中庸的文化心理特征及其实践理路

The Cultural Psychological Characteristics of the Golden Mean and Its Theoretical Path of Practice

中庸是中国人的核心文化心理特质,主要呈现为两种形态:理想中庸和现实中庸。对理想中庸的理论研究能够夯实现实中庸实证研究的理论基础。中庸具有相互融通的三维内涵:执两用中,用中为常道,中和可常行。中庸具有德性的本质规定性,显现为三个方面的文化心理特征:执两用中的中庸认知,执中致和的中庸情感,刚柔并济的中庸人格。中庸具有鲜明的实践品格,礼仪制度是中庸实践的客观根据,籍由观照本心所作出的道德判断是中庸实践的主观根据,择善而固执是中庸实践的现实路径。

The Golden Mean is not only a moral cultivation method, but also a supreme moral itself. In the course of history, it has been cultivated as a core cultural psychological characteristic of the Chinese people, and presents itself in two main forms: one is the ideal Golden Mean that exists in Confucian classics, the other is the real Golden Mean that is reflected in Chinese people’s psychological life. In the process of changing from the ideal Golden Mean to the real Golden Mean, some distortions and dissimilation have come into being inevitably. Therefore, the theoretical study of the ideal Golden Mean is highly necessary, which can lay a solid theoretical foundation for carrying out empirical studies on the real Golden Mean.The Golden Mean possesses an interrelated three-dimensional connotation:taking the two extremes of positive and negative into completely consideration, and adopting the Golden Mean in judgement and decision making;taking the Golden Mean as the common way of practice;practicing by the way of equilibrium invariably, so it can be feasible in every situation.The Golden Mean has the nature of morality and manifests itself in the following three aspects of cultural psychological characteristics. Firstly, cognition of the Golden Mean. The Confucianism believes that all things in the world coexist in two opposite sides: positive and negative, good and bad, and so on. Thus it demands that people should take the two extremes of positive and negative into completely consideration and avoid focusing on anyone of two extremes so as to explore the impartial and appropriate cognition. Secondly, emotion of the Golden Mean. Confucianism affirms the natural rationality of emotion and desire, while claims that the rational guidance is needed to find the appropriate way to express emotion and satisfy desire, in order to realize the harmony between oneself and others in the world. Thirdly, personality of the Golden Mean. Confucianism believes that the problem of either excess or deficiency always lie in personality and insists that single moral character usually have the problem of partialness. For example, bravery, without the guidance of wisdom, will easily turn into recklessness. Confucianism praises the personality of the Golden Mean, which tries to form a perfect balance between excess and deficiency, hardness and softness, and so on.The Golden Mean has a distinctive practical character. Confucianism construct the ceremonial system in the principle of the Golden Mean to guide people’s cognition, emotion, and behavior objectively. Therefore, ceremonial system is the objective basis of the practice of the Golden Mean. Even if the ceremonial system is constructed inclusively and in detail, it is only a principled arrangement for the general situation and cannot be applied to all situations in life. Therefore, it is necessary for the subject to change flexibly according to the situation. Confucianism points out that the moral judgment made by introspecting one’s own conscience is the subjective basis of the practice of the Golden Mean. However, the practice of the Golden Mean cannot stagnate at the level of thinking and concept. Thus, Confucianism constructs the practical path of the practice of the Golden Mean: choosing goodness and sticking to it constantly.