圣创论的图像和形态:社会起源论的中国版本

Imagery and Forms of Creation by the Sages:A Chinese Version of the Theory of the Origins of Society

在人类思想史上,曾出现不同的社会、国家起源论和解释模式,诸如天设论、君权神授论、自发演进论、社会契约论等。除此之外,还有一个很强的可以叫作圣者、先知创建论版本。这主要是中国子学家们建构和塑造出来的版本,是一个具有明显可识别性并能够同其他版本形成突出对比的版本。相比于人们对其他版本的探讨来说,对圣创论这一版本的探寻和追问还比较缺乏。圣创论的历史演变是一个论域,它的整体图像、形态和特性是另一个论域。就后者而展开的探讨和求证,包括了彼此相互关联的一些方面:谁是及何以能够成为创建者;匮乏、强权和混乱的原初状态;文明、政府和国家如何被创建;对比中的圣创论可识别的一些特性;等等。

Throughout intellectual history,there have been different theories and interpretative patterns of the origin of human society and the state,such as the doctrine of creation by the Almighty,the divine right of kings,spontaneous evolution,the social contract,and so forth.In addition,there is a powerful version which can be called creation by the sage.This version was mainly constructed and shaped by Chinese zixue scholars;it can be clearly distinguished and forms a striking contrast with other versions.Compared with the exploration of the other versions,however,the exploration and pursuit of the theory of sagely creation falls short.The historical evolution of this theory has its own domain of discourse,while the whole of its imagery,forms,and characteristics constitute another.The discussion and verification of the latter features contain interconnected issues,including who were the creators of human society and how;the primitive state of scarcity,power,and chaos;how were civilizations,governments and the state created;and the distinguishable features of sagely creation theory compared with other versions.