老子尚水的楚文化解读

Interpretation of Laozi’s advocacy for water in Chu culture

在楚文化中,水是重要的自然地理要素,具有丰富的地域文化内涵,老子尚水便是其中的突出表现之一。老子以水喻道,以水比德。水是道的形象,水道或水系的意象萌生了道的概念,通过将水与生命繁衍、宇宙创生相联系,使道具有了万物本原之意义。这与楚人对南方水域地貌的适应,对植物生长与生命繁衍的认知,对天文与地理的思考等,似乎存在关联。同时,水也是德的原则,人生修行中的柔弱处下与静定虚空,社会治理中的无为而治与以民为本,都可视为水德和水治的表现。这与楚隐士的品格追求,楚族的崛起经历,楚国的统治方式等,亦可能存在关联。老子尚水观念的渊源和流变,既吸收了楚文化的智慧,又丰富了楚文化的内涵,还值得进一步深入研究。

In Chu culture,water is an important natural geographical element,and has rich regional cultural connotations.Laozi’s advocacy for water is one of the outstanding performances.Laozi uses water as a way of Tao and Character(Teh).Water is the image of Tao,and the image of the waterway or the water system has a concept of Tao.Tao seems to have the meaning of all things by linking water with life and the creation of the universe.This seems to be related to the adaptation of the Chu people to the landscape of the southern waters,the perception of plant growth and reproduction,and the thinking about astronomy and geography.Meanwhile,water is also regarded as the principle of Character(Teh).Such characters as soft and delicate,quiet and empty in the practice of life;noninterference and the people-orientation in social governance,can be regarded as the performance of water-like morality and governance.This may be related to the pursuit of the character of the Chu hermit,the rise of the Chu people,and the way of the rule of the ancient Chu State.The origin and evolution of Laozi’s concept of advocacy for water has not only absorbed the wisdom of Chu culture,but also enriched the connotation of Chu culture,and it is worth further research.