统一而治殊:论顾炎武的“混合体制论”

Centralized State yet Decentralized Governance:On Gu Yanwu’s Mixed System Theory

顾炎武在《郡县论》中提出一种著名的改革理论,即在郡县制的框架内引入封建制的自治原则,形成“寓封建之意于郡县之中”的混合体制。对于这种混合体制论的意义,当代学者通常把它视为中央与地方关系的理论,或者视为地方分权论或“地方自治论”,认为其目的是在中央集权与地方分权之间实现平衡。本文的观点是,顾炎武的混合体制论不只是中央与地方关系的理论,也不只是地方分权论,还是处理“一统”与“治理”之关系的理论,特别是处理“一统”与“治理”之矛盾的理论,其中的核心思想可以概括为“统一而治殊”。本文的目的是论证这种观点,并进一步探讨“统一而治殊”的内在含义和思想来源及其实现机制和制度条件。

In his book Discourse on Junxian,Gu Yanwu proposed a famous reform theory that introduced the principle of feudal autonomy within the framework of a centralized state,forming a hybrid system of“embedding the spirit of feudalism(fengjian)in the structure of prefectures and counties(junxian)”.Contemporary scholars generally view this mixed system theory as a theory of the relationship between central and local governments or as a theory of local decentralization or“local autonomy”,with the aim of achieving a balance between centralization and decentralization.However,there has been insufficient discussion on the meaning of centralization and decentralization in this mixed system theory,as well as the ways and conditions to achieve a balance between the two.This article argues that Gu Yanwu’s mixed system theory is not only a theory of the relationship between central and local governments,nor is it just a theory of local decentralization,it is also a theory that deals with the relationship between“centralized state”and“governance”,especially the contradiction between the two.The core idea of this theory can be summarized as“centralized state yet decentralized governance”.The purpose of this article is to demonstrate this viewpoint and further explore the underlying meaning and source of the principle of“centralized state yet decentralized governance”,as well as its implementation mechanisms and institutional conditions.This article points out that the principle of“centralized state yet decentralized governance”is reflected to some extent in the traditional governance system and practices in Chinese history,and is also implicitly presented in the reform thoughts in the 1980s in China.This means that the development of historical China and the modernization transformation of contemporary China are,to some extent,unfolding in the process of exploring and dealing with the contradiction between“centralized state”and“governance”.Therefore,Gu Yanwu’s mixed system theory and its underlying principle still have theoretical significance for China’s exploration of the path to modernization.