《论语》“君子不施其亲”诂解

The Interpretation of“Junzi bu shi qi qin”(君子不施其亲)in Anelacts of Confucius

《论语·微子》“君子不施其亲”句关键语词“施”,历来有“易”“与”“劾”“弛”等解说,遂致此章语义异说纷繁、扞格难以畅达。从《论语》文本内证入手,辨析其所见六处“施”之语义,分析《微子》“君子不施其亲”章四个不同层次事项的逻辑关联,参合周公治国用人理念的历史文献,“施”释为“施行”更为合理,全句意为“君子不应该无缘无故施惠于家庭亲戚”。

The understanding of the sentence“Junzi bu shi qi qin”(君子不施其亲)is subject to the key word“shi”(施).According to the exploration and the analysis of the meanings of“shi”(施)expressed in the six sentences of Analects of Confucius and the four logical aspects of“Junzi bu shi qi qin”(君子不施其亲)argued in the chapter Weizi,as well as Zhou Gong’s ideology of how to rule a state in historical records,it is more reasonable to paraphrase“shi”(施)as“confer”(施行).“Junzi bu shi qi qin”(君子不施其亲)should be understood as“a gentleman shouldn’t confer a favor on his relatives for no reason”.