荀学视域中的“天下”和“国(家)”

Clarification of the Concepts of World and Kingdom from the Perspective of Tsunzi

天下和国家是荀子政治哲学关注的场域,天下的统一、天下和国家的治理,则是其政治哲学的主要议题。荀子从"大具—小具""大人—小人""大道—小道""大力—小力"的对比谈二者之差异;将人分成六个等级,以为第一等人天子取天下、第二等人诸侯取国家;又用"爱"和"利"两个概念来阐释三种不同的用心,以为爱而不用者取天下、爱而后用者保国家。至于治理天下国家,荀子主张以"道"作为依归;政治哲学场上的第一主角,即政治权力的拥有者"天子",有时也称"圣人""王""君",而"圣人"之为"王",其实就是"圣王"。荀子的政治哲学,仍是本于原始儒家以人为核心的思维,君之为有德者的德治理念,仍是王道。

The world and the kingdom are important concepts of Tsunzi＇s political philosophy. The unity of the world, the governance of the world and the kingdom are also the main topics of his political philosophy. Tsunzi discusses the differences between the world and the kingdom from four aspects： Daju-Xiaoju, Daren-Xiaoren, Dadao-Xiaodao, Dali-Xiaoli. He divides people into six grades. In his theory, the first class, the emperor, should govern the world, while the second class, feudal leaders, should rule the kingdoms. According to him, different governing strategies bring about different results： the governor who loves the people without taking advantages of them will finally have the world, but the one who likes the people while at the same time taking advantages of them can only save his kingdom from extinction. Tao is the only principle governing the world as well as the kingdom. The emperor who controls political power is the first character of political philosophy. Sometimes he is also referred to as the sage, the dominator or the governor. And the sage who becomes the dominator is the saint dominator. Finally, Tsunzi＇s political philosophy is also people oriented, which is one of the basic thoughts of primitive Confucianism. The point of view relying on the monarch virtuous governance is still one part of the theory of kingly way.