民本与人性:“民可使由之不可使知之”新解

People-oriented and Human Nature:A new Interpretation of“People Can Make It,Not Know It”

学界对“民可使由之不可使知之”之释义渐有趋同之势,但仍有分歧。实际上,“不可使知之”句中的“知”当作“知晓”解,不宜破读。此“知”字之意涵和《墨子·经上》对“知”的定义相同,在与“民可使由之”相对立的语境中,“不可使知之”句中的“知”含有采取强力手段或空洞说教使人知晓的含义。“民可使由之”句肯定了民智足以知“道”、人性之向善,“不可使知之”句若含有“民愚”之义,则与之矛盾。因此,此章反映了孔子基于民智与人性的深刻治国思想,与孔子的民本思想一以贯之,既无“民愚”背景,也无“愚民”思想。

This article analyzes four representative explanations seen in recent years,and holds that zhi(知)in the sentence of bukeshi zhizhi(不可使知之)should be interpreted as know and should not be a interchangeable word.It also analyzes the word zhi in the Analects of Confucius and the definition of zhi in“jingshang”经上of Mozi墨子,and holds that in the context opposite to minkeshi youzhi(民可使由之),the zhi in the sentence of bukeshizhizhi contains the meaning of making people know by means of strong means or empty preaching.The sentence minkeshi youzhi affirms that the people's wisdom is enough to know the Tao and the goodness of human nature.If the sentence bukeshizhizhi contains the meaning of“the people are stupid”(民愚),the two sentences are contradictory.Therefore,this chapter reflects Confucius'profound thought of governing the country based on the wisdom of the people and human nature,it is consistent with Confucius'people-oriented thought.There is neither the background of“fooling the people”(愚民),nor the thought of“the people are stupid”.