“六经皆礼”说申论

Further Comments on the Theory of"Six Classics are all Rites"

"六经皆礼"这一命题虽然并非古已有之,而是现代学者根据"礼"在六经中的地位概括、提炼出来的,但这一命题渊源有自,古今许多学者实际上从多方位、多视角对这一命题的相关内容进行过论证。"六经皆礼"之说,可追溯到《礼记·经解》与《史记·滑稽列传》的相关记述,《汉书·礼乐志》所谓"六经之道同归,而礼、乐之用为急"和南朝梁皇侃提出的"六经总以礼为本",非常简约、概要地阐明了"六经皆礼"之说的内涵。清代张尔岐提出了非常近似"六经皆礼"的说法。此后清儒皮锡瑞、曹元弼及现代学者陈钟凡、顾实、蔡尚思、陈戍国等众多学者对这一命题的内容进行了多方面的论述和阐释。但现代学术界一直很少有人明确倡言和系统论证"六经皆礼"这一命题。有鉴于此,本文从如下三个层面对这一命题进行了申论:首先,六经皆源于礼:从宏观层面讲,六经皆为礼文化的产物;从微观或具体层面讲,"六经皆礼"与"六经皆史"在本质上是相通的(政典既是"史",也是"礼")。其次,六经以礼为旨归,"礼"统摄六经,从而使六经以"礼"作为教化的标准和目标。六经之教本质上即为礼教。再次,《诗》《书》《礼》《乐》《易》《春秋》等六经的内容均有礼贯通其中,六经之文皆言礼,六经之义亦以礼为重。因此"六经皆礼"这一命题是可以成立的,"礼"在六经及中国传统文化中的核心地位应该得到承认和重视。

The proposition of"Six Classics are all rites"did not exist in ancient times,and it is summarized and refined by modern scholars according to the status of"propriety"in the Six Classics.However,this proposition has its origin,and many scholars in ancient and modern times have actually demonstrated the relevant contents of this proposition from multiple perspectives.The theory of"Six Classics are all rites"can be traced back to the related accounts of The Book of Rites and The Historical Records.The statements of"the essence of the Six Classics is the same,and the use of etiquettes and music is urgent"which was recorded by The History of the Han Dynasty and"the Six Classics are always based on etiquette"which was put forward by Huang Kan in the Southern Dynasty,clarified the connotation of the theory of"Six Classics are all rites"simply and briefly.In the Qing dynasty,Zhang Erqi put forward a view which is very similar to"Six Classics are all rites".Since then,the scholars such as Pi Xirui,Cao Yuanbi,Chen Zhongfan,Gu Shi,Cai Shangsi,Chen Shuguo and many other scholars had discussed and explained the content of this proposition in many aspects.However,almost no one in modern academic circles has explicitly advocated the proposition of"Six Classics are all rites".Therefore,we plan to make a comment on this proposition from the following three aspects:First of all,the Six Classics are all derived from etiquette:from the macro level,all the Six Classics are the products of the etiquette culture;from the micro or concrete level,"the rites of the Six Classics"and"the history of all the Six Classics"are interlinked in essence(the political code is both"history"and"etiquette").Secondly,the Six Classics take Etiquette as the purpose,and"Etiquette"dominates the Six Classics,so that the Six Classics take"Etiquette"as the standard and goal of enlightenment.The teaching of the Six Classics is essentially etiquette.Thirdly,the contents of the Six classics,such as The Book of Songs,The Book of History,The Book of Rites,The Book of Changes,Spring and Autumn Annals and so on,are all courteous,and the meaning of the Six Classics places particular emphasis on propriety.Therefore,the proposition of"Six Classics are all rites"can be established,and the core position of"Rites"in the Six Classics and Chinese traditional culture should be recognized and valued.