先秦儒家“直”观念探析

A Discussion of the Idea of“Zhi”of Pre-Qin Confucianism

先秦儒家经典中,“直”作为道德观念先于道德范畴形成。从道德观念到道德范畴,“直”在文本中存在着话语变迁。在《论语》中,“直”是一种需要根据情境进行调整和纠正的道德品质,而这些情境之所以如此设计和呈现,与当时的道德观念认知密切相关。《论语》关于“直”的论说,基本上衍化为两种倾向:一是把“直”继续向德性范畴的方向发展,如郭店楚简《五行》《孟子·公孙丑》通过探讨“直”和“义”的关联,使“直”在“义”的规训下,内化为正直的德性;二是把“直”从以自然事实为基础的本性、材质中剥离,进而向“是非曲直”等外在规范的方向牵引,如《荀子》明确区分“性直”和“性不直”,并以“绳墨”定曲直,强化“直”是对礼法的遵守。先秦儒家对“直”的叙述方式、举例引喻,均渗透了儒家的观念取向,因此过于强调“直”作为道德范畴的普遍适用,则割裂了其作为道德观念所讲的历史语境,这可能会造成理解上的不相应。

In the Confucian classics of the pre-Qin period,“Zhi”(直)precedes the formation of the moral category as a moral idea.It has different meanings in different contexts.In the Analects of Confucius,“Zhi”(直)needs to be adjusted according to different contexts as a moral quality,and the reason why these contexts are so designed is closely related to the perception of moral ideas.The Meaning of“Zhi”(直)are basically derived into two tendencies:to explore the connection between“Zhi”(直)and“Yi”(义)as the common inner morality in the text of Guo Dian Chujian s Five Elements and Mencius-Gong Sun Chou;to adding the meaning of“Rules”and to the ieda of“Zhi”(直)in the text of Xun Zi is to emphasize the observance of“Li”(礼).The pre-Qin Confucian s narrative of integrity all embody the moral concept of Confucianism at that time,so the overemphasis on“Zhi”(直)as a moral category not moral idea may result in a one-sided understanding.