荀子“天人并立”思想诠说

Xunzi’s Thought of "Coexistence of Tian(天)and Man"

"究天人之际"系中国古代思想史的永恒母题。荀子的思想大厦亦以其天人论为根基。荀子认为:"天道有常",不以人的意志为转移,但人可"制天命而用之",实现人的自我长养,进而通过践行礼义而成为圣贤,在德性人格上达到"与天地参"的境界。荀子的天人论是"天人之分"与天人相系的辩证统一,既反对畏天、慕天、"错人而思天",又反对"天人二分",人定胜天,让天与人的价值皆得以彰显,避免了天与人的"互役",形成友好型伙伴关系,可谓之"天人并立"。荀子在《天论》篇中完成了"天人并立"思想的逻辑证成,并将其贯穿于"性恶论"(自然维度)和"礼论"(文化维度)之中,成为荀子天人论的思想内核。本文通过分析天论、性恶论和礼论中的人学意蕴,让"天人并立"这一伟大思想显豁起来,从而让我们对荀子思想有一个更加深刻系统的把握。

The exploration of the relationship between Tian(天)and man is an eternal theme in the history of Chinese thought.Xunzi’s thought is also based on it.Xunzi believes that Tian(天)does not depend on people’s will,but people can make use of Tian(天).So that they can realize self-cultivation,and then become sages through the practice of rites and righteousness,and reach the realm of"being involved with Tian(天)"in virtue and personality.Xunzi’s theory of Tian(天)and man is a dialectical unity,both against fear and desire of Tian(天),against"give up manpower to admire Tian(天)";against the dichotomy between Tian(天)and man.Therefore,it may avoid the contradiction between Tian(天)and man and finally to form a friendly and harmonious coexistence.Xunzi completed the logical proof of the thought of"coexistence of Tian(天)and man"in the chapter"Theory of Tian(天)",and put it through the"evil human nature"(natural dimension)and the"theory of rites"(cultural dimension),which became the core of Xunzi’s theory of Tian(天)and man.By analyzing the human implication of the theory of Tian(天),evil human nature and the theory of rites,this paper makes the great thought of"coexistence of Tian(天)and man"open and clear,so that we can have a more profound and systematic understanding of Xunzi’s thought.