再造传统——晚周诸子对“民之父母”观念的重构与反思

Rebuilding Tradition-The Scholars'Reconstruction of and Refelction on the Concept of"Parents of the People"in Late Zhou Dynasty

“民之父母”观念是中国古代重要的政治传统。该观念的产生当不晚于殷周之际,盛行于两周,蕴含道德伦理与礼乐文明的价值诉求。“民之父母”观念体现了家国同构政治体制下通过拟血缘思维方式,实现公共权力正当性话语的构建。迨至晚周,诸子百家争鸣,赋予“民之父母”观念新内涵,呈现出维新与革新两种进路,推动政治文化传统的创新性发展。经过晚周诸子的重构与反思,“民之父母”观念保持恒久的生命力,它不仅延续至今,而且其所蕴含德治、民本与法治的核心价值也为国家治理体系和治理能力现代化赋予深厚的历史文化底蕴。

The concept of"parents of the people"is an important political tradition in ancient China.This concept emerged no later than the time between Yin and Zhou and prevailed in the Zhou Dynasty,containing the value appeal of moral ethics and ritual civilization.The concept of"parents of the people"reflects the construction of the legitimate discourse of public power through the quasi-blood thinking mode under the home-state isomorphism political system.In late Zhou Dynasty,various schools of thought contended,giving new connotation to the concept of"parents of the people",presenting two approaches of restoration and innovation,and promoting the innovative development of political and cultural traditions.After the reconstruction and reflection by the scholars in late Zhou Dynasty,the concept of parents of the people has maintained its eternal vitality.It has not only continued to this day,but also contains the core values of rule of virtue,people-orientation and rule of law.It also gives a profound historical and cultural heritage to the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity.