“三世本为一事”--熊十力《原儒》中的“三世”新说

The Three Ages as a Project:Xiong Shili’s New Theory of the“Three Ages”in Origin of Confucianism

在《原儒》中,熊十力一改清季以来将“三世”说诠释为“三世进化论”的现代传统,另立新说,可称其为“三世一事说”。它以熊氏改塑的经典系统为文本依据——“六经”表达了一套融贯的理论主张。“三世一事说”有三个要点:第一,“三世”并非指三个连续的历史阶段,而是指三个连续的行动步骤,在这个意义上,圣人为历史立法。第二,革命原则上可以在圣人立法之后的任何时刻,通过“造时”行动来开启。第三,从革命启始到理想社会建成的时间间隔十分短暂,“大同”世界有望令革命者“及身亲见”。这一论说造成了熊氏哲学的内部紧张。“三世”说的现代诠释本就存在着历史发展理论和历史行动理论之间的张力,熊十力把诠释中心完全转移至后者,从而将儒家思想在“外王”领域的动力论潜能挖掘到了极致,这展示了现代中国文化保守主义的复杂面貌。

In Origin of Confucianism(《原儒》),Xiong Shili changed the new tradition of interpreting“the three ages”as“the evolution of the three ages”since the late Qing,and interpreted it as a set of continuous action programs,which can be called“the three ages as a project”.It is based on the textual foundation of the classical system reshaped by Xiong:The Six Classics expressed a coherent set of theoretical claims.There are three main points in“the three ages as a project”theory.First,“the three ages”does not refer to three successive historical stages,but to three successive steps of action.In this sense,the sage legislates the history.Secondly,through the action of“making time”,a revolution can in principle be initiated at any time after the sage has legislated.Thirdly,the period between the beginning of the revolution and the completion of the ideal society is very short,and the“commonwealth”(“大同”)is expected to be seen by the revolutionaries themselves.This theory creates an internal tension in Xiong’s philosophy.By reversing the modern interpretation of“the three ages”from a theory of historical development to a theory of historical action,Xiong Shili explores the dynamic potential of Confucianism in the realm of“external kings”to its fullest extent,and at the same time demonstrates the complexities of modern Chinese cultural conservatism.