“亘”与“亘先”——上博楚竹书《亘先》的关键概念研究

Chinese Character “亘”(heng) and Characters “亘先”(hengxian)——Research in Key Concept in Bamboo-Chip Book of Chu State

文本指出:第一,同意《亘先》第12号简那两个被李零读作"恒"的字应当隶作"亟止"和"亟心",并读作"极"。至于第1-9号简那六个被裘锡圭读作"极"的"亘"字,文本认为应当读作"恒"。由此,这篇竹书可直接称名为《恒先》;第二,"恒"概念包含"恒先"在内,后一概念是从前一概念分化出来的。学者多将这两个概念等同起来,甚至以"恒先"为此一概念的优先表达形式,这是不正确的;第三,竹书的"恒"有别于老子的"道"。在《恒先》中,"恒"只是表示宇宙生化的初始阶段,而"恒先"则推至其极,表示宇宙的端初,跟《淮南子》的"太始"约略相当;第四,"恒"与"天道"在竹书中对应的宇宙生成论的阶段不同。"恒"居于初始阶段,即虚无阶段;而"天道"则居于形下界,是用来描述天地万物生成变化之客观法则的概念;第五,在《恒先》中,"恒"是一个特定的概念,它与"极"并非互为表里的关系。"恒"为恒常义,包含着质朴、静止和虚无的特性,它仅表示宇宙生化的初始阶段;而"极"训"准则",是以"天道"为其内涵的。

Abstract： the essay states： the author agrees with Mr. Li Ling on ＂恒＂（heng）being pronounced as ＂极＂（ji） and with Mr. Qiu Xijia on ＂亘＂being pronounced as ＂恒＂（heng）. Hence, this bamboo-chip book is directly named 《恒先》 （hengxian）; the concept＂恒＂ contains ＂恒先＂,the latter deriving from the former concept. Scholars identify the two concepts, even giving ＂恒先＂priority expression for this concept irrationally; ＂恒先＂in bamboo chip is different from doctrine in Laoism. In 《恒先》（constancy）, “恒” merely means the initial stage of universe biochemistry while ＂恒先＂refers to the beginning of universe, roughly equivalent of ＂太始＂in《淮南子》;＇恒＂in the bamboo chip is different from stage of universe formation. ＂恒＂ （heng） is in initial stage, namely：nihility stage; while ＂天道＂ is used to describe the objective concept of change of everything in formation;in 《恒先》,“恒” is a specific and constant meaning, featuring plainness, stillness and nihility, which stands for the initial phase of universe formation.