朱子学核心价值的21世纪新意义

The Contemporary Relevance of the Core Values of Zhu Xi’s Philosophy in the 21st Century

本文将朱子学置于21世纪新视野之中,探讨朱子学中的“理一分殊”说、“仁”说与“公共”精神,在全球化时代所具有的新意义。本文首先指出:21世纪世局的根本问题在于“全球化”与“反全球化”潮流的激荡,“全球正义”(globaljustice)备受挑战,而“全球化”与“反全球化”斗争之纾解,则有待于朱子学思想资源的流注。朱子学对近八百多年来东亚思想界影响深远,其三大核心价值中之“理一分殊”说强调“理一”在“分殊”之中,对21世纪世界建立“和而不同”的“多元普遍性”具有深刻启示。其次,朱子学的“仁”说以“爱之理”释“仁”,强调“爱之存在的存在性”,可以因应文明冲突与对话的新时代问题。最后,朱子学特重“公共”精神,对于21世纪世界各国因贫富不均所带来的“分配正义”(distributive justice)问题具有新启示,可以开启“活私开公”的新思维。

This essay explores the contemporary significance of Zhu Xi’s (1130~1200) philosophy to global justice in the 21st century. First, we indicate that the global justice has faced major challenges by the struggle between the trends of globalization and anti-globalization in the 21st century. As a leading current of thinking in East Asia since the 13th century, Zhu Xi’s philosophy has much to say about the issue of global justice. First, Zhu Xi’s doctrine of “the principle is one while its manifestations are many”(Liyi fenshu,理一分殊) is potential to create a new world of “harmony without conformity”(he er bu tong,和而不同) that leads to “multiple universalities.” Second, Zhu Xi’s discourse on humanity (ren,仁) stressed the “principle of love”(ai zhi li,爱之理) that may serve as a common ground for releasing the “clash of civilizations.” Finally, Zhu Xi’s articulation of the philosophy of “publicness”(gonggong,公共) may be taken as a remedy for the illness of world inequality. The “publicness” from the perspective of Zhu Xi carries contemporary relevance to our reflections on “distributive justice.”