简论郭象之历史循环论

On Guo Xiang’s Cyclical Theory of History

郭象的社会政治理论是建立在其有关世界之本质和人之本性的观点基础之上的。其独化说既回答了有关世界之本质的问题,也回答了有关人之本性的问题。基于其有关人之本性的独特理解(圣人与常人完全不同,而且常人之本性也各自不同,且性各有极),郭象对庄子的逍遥论进行了创造性的改造,认为只有圣人才能始终享有无待逍遥,而常人最多只能享有有待逍遥。而且,常人能够享有有待逍遥的前提条件是圣人成为圣王,以无为或法万物之自然之方式治理社会乃至天下。圣人之治即理想之治。但是,圣人之治必然留下圣人之迹,进而必然导致各种社会弊病,最后导致社会大乱。此时,圣人不得不隐退了。不过,在适当的时机,圣人必然会再度以圣王的身份出现。这样,整个人类历史必然在治乱之间循环往复地展开着。

Guo Xiang’s(郭象)sociopolitical theory was based on his views about the nature of the world and the nature of human beings. His doctrine of independence from the mystical realm(独化说) offered somewhat perfect answers both for the questions concerning the nature of the world and the nature of human beings. Based on his unique understanding of human nature that the sage’s nature was completely different from the nature of ordinary people, and ordinary people differed from each other in nature, Guo Xiang creatively reformed Zhuangzi’s(庄子) theory of free and easy wandering(逍遥论), insisting that only the sage could wander freely and easily without a destination, while ordinary people could only wander freely and easily with a destination. What’s more, the prerequisite for ordinary people to enjoy free and easy wandering with a destination was that the sage became the emperor, who governed the society and even the whole country in the natural mode of letting things take their own courses, and letting myriad things follow the natural laws. The sage’s governance was actually an ideal governance. Nevertheless, the sage’s governance was bound to leave all kinds of traces, further leading to varieties of social problems, and finally leading to social unrest. Then the sage had to retreat from his political career. But at the opportune moment, the sage would inevitable make his appearance once again as the emperor. So the whole human history itself would go on in cycles between perfect order and unrest.