道器形上学新论

The Metaphysics of Dao and Qi: A New Perspective

在中国的“形上学”传统中,“道器”说是比“无有”观和“理气”论更基本的思想图式。奠基于三代的器物文化,从工器到礼器,从货币到文字,从事人到敬神,无不体现古典文明的悠远、博厚与高明。所谓“道”即在形器上附着并发展出来的意义及观念系统,它呈现在形态不同的变换之中。即器问道,既可以揭示不同器类对塑造生活秩序的不同意义,还可以从同一器类的功能变化透视意义的历史变迁。儒家的修史与道家的谈玄,也得在春秋时代礼崩、乐坏、器乱的背景下得到理解。从有形的器感知、掌握无形的道,在历史的原野上寻找文明的路径,勘察意义的地图,正是道器形上学的使命。

In China’s metaphysical tradition,the theory of “Dao and Qi”is a more basic thinking schema than the conception of “Nothingness-Beingness”and the theory of “Li-Qi”. Based on the three generations of artifact culture,from artifacts to ritual vessels,from currency to characters,from serving people to worshipping gods,all of them reflect the long,broad and brilliant classical civilization of China. The so-called “Dao”refers to the meaning and conceptual system attached to and developed from the artifacts. It appears in the transformation of different models. Persuing Dao through artifacts can not only reveal the different meanings of different kinds of artifacts in shaping life order,but also have an insight into the historical changes of meanings from the functional changes of the same kind of artifacts. The history compiling of Confucianism and the discussion of metaphysics of Daoism must also be understood in the context of the ceremony disintegration in the Spring and Autumn Period. It is the mission of the metaphysics of Dao to perceive and grasp the invisible Dao from the tangible artifacts,find the path of civilization in the historical field,and survey the map of significance.