道家思想与刘向学术

Liu Xiang′s Historiographical Activities and Taoism

刘向是西汉末年的著名学者,他的思想体系和学术体系是在借鉴、吸收诸子各家之长的基础上形成的,而道家思想在其中又占有重要地位。刘向要求则天顺时,强调社会历史的变化、发展。这与道家的天道自然观和辩证法思想有着某种相同、相通之处。刘向对道家无为而治、崇俭抑奢、戒骄重谦等思想也多有推崇、吸纳和改造,力图更好地运用道家学说这一"君人南面之术"来为刘汉皇朝服务。在领校群书过程中,刘向整理了许多道家著作,并在一定程度上肯定了其思想内容和学术价值。本于道家的抱朴守真思想和怀疑态度、批判精神,刘向盛赞并弘扬司马迁的实录精神,在校书撰史时注意求真求实、秉笔直书。刘向对各种旧说的兼收并蓄,也或隐或显地体现了对道家特别是黄老学派包容性、超越性学术风格的继承和发挥。

Liu Xiang was a famous scholar in the late Western Han Dynasty. The system of his thought and academy was formed by incorporating the strong points of many philosophers′ thoughts, among which Taoism was of much consequence. Liu Xiang claimed that mankind should follow natural laws and submit to current situation, and placed emphasis on the change and development of society, an idea which has mach in common with Taoist natural idea and dialectical thought. He supported, absorbed and transformed some Taoist thoughts, such as ruling with inaction and so on, in order to use it to fully serve the emporors in the Western Han Dynasty. In the course of revising the great Chinese classics, he revised many Taoist works and confirmed their thoughts and academic values. Singing high praise of and carrying forward Sima Qian′s factual spirit, Liu Xiang did his best to pursue truth and write frankly when he revised or wrote books. He comprehended a lot of past theories, which showed his inheritance and transcendence of Taoist comprehensive and transcendent academic style.