黄道周论君子小人之辨的四个维度

The Four Dimensions of Huang Daozhou’s Argument on Gentleman and Villain

君子小人之辨是中国古代思想史上的重要命题,直至宋明时期仍得到理学家的不断阐发。晚明大儒黄道周进呈于崇祯皇帝的《缁衣集传》一书中,集中讨论了君子小人之辨,主要以人性中的好善恶恶作为出发点与立足点,从义利之辨、理欲之辨、公私之辨、名实之辨四个维度展开。他一方面肯定了在现实中选择道德行为时的好恶之难,另一方面则对君子所"应当"的伦理行为进行论证,认为应当坚定地奉行君子行为,提出君主在政治中应当与君子一道,亦即以贤良为辅助伴侣,体现了黄道周后期思想中经世致用的政治诉求。从性理的角度看,黄道周实际上是主张本性中好善恶恶的真实呈现,而极力反对人性被后天积习所异化。

The distinction between gentlemen and villains is an important proposition in the history of ancient Chinese thought,which has been continuously elucidated by Neo Confucians until the song and Ming Dynasties. Huang Daozhou,a great Confucian in the late Ming Dynasty,presented "The Variorum of Zi-Yi" to Emperor Chongzhen. Huang focused on the distinction between gentlemen and villains,mainly based on the good and evil in human nature,from four dimensions: the distinction between justice and profit,the distinction between reason and desire,the distinction between public and private,and the distinction between fame and reality. On the one hand,he affirmed the difficulty of choosing moral behavior in reality. On the other hand,he demonstrated the ethical behavior that the gentleman should take. He believed that the gentleman behavior should be carried out firmly,and he proposed that the monarch should work with the gentleman in politics,that is to say,take the virtuous as the assistant partner,which reflected the political demand of practical application in the thoughts of the Huang Daozhou.From the perspective of nature and reason,Huang Daozhou actually advocated the true presentation of good and evil in nature,and strongly opposed the alienation of human nature by acquired habits.