立政与诚身——儒家“信”德两种含义的分化及其影响

Establish Political Order and Integrity——The change and Influence of the Two Meanings of "Virtue of Honor"

在《论语》中,“信”包括展现在人伦生活中的个人品质与展现在政治生活中的政治品质两层含义,二者在后世分化出两种阐释“信”的思想脉络:思孟一系关注“信”的内在根据,通过与“诚”的勾连,实现形上的提升;荀子和公羊家则强调“信”在政治实践中的重要性,指出“信”是建构秩序最基本的根据。前者深刻影响了后世关于“信”的内涵的认识,但它遮蔽了“信”在政治实践中的意义,降低了“信”的重要性,影响了对经典的解释。厘清两个阐释脉络有助于更为整全地把握“信”的内涵和重要意义,激发在古典思想内部唤醒“信”德的思考。

In the Analects of Confucius,"honor" includes two meanings:personal quality displayed in human relations life and political quality displayed in political life.The two have divided into two ideological contexts to explain "honor" in later generations:Si Meng pays attention to the internal basis of "honor" and realizes metaphysical promotion through linking with "virtue";Xunzi and Gongyangjia emphasized the importance of "honor" in political practice and pointed out that "honor" is the most basic basis for constructing order.The former has deeply influenced the understanding of the connotation of "honor" in later generations,but it obscures the significance of "honor" in political practice,reduces the importance of "honor" and affects the interpretation of classics.Clarifying the two explanatory veins is helpful to grasp the connotation and significance of "honor" more completely,and stimulate the thinking of awakening honor in classical thought.