illustrate The Classics of Rites from four perspectives. First,the rite and ritual governing were the result of human culture ridding itself of the primitive religious control. However,in The Classics of Rites,the God of Heaven or the Great one,which includes the terminal nature and implies religious meaning,became the foundation of the ritual system. Second,the understanding of ecosystem in The Classics of Rites was a holistic and systematic conception centered on the concepts of Heaven and Earth. Its dialectical understanding of humanity and animality clearly reflects an eco-ethical awareness of hierarchy,and respects the intrinsic value of different biospheres. Third,The Classic of Rites claimed that to protect the basic needs and right of human beings is necessary. It also advocated narrowing the gap between the rich and poor by benefiting,enriching,and cultivating the people. To promote the political and educational equality among the weak of the society,it pursued the system of civil servants and the system of education,in which people get much more educational opportunities. We could say that,in The Classic of Rites,the idea of the whole world as one community and the idea that the world belongs to all the people,which had a far-reaching influence,were well established upon the concept of justice. Fourth,the idea about self-cultivation showed us obviously the characters of Confucianism. To be a sage,people should follow the steps of the Six Arts and cultivate themselves days and months multiplying,on one hand. And,to be a sage,people finally achieve the level that knowledge and action should go hand in hand. From these four aspects,we could try our best to reconstruct the conceptions of The Classic of Rites and transform the useful ideas creatively. In conclusion,those ideas could be well used by modern society.