周代“百家之学”的古今观照与综合比较

The“Learning of Various Schools of Thought”in Zhou Dynasty:Ancient and Modern Observation and a Comprehensive Comparison

东周时期,周天子被完全架空,封建诸侯拥有全独立的自治权。适应诸侯国发展壮大、称霸天下的需要,提供强国之道的诸子学说应运而生,彼此的自由论辩形成了“百家争鸣”的灿烂景观。至战国后期,一部分学派追根寻源,将自己学派的始祖追溯到西周之初,产生了《太公六韬》《鬻子》这样的子书;另一部分思想家则最早对“百家之学”作出比较与评判,在综合权衡中阐说自家的思想主张,如《庄子》《荀子》《吕氏春秋》。由是观之,依据对周代子书个案的全面研究,删繁就简,提纲挈领,我们可对周代诸子百家的代表人物和论著的思想要点、逻辑结构、传承脉络作纵横兼顾的系统概括和现代阐释,这对人们整体把握诸子学说的精义和百家争鸣的状况颇富参考的意义。

During the Eastern Zhou Dynasty(770 BC-256 BC),the kings of Zhou were made a mere figurehead,and the feudal vassals had complete autonomy.Various schools of thought came into being to meet the needs of the vassal states to grow and dominate the world,and to provide a way to strengthen the states.Their free debate brought about a splendid landscape of the“contention of a hundred schools of thought.”By the late Warring States Period(475 BC-221 BC),some schools traced their founders back to the beginning of the Western Zhou Dynasty(c.11th century-771 BC),resulting in such books as Six Secret Teachings of Jiang Shang(《太公六韬》)and Yuzi(《鬻子》Master Yu).Another group of thinkers first compared and made commentary on the learning of various schools of thought,and expounded their own ideas in comprehensive comparison,such as Zhuangzi(《庄子》),Xunzi(《荀子》)and Mister Lv’s Spring and Autumn Annals(《吕氏春秋》).Based on a comprehensive study of the works of ancient philosophers other than those of Confucius of the Zhou Dynasty,we can make a systematic summary and modern interpretation of the key points of their thoughts,the logical structure and historical inheritance of the representative figures and works of the Hundred Schools of Thought in Zhou Dynasty,which is of great reference for people to grasp the essence of various schools of thought and the situation of the contention of a hundred schools of thought.