民兴于仁:中国传统最早庶民治理的理论与实践——《论语·里仁篇》的法典化解释

Township Autonomy,the Earliest Theory and Practice of Common People’s Autonomy in Chinese Tradition——The Codification Interpretation of The Analects of Confucius

孔子仁学提出以庶民社会有耻且格,进而乡里自治使民兴于仁来克服政治社会的礼崩乐坏。《论语》综合阐释孔子仁学应对春秋礼崩乐坏的系统性策略,提出以重塑美德、政治改革、礼乐革新、乡里自治为中心的全面革新。《里仁篇》提出乡里自治的基本宗旨、治理的基本原则、所要实现的目标人格,以及所需要实行的权变和不变策略,使得上述革新具有现实可能性和全面促进内在大人人格的实现,由此克服礼崩乐坏带来的消极影响,重塑安身立命之道,这一自治思想主导之后的中华传统。

Confucius’ theory of benevolence proposed that the social problem of collapse of the rites and music system can be overcome by educating the commoners to have a sense of shame and self-discipline and abide by the right path and by establishing township autonomy where people practice benevolence willingly.The Analects comprehensively explains the systematic strategy of Confucius’ benevolence to deal with the collapse of rites and music in the spring and Autumn period,and puts forward a comprehensive innovation centered on reshaping virtue,political reform,rites and music innovation and township autonomy.Chapter Four of the book puts forward the basic purpose of township autonomy,the basic principles of governance,the target personality to be achieved,and the contingency and invariable strategies to be implemented.This makes the above innovation realistic and comprehensively promotes the realization of the internal adult personality,so as to eliminate the negative impact of ritual collapse and reshape the way to settle down.This autonomy thought had dominated the later Chinese tradition.