康有为人性论的理论逻辑与文化政治意义

Theoretical Logic and Cultural Political Significance of Kang Youwei’s Theory of Human Nature

身处新旧交替时代的康有为,试图以西方自然人性论的视角来看待告子的“生之谓性”,他在批判以理学为代表的人性论基础上,明确指出:“人生而有欲,天之性哉”,认为欲是“天性”的表现,大同之世人人可得。在康有为看来,圣人只会顺乎人情,不会逆乎人情,更不会绝乎人情,那些力倡“义理之性”的儒者之所以反驳他,究其根本是没搞清楚真正的圣人之道。但这并不是说康有为完全倒向了道家的性“素朴”论而要“比于赤子”“复归于婴儿”。事实证明,与荀子、班固一样,康有为仍很看重“伪”的作用,他不仅赞成孔子“性相近,习相远”之论,更将“逆乎常纬以为学”作为治学的基本态度,主张“勉强为学”。康有为认为荀、孟的人性论是就不同的历史阶段而论的,荀子言“性恶”,面向的是礼崩乐坏的“乱世”;孟子言“性善”,面向的是人人皆为尧舜的“平世”。但相较而言,晚年的康有为更加偏爱得孔子精微之学的孟学。为此,他将“性善”当作与生俱来之“天理”、对长幼尊卑纲常伦理否定的武器、人类社会不断发展而走向大同社会的起点。康有为标榜自己是孔子“真传”,其人性论虽精纯于传统,却自有创见,始终尝试在现实与历史的语境中构筑“自然人性”的神庙;在“激进”与“保守”的双重变奏中探询人性的未来。其关于人性与社会的思考,既开拓了人性觉醒的新境界,更开启了后世对人性圆善与未来政治文明关系的思考。

Kang Youwei,who was in the transition between the old and new eras,tried to examine Gao Zi’s opinion that“man’s inherent character is human nature”from the perspective of western natural human nature theory.On the basis of criticizing the human nature theory represented by Neo Confucianism,Kang Youwei clearly pointed out that“human beings have innate desires,which is the human nature”,and maintained that desire is the expression of“nature”,which is available to everyone in the world of great harmony.In Kang Youwei’s view,saints should consider human feelings rather than violating them.The reason why the Confucians who advocated the nature of justice and reason refuted him was that they did not understand the real way of saints.But this is not to say that Kang Youwei has completely fallen back to the Taoist theory of“simplicity”of nature,and maintained the theories of“comparison with the child”and“returning to childhood”.In the same vein as Xunzi and Ban Gu,Kang Youwei still attached great importance to the role of“fake”.Not only did he agree with Confucius’s theory of“close nature and distant learning”,but also he regarded“violating the rule of Chang Wei”as the basic attitude of learning,and advocated“forced learning”.Kang Youwei believed that theory of human nature of Xunzi and Mengzi was based on different historical stages.Xunzi’s theory of“evil nature”was aimed at the“turbulent times”of the collapse of rites and music;Mencius’s theory of“good nature”was aimed at the“peaceful times”of Yao and Shun.In contrast,Kang Youwei preferred Mencius in his last years,which was the refined learning of Confucius.For this,he regarded“goodness of nature”as his inborn“natural principle”,the weapon of negating the ethics of respect for the elders and children,and the starting point of human society’s continuous development towards Datong society.Kang Youwei boasted that he was the real supporter and follower of Confucius.Although his theory of human nature was related to tradition,he had his own original ideas.He had always tried to build a temple of“natural human nature”in the context of reality and history and explored the future of human nature in the dual variations of“radical”and“conservative”.His thoughts about human nature and society not only opened up a new realm of human awakening,but also opened up the thinking about the relationship between human goodness and future political civilization.