牛兆濂《蓝川四集》考论

An Examination on Lan Chuan Si Ji from Niu Zhaolian

作为关学晚期代表人物,牛兆濂因其理学著作的缺失而导致其关学史意义文献证据不足。新见《蓝川四集》钞本不仅弥补了这一缺憾,而且是牛兆濂唯一存世的具有体系性的理学著作。此书集中讲解和阐发《论语》和《孟子》的部分字句,重视个人行善的现实意义,坚守“尽孝”与“用世”的价值序列,注重人性“先天”与“后天”的互动关系,代表了作者在清朝覆灭后对于传统儒家忠、孝、义的固守和发展,体现了较为保守的政治立场。

As one of the main representatives in the late stage of Guan Xue,Niu Zhaolian’s contribution to historical significance of Guan Xue is underestimated due to the lack of documentary evidence of his Neo-Confucianism works.However,the latest discovered copy of his notebook Lan Chuan Si Ji fills up the gap,and it is his only surviving systematic work of Neo-Confucianism.It focuses on explaining and elucidating words and sentences selected from The Analects and Mencius,emphasizing the practical significance of personal benevolence,upholding the value sequence of“filial piety”and“responsibility to the world and human being”,and stressing the interconnections between“innate potential”and“acquired potential”of human nature.It represents Niu Zhaolian’s commitment and development to the traditional Confucian quality of loyalty,filial piety,and righteousness after the fall of the Qing Dynasty,and reflects his conservative political stance.