《尚书》“民主”学说新探

A New Probe into the Theory of Min Zhu in Book of Documents

作为一部由夏商周君主的典诰誓命构成的王道之书,"民主"学说实际上是《尚书》王道思想的典型学说。不仅"民主"概念在《尚书》中出现过四次,而且《尚书》中其他思想也直接聚焦"民主"概念。敬天贵人是"民主"概念的思想基础,对人心二重性的认识尤其是对民众劣根性和君主高明性的认识是"民主"产生的现实依据,为民做出正确决定是"民主"的权利与责任,敬德内省、保民慎罚是"民主"的德治要求,也是充当"民主"的资格与条件,而反道失德、虐民害民的暴君则不配"民主"的称号,理当被臣民的"革命"推翻。本文从"民主"学说的角度对《尚书》作了全新解读,对重新认识《尚书》的思想意义具有重要价值。

As a book of Wang Dao,which is composed of the swearing vows of the Xia,Shang and Zhou dynasties,the Min Zhu doctrine is actually the typical doctrine of the Wang Dao thought in Book of Documents.Not only the concept of Min Zhu appeared four times in Book of Documents,but also other ideas in this book directly focus on the concept of Min Zhu.Fearing nature and people-oriented is the ideological foundation of the concept of Min Zhu.This is also the understanding of the duality of the human heart,especially the understanding of the inferiority of the people and the high-mindedness of the monarch,which is the realistic basis for the emergence of Min Zhu.Making the right decisions for the people is the right and responsibility of Min Zhu.Kingde introspection and protecting the people with prudence is the rule of virtue requirement of morality and the qualifications and conditions for acting as Min Zhu.On the contrary,the tyrant who destroys the morals and abuses the people and harms the people is not worthy of the title of Min Zhu and should be overthrown by the revolution of the subjects.This article makes a new interpretation of Book of Documents from the perspective of Min Zhu theory,and has important value for re-recognizing the ideological significance of Book of Documents.