简论《尚书》性质定位

A Brief Discussion on the Essential Content of the Shu Jing

在历史中,对《尚书》性质定位的有两种学说,一种认为《尚书》道事,一种认为《尚书》记言。前者发端于《庄子·天下篇》“《书》以道事”,盛行于先秦与西汉;另外一种起源于《礼记·玉藻》,经过刘歆、郑玄等人的创造发展出了“言为《尚书》”的说法,盛行其后。“言为《尚书》”说法影响深远但又存在缺陷,因而在历史中引发了跨世纪的辩论,如清儒对唐人刘知几的驳斥、当代学者金景芳对汉学刘歆的批评。经过辨析,“言为《尚书》”实为方便说法,“道事”系列说法更符合《尚书》本质内容的定位。

In history,there are two theories that define the content of the Shu Jing,one is that,the Book is telling the affairs,and the other is that the Book records the words.The former.originated in the Tianxia Chap-ter of Zhuangzi"the Shu Jing is tlling affairs"',and flourished in the pre-Qin and Western Han Dynasties;The other originated from the Yuzao Chap-ter of the Book of Rites,and after the creation of Liu Xin,Zheng Xuan and the others,it became popular as"Yan is the Shu Jing".The far-reach-ing but flawed argument"Yan is the Shu Jing"has sparked cross--century de-bates in history,such as Qing dynasty's Confucianism's refutation of Liu Zhi-ji of the Tang Dynasty and contemporary scholar Jin Jingfang's criticism of Liu Xin of the Han dynasty.After analysis,"Yan is the Shu Jing"is actu-ally a indicative:statement,and the series of"the Book is telling the af-fairs"is more in line with the definition of the essential content of the Shu Jing.