抑儒扬道:廖平孔经哲学体系中的道家

Taoism in Liao Ping's Interpretation of Confucianism

因应清季“古今中西”之争的核心议题,戊戌之后廖平放弃“今古学”之辨,转而会通今古、融合中西,创立“小大学”和“天人学”,建构孔经哲学思想体系。因儒家经典中可资取材者不足,廖平将眼光投向诸子学,其中最为他所注意的是道家学说。廖平将诸子收归孔门,以孔学兼包百家,否定孔子问礼老聃之事,重塑孔老关系,从学脉上强化孔子的至圣地位。他认为孔子之后儒家虽有传经之功,但道家更深契于孔学微言。儒家为小统之学,道家为大统之学,就施诸当世而言,后者更具现实效力。他还视《庄》《列》之语为孔经“天学”的师说,看似荒唐之辞,实则内蕴了孔学失传千载的“俟后”之义。作为晚清今文经学大师,廖平的学说有着明显的时代印记和个人特色,对其“抑儒扬道”说的解读,可探赜廖氏经学思想的独到价值。

A participant in the general debate on the ancient vs.modern or China vs.the West,the basic issue of the Late Qing Dynasty,Liao Ping abandons the distinction between“Jinwen”and“Guwen”after the Hundred Days Movement,turning to the integration of the ancient and modern as well as that of the West and China.He establishes“Tian-Ren Theory”to construct the philosophy of Confucius and Confucian classics.Due to the shortage of available materials in the Confucian classics,Liao resorts to Pre-Qin philosophies,especially Taoism.Liao opines Pre-Qin philosophies as a part of Confucianism.He also denies that Confucius consulted Lao Dan on the rituals and reshapes the relationship between Confucius and Laozi,so as to strengthen Confucius'core position in the aspect of scholar lineage.Liao believes that Confucianism has performed meritorious service in the transmitting of scriptures,but Taoism is more closely related to Confucius'theories.Confucianism is smaller than Taoism;therefore,Taoism is more practical in terms of application in current society.He also regards Zhuangzi and Liezi as works to interpret classics of Tian Theory,which may seem an absurd opinion,but it contains the idea of waiting for the later generations to provide their viewpoints,which is the core idea possessed by scholars of Confucianism thousands of years ago.As a master of New Text Confucianism,Liao's theory is of conspicuous features of his time and his personality.Therefore,an interpretation of his theory of suppressing Confucianism and promoting Taoism can reveal the unique value of his classical thought.