天人感应与灾异天谴:传统中国自然与政治的逻辑关联及历史面相

Theory of Interaction between Heaven and Humanity and Deity Punishment Theory: Logical Relationship and Historical Presentation between Nature and Politics in Traditional Chinese Society

传统中国的天人感应与灾异天谴在一定程度上蕴涵着自然与政治的逻辑关联。自然与政治的神学想象肇始于五帝时代,成熟于先秦社会,先秦社会的政治祭祀与自然变化相互对应。自从"天"的"自然"意义被发现和确立以后,先秦儒家(孔、孟、荀)、道家(老、庄)分别以"以人合天"、"以天合人"为根据对自然与政治的关系进行逻辑塑造。到了汉代,汉儒董仲舒集"四权"于一体,建构出试图使人君"戒惧"的"天人感应与灾异天谴"理论。这一理论的神性色彩虽然没有以前浓郁,但一直沉浸在传统中国的历史记忆之中。从"汉诏多惧词"到雍正"假天道以推政事",历史地映照了天人感应与灾异天谴的理论价值性与历史局限性,由此展现了传统中国自然与政治的逻辑关联及其历史面相,为审视和反思现代社会敬畏自然、尊重自然、保护自然提供了广阔的历史空间。

To some extent, the theory of interaction between heaven(Tian) and humanity(Ren) and the deity punishment theory(which holds that natural catastrophes are punishment from heaven) imply the logical relationship between nature and politics. The theological imagination of nature and politics began in the Era of the Five Emperors and matured in the Pre-Qin Period. In Pre-Qin period, sacrificial activities in political life corresponded with natural changes.Since 'heaven' was identified and determined to be 'nature', Pre-Qin Confucian scholars(Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi)and Taoists(Laotzu and Chuangtzu) tried to define the logical relationship between nature and politics. The former emphasized 'man’s adaptation to the law of nature', while the latter emphasized 'using law of nature to benefit mankind'.In the Han Dynasty, Dong Zhongshu made the theory of the interaction between heaven and humanity his central theme.The emperor is heaven’s ambassador on earth, and natural catastrophes such as floods and droughts are heaven’s way of warning the emperor to examine his personal conduct and correct his mistakes. Although this theory had less divine implications as previous ones, it had long-lasting and profound influence on traditional Chinese society. 'The imperial edicts in the West Han Dynasty were fraught with words of fright' and Emperor Yongzheng 'publicized and implemented political policies in the name of Way of Heaven(Tian Dao)'. All these reflected the theoretical value and historical limitation of the theory of the interaction between heaven and humanity and the deity punishment theory, and revealed the logical relationship between nature and politics in traditional Chinese society and its historical presentation, thus providing a broad historical space for us to examine and reflect on the notion of revering nature, respecting nature and protecting nature in modern society.