朱熹对《论语》“礼”的三维诠释

Chu Hsi’s Three Interpretations of li (Ritual) in The Analects

朱熹对《论语》"礼"有"天理""节文""天理之节文"等三个维度的诠释。为建构理学体系和应对佛道挑战,在继承前人思想资源的基础上,朱熹释"礼"为"性",发展"性即理",把"礼"诠释为"天理"。"天理"空而不实,难以囊括精细、着实工夫,中年起,朱熹对只以"理"释"礼"表示不满,强调释"礼"为"节文"。"天理""节文"诠释各有偏废,朱熹创造性地提出两全之释"天理之节文",以"天理"为根源、为体,以"节文"为表现、为用,晚年尤其注重强调和阐发此义。朱熹在继承、发扬、反省、批判中发展、完善和定型"礼"之诠释。从理学建构视角系统探究朱熹对《论语》"礼"的三维诠释及其曲折发展,有助于更加深入全面地理解朱子礼学、理解宋代理学。

Chu Hsi had a three dimensional interpretations of li(ritual) in The Analects, i.e. heaven’s principle, regulations and adornments, and regulations and adornments of heaven’s principle. In order to construct the system of Neo-Confucianism and to respond to the challenge for Buddism and Taoism, and on the basis of the ideology prior to him, Chu Hsi at his early stage interpreted li(ritual) as xing(human nature) and advocated xing is li(Heaven’s principle), which means that li(ritual) equals tian li(Heaven’s principle). Yet tian li provides only an abstract idea with little details for people to grasp. From his middle age on, Chu Hsi emphasized more on regulations and adornments than on Heaven’s principle. But inclination to either of these two is good enough to interpret li(ritual), therefore, at his old age, he creatively combined the two sides into "regulations and adornments of Heaven’s principle, " regarded "Heaven’s principle" as the source and made "regulations and adornments" the superficial performances. Chu Hsi gradually developed the concept of li and made its connotations richer and richer through the way of inheritance, advocation, reflection and criticism. To study the three interpretations of li in The Analects systematically from the perspective of constructing the Neo-Confucianism can help us understand Chu Hsi’ Neo-Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty in a deeper and all-round way.