老子思想研究的文本依据:观念及其原则

The Textual Basis for Laozi’s Thought Study:Concepts and Principles

当代学界仍以王弼本或河上公本作为研究老子思想的主要文本依据,这造成了通行本与出土古本的严重脱节。陈旧过时的文本观念应当放弃,切合实际的新文本观念应当得到承认和推广。早期《老子》文本是在不断发展、变化的,在西汉它经历了一个经典化的过程,汉简本和通行本篇章数的设定均以天道观的数理为依据;《老子》分章的首要依据是文义,阅读、理解和引用《老子》应当以原子分章为基础。王弼本和河上公已严重失真,直接影响了人们对于《老子》章义、文义及其思想的理解。出土简帛本近古、近真,文本更为优质,但综合多重因素来看,汉简本最具代表性。应当以汉简本作为研究老子思想的主要文本依据。研究老子思想应当遵循三个原则,即以汉简本为主要依据,以原子分章为依据,以及全面检讨和反省通行本《老子》及王弼注和河上公注。应当通过实践,形成《老子》文本的新共识。

Contemporary scholarship still uses Wang Bi or He Shanggong’s version as the main or only textual basis for Laozi’s thought study,which results in a serious disconnect between the prevailing version and the excavated ancient versions.Thus,the old and outdated textual concepts should be abandoned,while new and practical ones should be recognized and promoted.The early text of Laozi is constantly evolving and changing,going through a process of classification in the Western Han Dynasty.The number of chapters in both Han bamboo-slip edition and the prevailing edition is set on the basis of the mathematical and theoretical view of the Way of Heaven.The primary basis for the chapter division is the“text meaning”,while the reading,understanding and quoting of Laozi should be built on the basis of“atomic chapter division”.Wang and He’s versions have been seriously distorted,which directly affects people’s understanding of Laozi’s chapter meaning,textual meaning and its thought.The four unearthed slips and silk book versions are more ancient and authentic,and the texts are of higher quality,while Han bamboo-slip edition is the most representative of all on the basis of combined factors,which should be used as the main textual basis.This paper concludes that the study of Laozi’s thought should be based on the three principles:Firstly,to use the Han version as the main textual basis.Secondly,to use“atomic chapter division”as the basis.lastly,to comprehensively review and reflect the defects of the prevailing version of Laozi,as well as Wang’s and He’s commentaries.A new consensus on the text of Laozi should be formed through practice and promotion.