关于“始作俑者”的考释——兼论孔子的仁学

Study on the Originators of Human Figures: Confucius' Doctrine of Benevolence

有的学者认为,俑之用先于用人殉,是俑殉导致残酷的人殉。因此,孔子才谴责"始作俑者"。但是,新中国成立之后取得的大量考古资料证明,上述说法有误,事实是俑殉后于用人殉。俑殉取代人殉是社会进步的一个重要标志。而孔子谴责"始作俑者",缘于它不符合"克己复礼"的周礼,这一点得到孔子仁学这一奴隶制社会道德观的印证。孔子谴责"始作俑者",正说明其思想的严重局限性。

Some scholars think figurines immolation appeared before the use of human immolation which was regarded as the cause of cruel human immolation. This was why Confucius accused severely the originators of dummy figures as immolation. However,based on the evidence collected from massive archeological studies since the foundation of PRC,the sequence of figures prior to human victims was not justifiable. The fact was that the immolated human victims,slaves buried alive,were actually implemented years before the dummy figures. It was remarkable progress to replace the human victims with dummies. The doctrine of benevolence by Confucius,a set of values based on a slave social system,had some serious limitations.