《中庸》天命性情的流转与诗化哲学

Man and Nature in The Doctrine of the Mean and Poetic Philosophy

《中庸》为人设置了一个崇高而富有诗意的来源——“天命之谓性”,所以,他是天民,拥有天爵,具有赤子之心,率直之性,他志在圣贤,树立了圣洁的信仰。其“中”与“庸”就是“忠”与“恕”的展开,《中庸》从方方面面围绕着“中立而不倚”“和而不流”展开了人性之美的讨论。鸢飞鱼跃,溥博源泉。其合外内之道而成人成己,“小德川流,大德敦化”之万物并育而不相害的人生理想,其道并行而不相悖,“肫肫其仁,渊渊其渊,浩浩其天”的博大胸怀,其上天之载,知微之显,无声无臭而化成天下的人伦理想,都是从“诚”的灵明之中开出。于是,“维天之命,於穆不已”,“不显惟德,百辟其刑之”,最后推向了天道人道混融、天地万物一体的天人理想、社会理想和政治理想。它是一首浪漫的诗,更是一首优美的歌,虽然来自上古的苍茫,却至今仍有巨大的思想感召力。

Zhong Yong(The Doctrine of the Mean)postulates a lofty and poetic origin for the human,i.e.,“what Heaven confers is called nature.”Therefore,his nature is forthright.The idea of Zhong(moderation)and Yong(mediocrity)are from“loyalty”and“forgiveness,”the key thoughts of Confucius.Zhong Yong discusses the beauty of human nature from various aspects around“standing erect in the middle without inclining to either side,”and“cultivating a friendly harmony without being weak.”His ideal of life lies in“perfecting himself and others in ways by which the inner and outer are merged.”His ideal of human relations lies in fulfilling nature’s functions.The base of the theory is on“sincerity.”The final ideality is the merge together between Tiandao(the way of Heaven)and Rendao(the way of human).This is a glamorous poem from the ancient times,which still has great philosophical appeal in the contemporary era.