《论语》孔学关系考论

On the Relationship Between Confucianism and The Analects of Confucius

孔子生活在国家治理由政教一体向世俗政治转变的关键历史节点上,既是六代最后的政教古儒,又是春秋至今最早的政治新儒,故其语录既有政教杂糅的特点,也有世俗政治的倾向。弟子后学选编《论语》,不仅剔除了孔子的大量宗教语录,也未收录他政治研究、历史研究的所有长篇语录,只选取了部分短小零星的政治语录。其目的应是:其一,凸显孔子世俗政治家、思想家、哲学家、教育家的形象,使孔学完全成为世俗政治学;其二,让通俗易懂、短小易记的《论语》成为孔学的“普及本”,理论性很强的长篇语录成为孔学的“学术本”,二者共同确立孔学作为六代之学、六艺之学的理论总结和后世政教文史哲等学科理论渊薮的历史地位。《论语》选编工作对提升孔子形象和孔学地位的重大贡献,即在于此。

Confucius lived in the key historical node of the transformation of national governance from the integration of politics and religion to secular politics.He was not only the last ancient scholar of politics and religion in the Six Dynasties,but also the earliest new scholar of politics since the Spring and Autumn Period.Therefore,his quotations had the characteristics of both politics and religion,as well as the tendency of secular politics.The Analects of Confucius selected by his disciples not only eliminated a large number of religious quotations of Confucius,but also did not include all the long quotations of his political research and historical research.Only some short and sporadic political quotations were selected.Its purpose should be:firstly,to highlight the image of Confucius as a secular statesman,thinker and educator,and to make Confucianisma secular politics.Secondly,to let The Analects of Confucius,which is easy to be understood and remembered,become the"popular version"of Confucianism,and the long quotations with strong theoretical connotations become the"academic version"of Confucianism.Both of them jointly established the historical status of Confucianism as the theoretical summary of six generations learning and six arts′learning,and the theoretical source of politics,education,literature,history and philosophy of later generations.Here lies the great contribution of the selection and compilation of The Analects of Confucius to promoting Confucius′image and the Confucianism status.