《春秋》“见之于行事”在思想传统中的意义

The Meaning of the Chunqiu is to be Found in Behavior and Events:Tracing the History of the Concept in the History of Thought

孟子说《春秋》兼具“文”、“事”与“义”,董仲舒、司马迁等汉儒进而传述《春秋》明王道而“见之于行事”,显见“事”与“义”非对立,可以相发明。宋儒程颐以《春秋》言“事”为穷理之要,清章学诚复从中绎出“因事寓理”之旨,近人徐复观进一步指出这有别于诸子百家常见的“载之空言”的系统,《春秋》“见之于行事”是一种特殊的思想表达方式。

In the Mencius it is stated that the Chunqiu is composed of writing,events and meaning.Accordingly,Dong Zhongshu,Sima Qian and other Han scholars transmitted their explanation of way of enlightened monarchy based on their interpretations of the ways that behavior and events were described in the Chunqiu;so it is clear that events and meaning arc not seen in opposition,but as having a common origination.This can also be seen in statements by scholars from three different time periods:the Song scholar Cheng Yi;the Qing dynasty Zhan Xucchcng;and the contemporary Xu Fuguan,who pointed out that this differed from the traditional explanation of pre Qin scholars,that the meaning was to be found in a system of“empty words”(kongyan,空言).Thus,it can be seen that the notion of jian zhi yu xing shi(见之于行事)is a particular mode of expressing thought.Since the Confucian emphasis on ethics is not external to the human relations of daily life,discussions of pragmatic affairs can point to abstract con­cepts of the Dao,which can particularly stimulate the practical ration­ality of individuals.