罗汝芳乡约的良知学内涵及其社会化实践新探

An analysis of Luo Rufang’s community rules and their enforcement from the perspective of Conscience

明代乡约作为儒学的社会化实践方式,在良知学的影响下呈现出新的面貌。阳明学者罗汝芳订立的乡约以正面启发、唤醒人人皆有的良知为目标,借助展示良知、亲子之爱、礼乐仪式的实践方式,秉承着从容自然、平等亲切且富有内在韵律美感的原则,将儒学的引导功能和实践本怀展现出来。其约不但最大限度地避免了既有乡约以强制手段进行道德审判、惩戒、教条灌输等问题,也兼容了乡约的自治自发与官方的圣谕宣讲,使得觉民与得君之间得以融通。罗汝芳乡约反映出儒者社会化实践的本质始终是着眼于具体真实的生命存在及其现实处境,这不但是乡约得以长久实施的内在依据,也是儒家之“仁”超越时空差异的不变内核,在当今时代仍具有深刻的现实意义。

Based on Confucian values,community rules in the Ming Dynasty were distinguished by the influence of Conscience.Luo Rufang,a figure in Yangming School,set up community rules aiming to awaken everyone’s innate knowledge of the Good.The rules demonstrated Confucian functions of guidance and care by presenting conscience,parental love and music in a fair and inclusive environment.They minimized the problems of moral judgment,discipline,and dogmatic indoctrination by coercive means;meanwhile these rules written for autonomy were also compatible with the moral education by royal government,thus bridging the gap between enlightening the public(觉民)and persuading the Emperor(得君).Luo’s community rules showed that the tenets of Confucianism focus on one’s real life and their given situation.This explains the effectiveness of the rules implementation.More importantly,it shows that“benevolence”,the core value of Confucianism,can transcend time and space.This study sheds light on the social governance in China today.