Cui Cunming | the classicization of Xunzi and the Confucian Spring and Autumn

Guangming Daily, January 30, 2012

In the history of Confucianism, before the Han Dynasty, Meng Xun was also known, and after the Tang and Song Dynasties, Xun Xun was deposed, and XunZi gradually disappeared into the depths of history. Therefore, restoring Xunzi's original academic status and grasping the ideological characteristics of Xunzi advancing with the times is an important guarantee for us to accurately grasp the essence of Confucian thought today and provide a factor full of vitality and vitality for the current cultural development. This article takes Xunzi and the Confucian "Spring and Autumn" as the starting point, and re-demonstrates the important role played by Xunzi in the process of carrying forward Confucianism in the form of case studies, in order to see a small understanding of the book and make a new attempt for the return to the basics of Xunzi thought research.

Confirmation of the classic status of "Spring and Autumn"

Xunzi was the first thinker in Confucius post-Confucianism to incorporate Spring and Autumn and Yi into the Confucian classical system. The Xunzi Sketch says: "The liturgical one, the end of the world, always corresponding... "Yi" said: 'What is the blame for returning to one's own way?' "Spring and Autumn" Xianmu Gong, thinking that he could change it. Through this material, we can find that Xunzi used "Spring and Autumn" and "Yi" as classic references when discussing his own views. According to the available materials, "Poems", "Books", "Rituals", and "Music" as Confucian classics have basically become a consensus at the time of Xunzi; and the combination of "Yi" and "Spring and Autumn" together with the first four classics to form the concept of the Six Classics is the initiative of Xunzi. It was from Xunzi that he began to incorporate "Spring and Autumn" and "Yi" into the Confucian classic system, completing the transformation of the Six Arts of Confucianism into the Six Classics. Therefore, the classic status of "Spring and Autumn", as one of the Six Classics, has naturally been established.

Xun Zina's Yi and Spring and Autumn classics were incorporated into the Confucian classic system, and while establishing the concept of the Six Classics, they also made a clear positioning and division of labor for the unique role of each sutra in the Six Classics system. In this way, the Six Classics formed an organic system of mutual conditions, and the Spring and Autumn Classics also received a clear classical positioning in this organic system. The Xunzi Persuasion has a saying: "Therefore, the study ends with the "Ritual", and the husband is said to be the extreme of morality." The Honorific Text of the "Li", the "Music" and the "Harmony", the "Poetry" and the "Book" of the Boye, the "Spring and Autumn" of the Micro- also, between heaven and earth, those who are biyi. Xun Zi takes the spirit and requirements of the Rites as the ultimate destination here, and discusses the unique educational functions of each of the Six Classics from the perspective of learning, and through the systematic education of the Six Classics, the learner will reach the "moral pole" "between heaven and earth". From this point of view, each of the Six Classics has an irreplaceable role as an integral part of the entire Six Classics system, so the classical status of each sutra has been highlighted. In Xunzi Confucian Effect, Xunzi reconfirms and argues again the division of labor between the Six Classics in the Confucian classical system: "The words of the Poems are its Zhiye; the Words of the Book are its deeds; the Words of the Rites are their deeds; the Words of The Music are their sums; and the Words of the Spring and Autumn Period are their subtleties." ”

In this way, on the one hand, Xunzi combined the "Spring and Autumn" with other classics, confirmed the classic status of the "Spring and Autumn" as the other four classics, and also established the concept of the Six Confucian Classics; on the other hand, he also incorporated the "Spring and Autumn" into the system of Confucian classical education, and assumed an indispensable and important responsibility, calling it "the micro of "Spring and Autumn", which strengthened the identity of "Spring and Autumn" as a Confucian classic.

The transcendence of the concept of the "Spring and Autumn" sectarian law

Just as Sima Qian's "Chronology of the Twelve Princes of History" said: "Xun Qing, Mencius, Gongsun Gu, and Han Fei's disciples each often wrote the "Spring and Autumn" text as a book, which was invincible", Xunzi combined with the needs of the times, creatively applied the "Spring and Autumn" text, and extracted views that suited the requirements of the times, so that the "Spring and Autumn" completed the development of advancing with the times. On the one hand, this development is reflected in the philosophical summarization of traditional propositions by Xunzi in combination with the requirements of the times; on the other hand, it is reflected in the use of the theme concept of the times to transcend the traditional concept of the sectarian law.

"Xunzi DaLuo" Yun: "Spring and Autumn" is the result of Xunzi combining the themes of the times and philosophically summarizing the ideas of various "Spring and Autumn" in combination. This proposition is the result of a philosophical summary of the historical events of "Xia, Qihou and Weihou Xu were ordered by Pu" contained in the "Three Years of the Duke of Huan in Spring and Autumn", and its meaning is to affirm that Qi and Wei erguo abided by the principle of good faith in their diplomatic activities. The reason why Xunzi wants to theoretically summarize this historical record and make it a philosophical point of view that teaches everyone to talk about honesty is because in the last years of the Warring States period in which Xunzi lived, the social disorder of "libid and happy" that began in the early Spring and Autumn period has lasted for hundreds of years, and the reconstruction of social order is imminent, and under a benign social order, the concept of integrity is undoubtedly an important core value. Therefore, Xunzi combined with the theme of the times needs to theoretically improve this historical event.

The important significance of Xun Zi's refinement of the philosophical proposition of "Spring and Autumn" is to achieve the transcendence of the traditional "Spring and Autumn" concept of the "Spring and Autumn" sect under the goal of solving the problems of the times. We can grasp this characteristic from The specific refinement process of XunZi's proposition of "Spring and Autumn" Shanxu Life. Compared with the original text of the "Spring and Autumn And Huan Gong Three Years": "Xia, Qihou and Weihou Xu were ordered by Pu", we can find that Xunzi made a theoretical summary of the original historical materials in the form of indirect quotations. If we analyze it in conjunction with the interpretations of the "Biography of the Ram" and the "Biography of The Grain Liang", we will find that the theoretical refinement of Xunzi is actually the result of digesting and absorbing the explanatory views of the "Tale of the Ram" and the "Tale of the Grain Liang". The Ram Biography explains this historical material as follows: "Who is the one who lives?" Reciprocal fate also. What's the point? Nearly positive also. What is this near? The ancients are not allied, and they retreat from the word. The explanation of the "Biography of the Ram" is basically an affirmation of the integrity of both the Qi and Wei sides. The "Biography of The Grain Liang" also holds a similar view: "Xu Zhi believes in words and orders, and retreats from words, thinking that it is for the sake of the ancients." One must come first. Why is it said in faith? Do not take the Qi Hou order to defend Hou Ye. It can be seen from this that Xun Zi said that "Spring and Autumn" is a good life", which is to absorb the small words and meanings of the ancients that "words are believed" jointly expounded from the "Spring and Autumn" and "Gu Liang Biography", and make further theoretical generalizations.

Therefore, with regard to the historical material contained in the "Three Years of Spring and Autumn And Huan Gong", "Xia, Qihou and Wei houxu were destined to be in Pu", "Spring and Autumn" made a factual description from the perspective of historical records; "The Biography of the Ram" and the "Biography of The Grain Liang" laid out this historical event from the perspective of expounding "small words and great righteousness", affirmed the honest behavior of both Qi and Wei, and made a value judgment; Xun Zi took the position of "The Biography of the Ram" and the "Biography of The Grain Liang", synthesized the ideas of each school, and made a philosophical summary. In this way, Xun Zi used the theme consciousness of the times to transcend the concept of the door school law, developed the Confucian "Spring and Autumn" thought with the times, and promoted the classicization of the Confucian "Spring and Autumn".

The enrichment and development of the theoretical attributes of "Spring and Autumn"

In the process of collecting and using the relevant contents of the Confucian "Spring and Autumn", Xunzi enriched and developed the "meaning of the "Spring and Autumn" that Confucius attached importance to, and further summarized it as "the micro of the "Spring and Autumn"" (春秋). In this way, on the basis of Confucius's "Spring and Autumn" thought, the basic characteristics of "Spring and Autumn" expressing "small words and great righteousness" have been further formed. This theoretically strengthens the nature of the Spring and Autumn as a Confucian classic.

Mencius Leaves Louxia says: "The traces of the king are extinguished and the Poems die, and the Poems die and then the Spring and Autumn Period is composed." Jin Zhi's "Multiplication", Chu's "Han Zhuo", Lu Zhi's "Spring and Autumn", Yi Ye: its affairs are Qi Huan, Jin Wen, and its Wen is history. Confucius said: 'Its righteousness is stolen by the hill'. Here, taking the "Matter of Qi Huan and Jin Wen" as an example, Mencius, on the basis of inheriting Confucius's thought, expounded the depth reached by Confucian "Spring and Autumn" thought from two levels: first, from the perspective of general events, the historical record is carried out for the reference of future generations; second, in the name of Confucius, praise and depreciation are made and value judgments are made. These are the two levels of Confucian Spring and Autumn thought as understood by Mencius. Xun Zi made a further in-depth analysis on this basis, incorporated the Spring and Autumn into the Confucian Six Classics system for reference and comparison, and put forward the philosophical proposition of "the micro of the Spring and Autumn". As the Xunzi Confucian Effects says: "The words of the Poems are its Zhiye; the Words of the Book are its deeds; the Words of the Rites are its deeds; the words of the Music are its harmony; and the Words of the Spring and Autumn Period are its subtleties." This is the third level of philosophical meaning given to "Spring and Autumn" on the basis of the value judgment characterized by praise and depreciation. Xun Zi used the "micro of "Spring and Autumn" to elevate the "meaning of "Spring and Autumn" to the height of philosophy, which undoubtedly enhanced the theoretical depth of "Spring and Autumn" as a Confucian classic.

Regarding the actual effect of the "micro of "Spring and Autumn" proposed by Xunzi, we can analyze the treatment of the Confucian Five Hegemons of Spring and Autumn from the book "Xunzi". "Xunzi Zhongni": "The door of Zhongni, the five-foot vertical son is ashamed to call the five uncles." Why? A: Yes. Pi Cheng can be ashamed to call it also. This discussion shows that before Xunzi, Confucian scholars only euphemistically expressed their denial of the so-called "five hegemons" represented by Qi Huangong in the form of "shame". This is a typical Confucius-style value judgment that goes to the point. However, Xun Zi bluntly stated that "Pi Cheng can be ashamed to call it also". In this way, Xunzi clearly revealed the "great meaning of the subtle words (implicitly) of the Spring and Autumn Five Hegemons" given by Confucius in a subtle way. This shows that Xunzi's "Spring and Autumn" micro-improvement of Confucius's "Spring and Autumn" theory, while also has operability in practice.

To sum up, in the process of "collecting the texts of the Spring and Autumn Period" to write a book", Xun Zi chose and applied the "Spring and Autumn" doctrine in accordance with the "meaning of the Spring and Autumn" advocated by Confucius, which not only avoided the phenomenon of "saying different things from the crowd" of each school, transcended the narrow concept of the door school law with the awareness of the theme of the times, and while confirming the classic status of the Spring and Autumn, he also made a philosophical summary of the "Spring and Autumn" righteous law in practice, put forward the proposition of "the micro of the Spring and Autumn", and enhanced the theoretical attribute of the "Spring and Autumn" as a Confucian classic. After that, through his own lectures, Xunzi enabled himself to widely disseminate the rich "Spring and Autumn" ideas developed in combination with the characteristics of the times, further promoting the process of "Spring and Autumn" becoming a Confucian classic, and laying the foundation for the "Three Transmissions of "Spring and Autumn" after the Han Dynasty to become Confucian classics.

(Author Affilications:Beijing Institute of Printing)