民初新式知识分子重释“天下兴亡匹夫有责”论

A Reinterpretation of“The Rise and Fall of the Nation Concerns Everyone”by the New Intellectuals in the Early Years of the Republic of China

民初一些知识分子以报刊为阵地大声疾呼并努力诠释“天下兴亡匹夫有责”。他们赋予此一流行话语以时代新义,其中“天下”与“国家”由异趋同聚合为近代共和国,而“匹夫”则由传统臣民一跃而为近代国民。“天下”与“匹夫”的关系遂转变为国家与国民的新关系。而近代语境下的“匹夫有责”的“责”则凸显为自觉弘扬中华民族传统优秀道义精神,视其为天赋人权精神中应有之义,具体外现为职责、责任、良心与诚信等道德素养,蕴含着浓郁的政治文化与社会文化等价值诉求。这从一个侧面透露出“天下兴亡匹夫有责”渐成中国近代爱国主义的代名词。

During the early years of the Republic of China,some intellectuals used newspapers as a platform to passionately advocate for and interpret the idea that“The rise and fall of the nation concerns everyone.”They infused this popular saying with a new meaning.In their reinterpretation,the concepts of“the world”and“the nation”transformed into a convergence representing the Republic of China.Similarly,the term“everyone”transitioned from traditional subjects to modern citizens.As a result,the relationship between“the world”and“everyone”transformed into a new relationship between the nation and its citizens.In the context of the modern era,the sense of“concerns”in the saying became prominent in consciously promoting the traditional noble spirit of the Chinese nation,manifested in moral qualities such as duty,responsibility,conscience,and integrity.This reinterpretation also encompassed rich political and social cultural values.In many ways,it reveals how the saying gradually became synonymous with patriotism in modern China.