从“修道之教”到“传道之教”——论中国儒家的道统改造及其现代教育意蕴

From "Practicing Daoism" to "Preaching Daoism":The Reconstruction of Confucius’ Daoism and Its Modern Educational Implications

在中国传统文化中,老子之"道"乃是一个具有"本体"或"真理"意义的价值范畴,也是奠定古典儒家"志道"理想的核心概念。《中庸》所谓"尊德性而道问学"的主张,不仅昭示着儒家教育的"德性"(实践)目的论和"学问"(致知)方法论取向,也实际成为后儒宗承的两种"修道"进路。修道的本质在于"受道之教"、"以道为师"。然而,为强化儒家参与封建秩序重建的政治影响力,后儒对这一道统自"天道"至"人道"再至"王道"的降解式改造,在实现了儒家士子从独立自主的"志道君子"到依附权贵跻身统治阶层的"入仕儒吏"的人格转变之余,也酿成了"文—道分离"和"师—道分离"两大教育病症。由此,儒家教育的重心逐渐从注重内发的"修道之教"转向强调外铄的"传道之教"。其间,后儒对"道/德"的虚化、泛化、边缘化、物化乃至个人化等认知偏差,也成为长期制约中国教育"求真"、"究理"的思想障碍。为此,在新时代构建中国特色话语体系的背景下,我们亟须回归古典儒家的"志道"初衷,秉持"尊德性而道问学"的教育逻辑,发扬"一以贯之"的方法论旨趣,重振古典儒家具备人类"公共"、"共由"品格的"求道"精神在现代"文教"与"师教"实践中的价值指引作用,使之成为现代中国"讲理公民"普遍养成和"现代科学"自然生发的互补进路,从而为中国文化复兴和科学繁荣奠定可靠的教育哲学基石。

In traditional Chinese culture,Daoism indicates a value with the meaning of"noumenon"or"truth,"and a core concept defining the ideal of"aspiring after Daoism"from classical Confucianism.The so-called"respecting virtue and learning from Daoism"from the Doctrine of the Mean not only reveals the teleology of"virtue"(practice)and the methodology of"pursuing knowledge"(acquiring knowledge)in Confucian education,but also becomes two approaches to"practicing Daoism"inherited by post-Confucianism.Practicing Daoism in essence lies in"being taught by Daoism"and"treating Daoism as a teacher."However,to strengthen the political influence of Confucianism in the reconstruction of feudal order,post-Confucianism degraded this orthodoxy from the"natural law"to"moral rules"and then to the"law of majestas,"thus transforming Confucian scholars in personality from independent"gentlemen aspiring after Daoism"to"Confucians serving as officials"joining the ruling class by attaching themselves to dignitaries,but resulting in such educational diseases as the separation between"words and Daoism"and between"teachers and Daoism."Thus,the focus of Confucian education gradually shifted from the internal doctrine of"practicing Daoism"to the external doctrine of"preaching Daoism."In the meantime,post-Confucians’cognitive deviations to"Daoism/virtue",such as emptiness,generalization,marginalization,materialization and personalization,became a long-term ideological obstacle restricting Chinese education in pursuit of truth and reasoning.Therefore,in the background of"building a discourse system with Chinese characteristics"in the new era,we need to return to the original intention of"aspiring after Daoism"by classical Confucianism,adhere to the educational logic of"respecting virtue and learning from Daoism,"carry forward the methodology of"consistency,"and in modern"culture and education"and"teacher education"revitalize the spirit of"seeking Daoism"by classical Confucians following universally acknowledged doctrines so as to make modern"culture and education"and"teacher education"a complementary approach to the universal cultivation of"reasonable citizens"and the natural development of"modern science"in modern China,thus laying a reliable foundation of educational philosophy for the revival of Chinese culture and the prosperity of science.