朱熹论“四十而不惑,五十而知天命”——由知“当然之理”而知其“所以然之理”

Zhu Xi's Discussion on“At Forty I had No More Doubts,and at Fifty I Knew the Mandate of Heaven”:From Knowing“As It Should be”to“The Reason Why”

对于孔子所谓"四十而不惑,五十而知天命"的解读,历来众说纷纭、莫衷一是。朱熹把"四十而不惑"解读为知事物当然之理,把"五十而知天命"解读为知事物当然之理之所以然,无疑是一家之言。讨论朱熹的解读,需要对朱熹的"理"包含"当然之理"和"所以然之理"两个层次以及"即物穷理"包含由知"当然之理"而知其"所以然之理"的过程,有深入的了解;同时,研究朱熹的解读,又有助于对朱熹的"理"以及"即物穷理"有深入的把握。

As to the interpretation of what Confucius called ＂At forty I had no more doubts,and at fifty I knew the mandate of the heaven＂,people have long been unable to decide which is right,to which public opinions are divergent.Zhu Xi interpreted＂at forty I had no more doubts＂as knowing＂As It Should be＂,and＂at fifty I knew the mandate of the heaven＂as＂The Reason Why＂,which is undoubtedly the statement of one school.The discussion of Zhu Xi＇s interpretation requires a deep understanding of the following：Zhu Xi＇s＂Li＂contains two levels of＂As It Should be＂and ＂The Reason Why＂,and his ＂investigating things to extend Li＂includes the process from knowing＂As It Should be＂to＂The Reason Why＂.A discussion of Zhu Xi＇s interpretation will help to deeply grasp his＂Li＂and＂investigating things to extend Li＂.