对“无”的想象:从老庄到玄学

The Imagination of“Nothingness”:From Laozi and Zhuangzi to Metaphysics

道学是中国古典哲学的核心论域,它经历了分别以道器、有无与理气为标志性范畴的三个阶段。从先秦道家到魏晋玄学,不管是老子的“有生于无”、庄子的“以道(无)观之(物)”,还是王弼的“以无为本”,要义都是以“无”论道。三者虽然在宇宙论、世界观或本体论上的侧重点有所不同,但都以“有无”模式取代“道器”结构,从而共同把道论推向形而上学的新高峰。抽象的“无”不是经验的事实,而是想象力的杰作。中国哲学中“无”的意义,必须同中国文化的精神取向与成就联系在一起。

Taoism is the core domain of classical Chinese philosophy,which has gone through three stages characterized by the categories of Tao and instruments,being and non-being,and reason and vital energy.From the pre-Qin Taoist school to the metaphysics of the Wei and Jin dynasties,whether it is Laozi’s“existence gives birth to non-existence”,Zhuangzi’s“viewing things through the Tao(non-existence)”,or Wang Bi’s“taking non-existence as the foundation”,the essence is to discuss the Tao through the concept of“non-existence”.Although the focus of the three is different in terms of cosmology,worldview,or ontology,the“being and non-being”pattern replaces the“Tao and instruments”structure,and together they push the discussion of Tao to a new peak of metaphysics.The abstract“non-existence”is not an empirical fact but a masterpiece of imagination.The significance of“nonexistence”in Chinese philosophy must be linked with the spiritual orientation and achievements of Chinese culture.