Abstract: Taking the so-called universal form of Xunzi philosophy as the standard, the establishment and early development of the Confucian Xun school of Middle Way philosophy are discussed—its theoretical form and legitimacy are explained in terms of its appearance and establishment in the pre-Qin period; and its early development (the Two Han Dynasties) explains its historical existence and creative vitality.
Keywords: Confucian Xun School; Middle Way Philosophy; Founding; Early Development
About author: Liu Youming (1955-), a native of Chiayi, Taiwan, graduated from the Department of Engineering Science of National Cheng Kung University (1976), Ph.D. of Chinese Literature, National Chengchi University (1992), and is currently a professor of the Department of Chinese, National Chengchi University, Taiwan. When he was young, he went in and out of Confucianism, Christianity, Buddhism, and psychological analysis, and finally chose Confucianism, and gradually shifted from the Confucian position of Mengxue (Confucianism) to the position of Xunxue (Confucianism). Recent attempts have been made to construct a "contemporary neo-Xun school" and advocate the "contemporary neo-Confucian Xun school". He is the author of books such as "Ma Fu Studies", "Reason in The Qi- A Study of the Ontology of Luo Qinshun Wang Tingxiang Gu Yan Wu Dai Zhen Qi", "University Thought - Interpretation of the Xun Xue Approach", as well as "Xun Zi's Philosophical Model and Its Change and Transfer in Later Generations", "Historical Changes in University Thought", "Zhongyong Thought - Interpretation of the Xun Xue Approach", "Philosophical Model of the Natural Qi Theory of the Ming and Qing Dynasties", "Reconstruction of Confucian Philosophy - The Approach of Contemporary New Xun Studies" and other papers. (The introduction is quoted from the public account of Langya Kangcheng College, according to which it was extracted from the website of Dujiangyan Guoguo College in 2016.) ）
(A self-photograph taken by Mr. Liu during his lecture in Chengdu in early September 2016 was transferred to the public account of Kangcheng College in Langya, so his logo was retained to confirm his rights.) ）
In the Zhongyong Chapters and Verses, Zhu Zi regards the Middle Way (the Way of Neutralization and the Way of the Middle Way) of the Zhongyong as the ideological core of the Confucian Taoism. He said that the Tao (in essence, the Middle Way) in the Zhongyong is originally heaven, and its essence is human nature; and the practice of the Dao (Middle Way) is basically a set of mental methods, that is, to cultivate nature, to examine nature, and to let the "middle" (the great book of the world) that is inherent in nature be used as "he" (the path of the world). According to him, human nature is nothing more than a middle body (the whole picture is an ontology of the value of "middle"), and middle way philosophy is how to return to nature and let nature flow smoothly as a life science of the middle way of using a solitary approach.
Zhu Zi also said that this Middle Way was transmitted from Yao, Shun, and Yu, through the holy kings such as Chengtang, Wen, Wu, and the sages such as Gao Tao and Yi Yin, all the way to Confucius, Yan Yuan, Zengzi, and Zisi; then Zi Si was officially compiled into "Zhongyong" by the teaching of Confucius, and after retransmission it was passed on to Mencius (372-289 BC); unfortunately, Mencius was lost and interrupted until the Northern Song Dynasty, and it was not until the Northern Song Dynasty that the Ercheng brothers (1032-1085; 1033-1107) read the "Zhongyong" and reconnected with the "Thousand Generations of Untransmitted Threads". If you actually calculate it, the period during which Zhu Zi identified the Daoist system as being interrupted was more than 1,300 years long.
Zhu Zi's theory of middle and Taoism had a great influence and was generally accepted by Confucian circles since the Song and Ming dynasties. But is this really the case? First of all, Zhu Zi's interpretation and attention belong to the purely Mengxue (Kong Mengzhixue) school, but the Confucian Xunxue (Kong Xunzhixue) school also has another set of Middle Way philosophies, which cannot be ignored. Secondly, before Meng and Xun, Confucius's Middle Way thought actually contained the possibility of interpretation from the two ways of Meng and Xun, and was not exclusive to the Meng Xue road. Again, "Zhongyong" is actually a work of Xun Zi at the same time or later, which belongs to the character of Xun Xue and must be moved all the way from Meng Xue. Again, Mencius said, "Holding the middle is the nearest." Clinging to the middle and not having the right, just clinging to one. ("Dedication to the Heart"), such a ready-made and clear Middle Way that can be persisted in and modified in the context, is roughly compatible with the Middle Way of Zhu Zi's theory of Theory. However, although "Zhong" appears 11 times in Mencius, including even the word "Middle Way" 3 times and the word "Zhi Zhong" 4 times, Mencius's direct discussion of Middle Way thought is really rare, but Xun Zi talks more than he does later. From the perspective of Mencius and Xunzi alone, Xunzi's Middle Way philosophy is richer and more fulfilling than Mencius's. Finally, during the Han and Tang dynasties, the Middle Way philosophy of the Xun School continued to develop, and even two special books named "Zhong" (中論) and "Zhongshu" (中說) appeared; from the perspective of the Xun School, the inheritance of the Confucian Middle Way was not broken.
It can be said that Zhu Zi's Confucian Taoist system is one-sided, partial, subjective and not entirely true. He interpreted the Xun School's "Zhongyong" into the Meng school's thought from his theoretical approach and thinking, and connected it with the pre-Qin Mengxue (Kong Mengzhixue) and the Song Dynasty Mengxue (Lixue), so that the Daoist system formed by this was actually a narrowed (only Mengxue all the way) and a distorted (misplaced "Zhongyong") Daoist system.
Let's take a look at it again. If it is said that the Mengxue side is the middle way philosophy of the middle way of the divine ontological approach, and the use of the body is directly initiated by the body, then xun xue's side is the natural ontology (the ontological view of limited value) And the lower body and use only contain the value tendency of the middle, and it is necessary to specifically weigh and weigh in reality to recognize the middle way philosophy. Each has its own theoretical integrity and legitimacy, and is not a contrast between one is one wrong, one black and one white. That is to say, confucian Middle Way philosophy originally has two equally legitimate forms of Mengxue and Xunxue; while the Confucian Daoist system is actually the contrast and interaction of Mengxue and Xunxue, taking turns to dominate, and advancing in both tracks. In short, we must realize that the historical truth of the two-track parallel of Confucian taoism has only disappeared under the subjective and strong interpretation discourse of the Meng school since the Song and Ming dynasties.
Having said that, the key to the fact that the status of Xunxue has been ignored and degraded since the Song and Ming dynasties lies in the Xunzi philosophy itself. Xun Zi's statements about the distinction between heaven and man, sexual evil, and the appearance of etiquette and righteousness have mostly been low-key or simply avoided by even xun school scholars themselves in later generations. Since this is the case, then of course, the Mengxue scholars of the Song Dynasty as opposed to others must vigorously criticize and deny it.
But this problem can be solved today. As long as you are willing to take a positive view of Xunzi philosophy, loosen Xunzi's superficial discourse and terminal assertions, and re-read "Xunzi" in the spirit of creating hermeneutics, you can translate Xunzi philosophy into a universal form that is more affinity, more acceptable, and more universal.
First of all, Xunzi believes that the combination of yin and yang causes various changes between heaven and earth, and that all things are generated based on a harmonious qi ("The greatness of yin and yang... All things have their own harmony and live", "The Theory of Heaven"), which contains a simple natural qi theory. Secondly, although Xun Zi directly emphasizes the side of heaven and man, he also indirectly affirms that heaven and man have a side of unity; on the whole, his proposition should be that there is a difference between heaven and man. Again, Xun Zi argues that human nature is evil, but he affirms that the human heart knows, can gradually know good and evil in the experience of reality, and then will be willing to learn etiquette to transform nature. If we notice that Xunzi's so-called ritual righteousness is essentially the "harmony between the end and the end, and always corresponding" between emotions, desires, and things ("Ritual Theory"), which is a link in the universal principle of heaven and earth ("Kingship"),and then considers the participation and effectiveness of the mind that Xunzi discusses as well as the scope of the theory of human nature; then Xunzi's etiquette is actually intrinsic to human nature, and his view of human nature can actually be transformed or translated into the theory of weak nature (relatively speaking, Mencius is the theory of strong nature).
At the end, I will take the universal form of what I call Xunzi philosophy as the standard to discuss the establishment and early development of the Confucian Xun school of Middle Way philosophy--explain its theoretical form and legitimacy in terms of its emergence and establishment in the pre-Qin period; and its historical existence and creative vitality in terms of its early development (the Two Han Dynasties). To explain first, although Mencius first proposed the term "Middle Way" and the Xun school did not follow up until later (after the Han Dynasty), this does not prevent us from using the word in the Xun school.
I. The Establishment of the Confucian Xun School of Middle-way Philosophy
(1) Start with Confucius's Middle Way philosophy
In the Analects, Confucius explicitly affirmed that people have a similar universal humanity; and that human virtue ultimately comes from the giving of heaven, which can be obtained as long as people consciously pursue it. This initially presents a positive view of human nature. But Confucius did not propose the concept of human nature in the ontological meaning of pure value; therefore, of course, he did not and could not propose the concept of the "middle" of the ontological meaning of pure value.
The Analects mentions "moderation" only once, but it is very clear and prominent. Confucius said, "The middle is virtuous, and it is the most important!" (Yongye) As the supreme virtue in Confucius's mind, the middle way can be said to be a more universal, purer and deeper expression of benevolence, etiquette, wisdom and other virtues, or a further provision. That is to say, the reason why benevolence, etiquette, and wisdom are benevolence, etiquette, and wisdom is precisely that they conform to the middle and show the characteristics of moderation.
The Analects reveal in many places the pursuit of the Middle Way. For example, "Guan Ju is happy but not obscene, mournful but not hurtful." ("Eight You"), "Polite and polite, then a gentleman." (YongYe), "The son is gentle and fierce, mighty but not fierce, respectful and peaceful." (Shu Er), "(I) ignorance also." A contemptible man asked me, empty. I tapped on both ends of it and exhausted. (Zihan), "If you don't go in the middle and go with it, you will be crazy!" "Gentlemen are harmonious and different. ("Zi Lu"), "(Repaying grievances with virtue) How can we repay virtue?" Repay grievances with directness, and repay virtue with virtue. These are the middle ways to weigh specific words and deeds in real situations. If Confucius's "benevolence" comparison is a value concept in terms of the quality of human life and the expression of personality itself, then Confucius's "middle" is a value concept in terms of the way and quality of people deal with people's affairs. In contrast, Ren highlights subjectivity, while Zhong highlights objectivity and universality.
Zheng Xuan interpreted the word "庸" as "yong" (Li Ji Notes. Zhongyong"), which should be the practice under the influence of the Han Dynasty's vocal training customs. From this explanation, the composition of the word "moderation" is actually a bit awkward and not very necessary. However, He Yan's explanation of "Chang" is more natural ("Analects of the Analects"). Medium and can be constant, or can be constant, which can be seen as an extension and supplement to the concept of center. Zhong, yong (often) are basically adjectives, or adjectives are converted into nouns. Two senses are connected, one major and one secondary, or one strong and one weak. Basically just a "medium", but adding a "mediocre (constant)" can make the language appear smooth and natural. It may be said that the concepts of benevolence, righteousness, and etiquette have speciality and exclusivity, but this word in the middle has its general meaning and ordinary meaning, so sometimes a word is added as a special and exclusive concept.
In short, Confucius's Middle Way does not absolutely and strictly point to the ontological meaning of pure value. It is relatively simple, open to future generations, and can develop in different directions. Meng Xue can understand and play from his own standpoint, and Xun Xue can certainly do the same. Therefore, Xun Xue's Middle Way philosophy is also derived from Confucius's "The middle way is virtue, and it is the most important!" "This place began.
After Confucius, the middle or late Warring States period (or later?) In connection with the Gua Yao Ci, yi chuan uses many words related to the word "zhong" to commend the practice of the middle way, such as the middle, the middle, the time, the rigid, the middle, the middle, the middle, the middle, the middle, the middle, the middle,
(2) Xunzi's Middle Way philosophy
If the most significant and important concept of expressing value in Xunzi philosophy is "ritual righteousness", then the concept of "zhong" of Xunzi is precisely associated with ritual righteousness. Xun Zi said, "The way of the first king, the long of benevolence, is better than the middle." In the middle of the word? A: Etiquette is also. ("Confucianism") also said: "Therefore, the sages of the previous kings established a central system for it, which is enough to become a literary theory..." ("Treatise on Etiquette") The former uses more specific rituals to explain what is "middle", and the latter in turn uses the more abstract "middle" and "festivals" to explain the basic principles of ritual making, which shows that the way of etiquette and righteousness are closely related to the middle way.
In fact, Xunzi's definition of the concept of "etiquette"—emotions, desires, and things that "conform to the end and always correspond" ("Treatise on Etiquette") itself has quite a "medium" meaning. It can be said that when emotions, desires, and things can be arranged to be "consistent with the end and always corresponding", it is "etiquette", but if it is only in terms of the moderation of "the end is in line with the end, always corresponding", it is "medium". In essence, "zhong" is precisely a more intrinsic, more general, more abstract and pure expression of "li"; Xunzi's philosophy is on the one hand a "philosophy of liturgy" and a "philosophy of zhong" on the other.
Xunzi presents his "Zhong" values in many places. He said: "Therefore, a gentleman must choose his hometown, and he must be a soldier when he travels, so he guards against evil and is close to Zhongzheng" ("Persuasion"), which is to regard "Zhongzheng" as the standard for standing in the world. He said that the Poems were "the end of the middle sound" (Persuasion), and the "Music" was the "Chronicle of Neutralization" (The Treatise on Music). This is the criterion for measuring emotion and art with "medium". He also used "zhong" to mark the actions and knowledge of "beneficial to governance", saying: "Everything that is beneficial to the rule of the people shall establish it... Husband is the middle thing. Whoever knows, it is beneficial to the ruler to do so... The husband is said in the middle of the word. What is said to be adulterous in deeds and deeds, and what is known to be lost in the middle is said to be adulterous" ("Confucian Effects") This shows more broadly and comprehensively that "zhong" is a universally intrinsic basic principle for measuring all actions and speeches. Aside. The naming of Xu Gan's "Treatise on the Middle" at the end of the Han Dynasty and Wang Tong's "Middle Saying" in the Sui Dynasty may be related to the word "Zhongshu" in the quotation above.
So, in Xunzi, what is the relationship between "Middle" and "Tao"? Xun Zi described the "Shangyong" as saying: "There is a middle in the world, dare to stand straight; the first king has the way, dare to do his will..." ("Sexual Evil") This is to call the justice and beauty of society "zhong", and to regard "zhong" as a concept that echoes the connection with "Tao". In addition, Xun Zi believes in the Treatise on Heaven that "all things are one deviation of the Tao, and one thing is the deviation of all things." The fool thinks that he knows for one thing and one deviation, and then criticizes several thinkers, saying that The Prudent Son "has a back and no first, then the masses have no door", Lao Tzu "has a curse (bend) and no faith (stretch), then there is no distinction between noble and lowly", Mozi "has a qi and no distortion, then the government decree is not applied", and Song Zi "has less and not more, then the masses will not be transformed". Although the whole passage does not mention a "zhong" word, it fully expresses the spirit of "zhong", and also indirectly shows that the "Tao" must be a universal care, not partial to one thing, and the way of "Zhong". In short, the so-called "Tao" must actually be the "Middle Way", and this meaning has already appeared in Xunzi.
It is worth noting that the word "Middle Way" does not appear directly in Xunzi, but appears 3 times in Mencius. This is probably not an accidental phenomenon. Perhaps because, in Mencius, the middle way is given directly by an intrinsic ready-made "middle" source of value (mind, sex), that is, "middle" is "tao", so it is easy to appear the word "middle way". In Xunzi, it is necessary to repeatedly weigh in specific situations to confirm the measure of a "middle", and then realize it as the Tao through the practice of the will; since it is divided into two paragraphs, there are inevitably twists and turns in the middle, so the word "middle way" cannot appear immediately.
It is also worth noting that there are 4 times in the Book of Xunzi that "Neutralize" ("Harmony in Harmony", "Neutralizer, Listening rope also", "Neutralization is supplemented by judgment, Masano Takashiya", "Musician... Nakawa No Kiya"), but not once in Mencius' book. In addition, the concept of "he" appears alone, only 3 times in Mencius ("man" 2 times, "holy sum" 1 time), but in the Xunzi book, or word, or compound word, about 20 times or more (of which more than 7 times are related to "music"). Such a contrast should also have a certain significance. It can be preliminarily seen that the two concepts of "Zhong" and "He", whether they are double-mentioned and contrasted or linked into words, will be more suitable and more attractive to Xun School scholars than "Middle Way". Sure enough, later in the Book of Music, the complete correspondence between liturgy, music, and harmony is almost ready to come out; and the Zhongyong further highlights the two links in the practice of the Xun School of Middle Way through the words "zhong" and "he".
Finally, regarding Mencius's "clinging to the middle and power", Xunzi did not directly discuss it. But we can speculate indirectly. Xun Zi said: The right to choose between evil and desire: When you see what you want, you will worry about those who are hateful; if you see what is profitable, you will worry about what you can do; and if you want to be evil, you will often not lose your mind. ("Don't Go")
Man is immobile and can not be with power... The Taoist, the righteous power of ancient and modern times. ("True Name")
Two lovers, life is inherently good. If the continuity of the husband's judgment, the shallowness of the bo, the loss of the benefit, the exhaustion of the like, so that the end and the end are not in line with each other, enough for the world, it is also a courtesy. (Treatise on Etiquette)
In addition to the "right" of the first and second articles, the third article on the etiquette of "breaking the follow-up, the broad shallow, the benefit and loss, and the exhaustion of the like" is actually also "right (weigh at your discretion)". Originally, as far as Xun Xue was concerned, in addition to the judgment and trade-off of various things and various behaviors, even the affirmation of the Tao and the formulation of rituals were obtained after consideration and consideration. In particular, the phrase "The Taoist, the Right Right of the Ancient and the Modern" shows that the Tao itself is only the best example of the ancient and modern as the best example of "right."
According to this, xunzi's middle path can of course also be said to be "the right power of ancient and modern times." That is to say, if there is a recognized and clear Middle Way, then the Middle Way itself is also obtained through deliberation and weighing, and it is precisely for people to continue to weigh and weigh with reference to the discretionary trade-offs in it. Xunzi can actually accept and use Mencius's formulation of "clinging to the middle and exercising power", but he should have stressed in addition: there is no ready-made, fixed and absolute middle that can be grasped, because at the beginning there is the right and then there is, because in essence people continue to take the example of that as the right. In short, in Xun Xue, the Middle Way begins with power and ends with power.
(3) The Book of Rites. The Middle Way Philosophy of the Middle Way
The titles, sentences, and structures of each chapter of the Book of Rites show signs of late appearance (zhou and qin, in succession with Xunzi). Much of the content may have come from earlier material, but it was screened and revised to reflect the writer's position to a considerable extent. On the whole, the entire book of Rites is quite similar to Xunzi Thought. Even if the two parts of "Zhongyong" and "University" are removed from Zhu Zi's arrangement and interpretation, they can be reinterpreted from the rationale of Xun Xue's natural qi theory and the theory of weak nature and goodness.
The Middle Way ideas of the Book of Rites are concentrated in the Middle Way. The Middle Way begins by saying:
The destiny of heaven is sex, the willfulness is the Tao, and the cultivation is the teaching. Nor shall the Taoist depart from it; nor shall he depart from it; nor shall he be separated from the Tao. Therefore, a gentleman is wary of what he does not see, and fear is what he does not hear. Mo sees hidden, Mo is microscopic, so the gentleman is cautious and independent. The undeveloped joys and sorrows are said to be in the middle; the hairs are all in the middle, which is said to be the sum. The one who is in the middle, the great ben of the world, and the one who is also the one who is in the world, the way of the world. To neutralize, heaven to the heavens, and all things to nurture.
Heaven has endowed man with a natural nature, and in nature, in various manifestations of nature, there is a certain value tendency that can be recognized and extracted by people, and it can be manifested and cultivated as the Tao. At first, the nature was chaotic and unstable, and people used this way to encourage and correct their nature, so that they could cultivate and exercise into a mature personality. Specifically, it is precisely because of the role of the potential value tendencies in natural human nature that there is a proper moderation in people's emotions, desires, and things, called "middle", and the existence of this "middle" is of great significance, it is "the great foundation of the world". What is important is that because of Pingsu's understanding and mastery of "Zhong", when people treat people and things, the flow of emotions can be appropriate and measured, called "he", and the role of this "he" is also of great significance, it is "the way of the world". When a gentleman cultivates his body and mind, masters the "middle", and achieves the "harmony", he can understand and accept the various conditions of the world, be willing to bear it, and pay something.
According to this interpretation, the middle path of the Middle Way is the Middle Way, which is weighed between emotions, desires, and things and then put into practice, not the Middle Way that is directly used by some divine being. As mentioned earlier, the juxtaposition of the middle and the middle, and the juxtaposition of the two stages are connected and connected, which is the reason for Xun Xue
A reflection of the rational path of weighing and knowing, and walking by knowing, is also a special manifestation of the Xun school's Middle Dao philosophy that is different from Mengxue. Only because Zhu Zi of the Song Dynasty changed his interpretation from the thinking of Mengxue's theory of physical use, this meaning context was completely blurred. In particular, "Zhongyong" describes "Zhong" as "the great foundation of the world", that is, the ultimate basis for human civilization to be meaningful and valuable; it also describes the practice of "He" that comes from "Zhong", that is, the practice of "Zhong" (which can be said to be the Middle Way or the Way of Neutralization), as "the Way of Reaching the World", that is, the most beautiful way of practice in human society. This can be said to be a supreme affirmation of the Middle Way.
After the passage of sex, Tao, neutralization, the Middle Way, the Middle Way, and its practical principles are directly or indirectly addressed in many places. It can also be seen from the phrases "choose the middle way", "choose the middle way", "choose the good and stubborn", "learn, interrogate, ponder, discern, and act" and so on, that the middle way of the "middle way" does indeed come from weighing and recognition, and not from an inherently existing divine entity. Pushing back from this way of the middle way can also prove that my previous interpretation of the "way of neutralization" is in line with the basic idea of the "middle way".
It is worth noting that in addition to taking etiquette and righteousness as the "middle", Xunzi also said: "Monarchs, fathers and sons, brothers, and husbands and wives, the beginning is the end, the end is the beginning, the same as the heavens and the earth, and the same as the world, the husband is the great book." (Xunzi. The monarchy" here, so that the relationship between kings and subjects, fathers and sons, brothers and so on can "begin and end, the end is the beginning" is the etiquette. It can be said that Xunzi has regarded ritual as the "big foundation" of human civilization that "shares the same reason with heaven and earth". Xun Zi also said, "The practice of the world will be understood by the king, and the benevolence (for man) will be holy." Li Long and do not be inferior, and then respect the first, the faithful to unify, the prudent to act, the end to keep..." ("Zhongni") Here, "Li Long" is to commend the righteousness, and the following sentences of "Li Long" refer to the practical principles of the liturgy. It can be said that Xunzi has also regarded the ceremony as a "heavenly act".
Or perhaps, it is precisely because Xunzi once said that the rites were "Zhong/Daben" and "The Practice of Heaven", and then "Zhongyong" would transfer these two meanings to the Middle Way, and more concisely and neatly describe the "Middle" and "He" of the Middle Way as the "Great Ben" and "Da Dao" of the World, respectively!
There is a place to be discerned. In the passage "Lamenting the Public and Asking the Government", the "Zhongyong" also mentions that the person with the heart (the sincere one) can achieve the saintly realm of "the honest one, the one who is not reluctant, the one who does not think, and the middle way" through the work of "choosing the good and being stubborn" such as erudition, interrogation, prudent thinking, discernment, and perseverance. This is also the way for Xun Xue to obtain the Middle Way through trade-offs, and it is also a highly respected way for the Middle Way. According to the context of the whole book, the "Tao" in this sentence is true to refer to the middle way, but the two "middle" words in this sentence should be the meaning of the middle. Therefore, the word "Middle Way" still does not appear in the whole text of "Zhongyong", which may also be another evidence that "Zhongyong" belongs to Xunxue.
In short, it is surprising that after Confucius, Mencius did not talk much about "Zhong", and the Middle Way of Mengxue had not yet been obviously unfolded in the pre-Qin Period, so there was no interruption or loss after Mencius; on the contrary, after Confucius and Yi Chuan, Xunzi talked much more about "Zhong" than Mencius, and "Zhongyong" had further exertion and strict and moving expression, and the Middle Way philosophy of the Confucian Xun School was established in this way. As we will see, after entering the Two Han Dynasties, it was the Middle Way philosophy of the Xun school that continued all the way.
In addition to the Zhongyong one, the other articles of the Book of Rites also express many middle-way ideas, such as "Zhongzheng is innocent, and the quality of etiquette is also" ("Leji"), "Zi Yue: 'Li Hu Li!'" Fu Li so the system in the middle also. (Zhongni Yanju), "The former King Yan established a central system for it, and one envoy was enough to write a literary reason..." ("Three Years Of Questions", press: This passage also appears in "Xunzi. Treatise on Etiquette) and so on, these verses can also be interpreted from the perspective of Xun Xue. In particular, the Book of Music says: "Great happiness is in harmony with heaven and earth, and great gifts are in harmony with heaven and earth", and it also says: "The musician, the sum of heaven and earth; the ceremonial person, the order of heaven and earth", here, it is simply the thinking and expression of taking the ceremony as the middle and the music as the harmony.
Ii. The Early Development of middle-way philosophy in the Confucian Xun School
(1) Dong Zhongshu's Middle Way Philosophy
The philosophy of Dong Zhongshu (179 BC -104 BC) is often classified as a series of Mengxue from the theory of the relationship between heaven and man, or as a synthesis of Mengxue and Xunxue from the theory of human nature. In fact, the heaven he said was essentially the "Yuan Qi" ("Wang Dao") of "Accumulating Heavy Essences" ("Li Yuan Shen"), although it could be related to people, but it could not substantively intervene in the operation of the real world except to warn of disasters, so it could basically be regarded as a type of natural Yuan Qi entity. In addition, like Xunzi, he advocated that there is a division between heaven and man; and his so-called good elements in human nature can only be understood from the weak goodness of Xun Xue. In short, his thoughts belonged to Xun Xue all the way.
Dong Zhongshu in "Spring and Autumn Dew. The Middle Way is discussed intensively in The Way of Heaven. With the Book of Rites. Like the Middle Way, he is also neutral and harmonious. He said that there are two sums between heaven and earth. Of the so-called two, one is the north, winter, and cathode; the other is the south, summer, and anode. The so-called two sums, one is the East and spring, the other is the West and autumn, both are the places where the yin and yang are balanced. He added:
In the middle, the Taiji of heaven and earth (referring to the highest place) is also, and the sun and moon are also (the meaning of reversal) also...
Harmony, the righteousness of heaven, the peace of yin and yang, the best of its qi, the birth of things also...
The middle one, the place where heaven and earth are always born, and the one who is harmonious, the one who is born of heaven and earth.
The system of heaven and earth is also harmonious and discordant, neutral and uncentric, and when it is used, it is done as much as it can be... The middle one, the use of heaven also; and the one, the work of heaven also.
This is in the framework of the ontology of natural yuan qi, in the definition of the goodness of the operation of yin and yang and the flow of time and space. That is to say, the operation and development of the natural yuan qi are not in harmony, and its performance, efficacy and discord must be found to identify in order to find neutralization in a special place. This is certainly not the path of the whole being the whole is the middle and the sum under the approach of the Divine Ontology of Zhu Zi (Mengxue).
Based on the neutralization between heaven and earth, Dong Zhongshu further commended the role of neutrality and harmony in life and politics: Fudemo is greater than harmony, and Daomo is in the middle. In the middle, the beauty of heaven and earth is Dariya, and the saints are also preserved. "Poetry" Yun: "Not rigid and not soft, the government is excellent." "This non-neutralization is meant to be with! Therefore, those who can neutralize the world are virtuous; those who can neutralize and nurture their bodies will live to the extreme.
Here, taking "zhong" as "the beauty of heaven and earth" is precisely the reproduction of Xunzi's view that "li" is the principle of heaven and earth. Then, the phrase "Demo is greater than sum, and Daomo is in the middle" means that the middle is directly regarded as the Tao (the word "middle way" of the Xun school is about to come out). In connection with this, harmony is seen as virtue; thus, the middle is the Tao, and the sum is the virtue, which also brings another possible connotation and usage to the concept of neutralization. And then, with just a few rational ways,
The wrapped use of the word "neutralization" here illustrates the fusion of several different angles of understanding of the concepts of neutralization and harmony—Tao, Reason, and Virtue—and the phrase "those who can neutralize the world with the world are virtuous; those who can neutralize and nourish their bodies, their life expectancy is extremely life-threatening" shows that such "neutralization" can cultivate virtue and establish a government.
It can be said that Dong Zhongshu further highlighted and applied the concept of neutralization, and raised the Middle Way philosophy of the Xun School to a new height within the framework of ontological cosmology, in the context of cultivation theory and political theory.
(2) Yang Xiong's Middle Way philosophy
Yang Xiong (53 BC - 18 AD) praised Mencius's knowledge as "no different" from Confucius, and compared himself to Mencius (Dharma. My Son"). Yet he said, "Human nature is also a mixture of good and evil." To cultivate its good is to be a good person, and to cultivate its evil is to be an evil person. ("Self-Cultivation"), and said: "Scholars therefore cultivate nature." Seeing, hearing, speaking, looking, thinking, sex all also. Learn is right, otherwise evil. (Xuexing). Therefore, in essence, he is a path of weakness and goodness in the Xun School, and the accumulation of goodness and virtue.
Yang Xiong explained in the preface to the Fa Yan that he had the intention of writing the book's "Question of The Question": "Mang Mang Tiandao, once in the Holy Examination. If you don't, you lose, and if you don't, you won't. This is the meaning of taking "zhong" as the fundamental principle of the Heavenly Dao. Then, in the "Question of Questions", he advocated the concept of "China" with the concept of "China" in terms of value and righteousness, advocating that the liturgical music of "China" be the standard for the liturgical music of the "Eight Wilds" countries, and said: "The five governments are added, the seven endowments are nurtured, and the one who is in the heavens and the earth is China... The rule of the saints is also intended to be liturgical, and if there is no fowl, there is no difference." This means that therefore, to be called "China" precisely lies in the fact that all the administration of its ritual music is in line with the moderate proportions between heaven and earth, and such ritual music is the symbol of human civilization.
Yang Xiong also explained in the preface to the "Fa Yan" that he wrote the "Prophet" chapter of the book: "Establish a government and encourage the people, move the world, and Mo Shang is neutralized." The development of neutralization lies in the people's feelings of Zhe (哲, 知也). The Prophet. This is what it means to make neutrality the moral imperative of governance. It is worth noting that he said in the Prophet: "The dragon is submerged and hyperactive, and it is not gained." It is too much to be in the middle, less than the middle is to jump, it is close to the middle! And he said, "The way of the saints, for example, is in the midst of judas!" If you don't reach it, you won't, and if you don't, you won't. And he said, "Tithe, righteousness in the world." Many are stubborn, and few are poor. These three places (plus the previous Dharma Sayings. The Preface to the "Question of The Question" in one place, a total of four places) has used the balance between less and less, more and less to highlight the "middle", which is obviously the approach of the Middle Way philosophy of the Xun School.
In addition, Yang Xiong simulated the "I Ching" as "Tai Xuan", which also fully presented the value of "Zhong".
The "first" of the Taixuan is equivalent to the "gua" of the I Ching. Each song has a square, a state, a ministry, and a family 4 "weights" equivalent to the 6 layers of each gua gua charm in the I Ching. Each weight is one of the three options of one, two, and three (─、- -、---), so the Tai Xuan has a total of 81 songs (3 4 = 81). However, each song has another 9 likes, which is equivalent to 6 times per gua in the I Ching. Each poem has a first word equivalent to the "I Ching" of the Gua Ci, each praise has a praise equivalent to the "I Ching" words, and each praise has a test equivalent to the "Little Elephant" of the "I Ching". After the end of the entire 81 Zanzan, there are general texts such as "Xuan Chong", "Xuan Wrong", "Xuan Tu", "Xuan Zhi" and so on.
The first of the 81 songs of "Tai Xuan" is "Zhong". The 8th praise of the "Middle" says: "Yellow is not yellow, but autumn is always the same." "Test" said: Yellow is not yellow, lost in Germany also. This is the beginning of the recognition of "Sino-German".
The Xuantu of the Taixuan also says: "Neutralize Mo Shenghu Five", meaning that the fifth praise (the middlemost one) of each song is the most able to express the virtue of "neutralization". Indeed, Yang Xiong commended and emphasized the virtue of "Zhong" in the fifth praise of many songs
Fold in through the door and get in the middle. ("Difference")
Zhongyi, no disadvantage. "Measurement" said: The benefit of Zhongyi, its way is also many. (Yi)
There is no way to fight for the benefits. "Test" said: Contention in the Kui, contention in the middle of the place. ("Controversy")
Pack the wilderness in the middle, grams. (The Big)
The Three Principles are obtained in the Middle Pole, and the Heavenly Eternal Blessing is blessed. "Forever")
Keep the peace in the middle, and want Hou Zhen. ("Shou")
"Measurement" said: column and cover hub, Takanaka also. (Stop)
Zhongcheng Sole Governor, Big. "Test" said: Zhongcheng is the sole governor, and can be in the middle. ("Cheng")
Here, in particular, from the point of view of the phrases "to get in the middle of the other", "to be in the middle", "to be in the middle", "to be in the middle", etc., this "middle" is not a quality that is innately and spontaneously expressed, but within the potential things, it must be specifically weighed and weighed in order to recognize and then choose what can be obtained by practicing. It can be said that this is also the Middle Way philosophy of the xun school's natural ontological approach.
The Xuan jie of the Tai Xuan says, "To do what is virtuous is to do in it... There is no coolness in the line... No cool reason to be impressive also... The virtue of the observable, the saint is also", which is once again an expression of Confucius's meaning of moderation as the supreme virtue.
(3) The Middle Way Philosophy of Xu Gan's "Treatise on the Middle Way"
At the end of the Han Dynasty (or between the Han and Wei Dynasties), Xu Gan (171-218 AD) wrote a Treatise on the Middle. Xunzi is admired in many places in the book, and the verses of "Xunzi" are quoted in many places (only a few are quoted in Mencius). If we look at the titles of each passage such as "Zhixue", "Guijian", "Guiyan", "Yiji", "Zhixing", "Judge", "Reward and Punishment", etc., as well as its discussion of "learning" and "Zhong", we can roughly determine that it is Xun Xue all the way.
Xu Gan said in the Treatise on the Middle:
Three generations of teachings, the avenue is late, and the humanity is uncertain... ("Examination of Falsification")
To carry out the deeds to repair the territory, to follow the law of the Holy King, to govern the righteousness, to call the people... ("Confession")
However, the words of argument must be agreed upon, not bothered, and the manners should be prescribed, and the etiquette should not be violated... Gentleman's argument also wants to be in the middle of the Avenue of Light also... Therefore, the gentleman is in the Tao, and he is still in himself. If I get one of them, then my heart is pleased, so why choose the other? If I lose it, then my heart is not happy, why should I take it? Therefore, when it is discussed, it is stopped when it encounters people; it is still not stopped when it is encountered with people, and it is not enough to argue with words, and it is also a villain. (Nuclear Defense)
Rewards and punishments cannot be neglected, nor can they be counted... Not heavy, not light... Therefore, the former king ming forgave it, and thought of it with peace, without losing his moderation. Therefore, the "Book" says: "Recklessness is not in the middle, and the words are poor." (Reward and Punishment)
The first and third points show that the Dao Dao and Lun Chang are nothing more than the Dao that is in the "Middle" or the Middle Way (although Xu Gan still did not officially use the word "Middle Way"). The second and third points show that the spirit of etiquette and etiquette also lies precisely in the Middle Way. The fourth rule of "Thinking... "Not losing its knots" shows that in fact, it is the inner knotted measure of things. Then the third and fourth rules show that "middle" is obtained by weighing in the specific situations of things, such as density, weight, argument, and intuitive recognition of the value of the mind. In short, the Dao Dao and Lun Chang are in the middle, the etiquette and righteousness and etiquette are in the middle, the gentleman cannot forget this, and the gentleman can weigh and argue at any time to explain this, which is of course the middle way of the Xun School.
It is worth noting that the shadow of "Zhongyong" can be clearly seen in the "Middle Theory". For example, the "Li" says, "The way of a gentleman is a day chapter; the way of a villain is the way of a day." The way of the gentleman is light and not tired, simple and simple, gentle and reasonable, knowing the distance and proximity, knowing the wind from the self, knowing the micro-manifestation, can be with the virtue" "The gentleman is out of reach, but the only place where people are not seen!" ”...... ("Examination of Falsification")
Here the "Li" refers to the "Book of Rites" and "Li Ji". Moderation". In this passage, he quotes two passages at the end of The Mean. Among them, "light and not tired, simple and literary, gentle and reasonable" and other words, through the contrast and fusion of the two ends to express the "moderate" realm, from the Xun Xue character to understand particularly true.
Xu Gan also said: The husband is subtle, the lonely person is also the end, and Hu Kejian is also? Hu Ke Kuya? It is the gentleman who respects loneliness and caution, although it is hidden, the ghosts and gods cannot see their gaps... He who is polite is also anxious, and he who is anxious may live a lifetime, but he shall not be separated from him. If you must depart, you will walk slowly; if you must forget, you will be slow; if you are rude, you can always start! (The Fa-Elephant)
This passage clearly refers to or echoes the "Zhongyong" "The Tao, do not deviate from it... Therefore, the gentleman is cautious and independent" was written in a passage. In particular, the "Tao (i.e., the Way of the Mean)" in the original text of the Zhongyong has been replaced here with a more Xunxue "ritual".
In short, Xu Gan regarded "Zhongyong" as Xun Xue's way, and consciously continued the Middle Way ideas of "Xunzi" and "Zhongyong", and wrote the first monograph in the history of Confucianism named "Zhong" from "Zhong" with this Middle Way thought as the core, which can be said to be of great significance.
Incidentally, let's discuss it. The Zhongnai Zhixing says: Zhongni said: "It can be established with the right, but it cannot be with the right." Meng Ke said: "Zi Mo is in charge, and there is no right in holding on, and he is still clinging to one." "Zhongni and Meng Ke can be said to be the ones who have reached the truth of power and wisdom."
Mencius is quoted here, and Mencius is praised. But a closer look reveals that what Xu Gan really values is the "quan" in this passage (so he goes on to praise Confucius and Mencius for "reaching the truth of quanzhi") at the end of the quotation), which is the character of Xun Xue. It should be said that Xu Gan did not notice that the phrase "Zhizhong" presupposes a Mengxue exclusive, ready-made, ontological "Zhong", so we cannot calibrate Xu Gan as Mengxue Yilu according to this passage.
(4) The Middle Way Philosophy of Character History
Liu Shao's (182-245 AD) Character History of the late Han Dynasty (or rather, Han and Wei Dynasties) was either classified as a famous artist, or classified as Huang Laoxue, or regarded as a precursor to Wei and Jin metaphysics. However, I agree with what the Compendium of the General Catalogue of the Four Libraries says, "His reasoning is obedient to the Confucians."
Liu Shao mentions the saint three times in the preface to the Chronicle of Characters. The first refers to the saints who wrote the Yi poems and formulated the ritual music, the second refers to Yao, Shun, Shang Tang and King Wen, and the third refers to Confucius, in short, the saints of the Confucian vein. At the end of the text, he clung to the above-mentioned saint and said, "It is to dare to follow the hadith, to order the characters, and to make up for the forgetting." Of course, this is the Confucian sentiment that inherits the confucian saint's heart and aspirations. In the book, he said: "There is no greater humanity than love and respect." (The Eight Views), and said, "The benevolent one, the virtuous kiya." The righteous, the festival of virtue also. Liturgy, Toku no Bunya. Believers, toku no Kuya. Wise man, handsome man of virtue also. (The Eight Views), which is also a clear symbol of the Confucian position. In addition, the "Character History" advocates the monistic theory of human nature of temperament, and special emphasis is placed on "wisdom", so of course it is Xun Xue all the way.
Liu Shao believes that in the quality of human talents, the composition and combination of yin and yang and the five elements are not the same, which fundamentally and directly determines the difference in talent, and the best of people's talents is "neutralization". It is "bland and tasteless, so it can be adjusted into five talents, and changes should be adjusted", which is the best talent that a saint will have. First of all, at the level of yin and yang, the neutralizing talent is "yin and yang qinghe". Among them, the talent of yin allows people to think far-reachingly and understand the origin of things; the talent of yang allows people to grasp the changes in things and react sensitively. At the level of the five elements, the talent of neutralization (which can also be said to be moderate) has five different qualities due to the five elements, "the five qualities are filled internally, the five essences are outer chapters, and they are the light of the five rays of the eye", which is full of the possibility of all-round development. Finally, as far as the "nine signs" (nine temperament characteristics) that people generally specifically express, the talent of moderation is also presented by the nine signs, which is pure virtue and can be called "concurrent virtue". (The Nine Marches)
Liu Shao believes that some of the other talents outside of neutralization are specific and micro, or there are more than two kinds of nine signs (both of which belong to "concurrent materials", called "Daya"),some are only partial to one of the nine signs (this kind of genus is "partial to the material", called "Xiaoya"),the rest are even more equal (belonging to "interspersed" and "similar"). Liu Shao stressed that talent is difficult to change. As far as Xiao Ya is concerned, even if he is taught to learn the expertise of different talents, he will still lose it at any time after learning. Even if he is reminded to think of his heart to others, he will still assume the analogy according to his narrow mental nature, and then deduce outward. In short, the life of partial material has its limitations, and it is difficult to become virtuous. From this point of view, the significance of the quality of moderation is very important. It is the sages who have cultivated and matured on the basis of the quality of moderation that can consider a standard of moderation for all affairs, as a reference for people's cultivation, behavior, and vigilance. In other words, the moderate saint is the one who knows the truth, shows meaning, leads the way, and helps everyone. This has the meaning of Xunzi's "saints making rituals (and rituals are "medium")" for everyone to learn and observe.
It can be said that Liu Shao expressed a special form of the Middle Way philosophy of the Xun School through the construction of the Xun School of Talent, or that Liu Shao completed the construction of his Talent Andy in line with the concept of the Middle Way Philosophy of the Xun School.
conclusion
The Song Ming Confucian Meng school regarded the Middle Way as the purest essence of the Tao, and regarded the Middle Way as the core and marrow of the Tao system. However, through the above investigation, it can be found that from the pre-Qin to the two Han Dynasties, the Confucian Xun School has long been so determined.
The Middle Way of the Meng School is basically directly emitted by a purely complete and full-valued ontology (Tao Body or Mental Body); the whole is in the middle, and the whole is also in the middle; it can be said to be a middle way that starts from the body, that is, the middle is the Middle Way. It was in this way that Mencius directly proposed the term "Middle Way".
However, on the side of the Xun school, the Middle Way is not directly used by a divine being, but by a natural entity (natural yuan qi or natural qi) in a specific situation and a specific process. To put it simply, the natural yuan qi itself and people's natural temperament only contain the value tendency of "zhong", and in the operation of natural yuan qi and interpersonal interaction, it is only the potential "medium" moderation. Man must first recognize this measure of proportion, and then practice it according to this degree of proportion, which is the so-called "way of the world" or "harmony". Therefore, compared with the middle way of mengxue, the Xun school is a two-stage middle way, which can be represented by the "middle-sum" schema of "Zhongyong". Because of this internal reasoning, the xun school never formally appeared in the early stages of its establishment and early development.
Which is the advantage or disadvantage of the one-stage middle way and the two-stage middle way? This is actually an inappropriate question. It should be said that different existence feelings, positions, values, and research approaches determine different cosmic cognition and life images. The full-width value, handsome and straightforward, and one-piece middle path may not be able to serve as a reference for everyone's life cognition and value practice. Nor is the two-part middle path that unfolds gradually from the chaos of nature necessarily a secondary and low-order philosophical solution. In short, the Middle Way philosophy of the Xun School has its own value and legitimacy, and now that this is clear, we can jump out of the snare of the Meng School's discourse and re-look at the problem of Confucian Taoism.
First, from the above comparison of the two middle way philosophical paths of Mengxue and Xunxue, and from the above historical investigation of the middle way philosophy of the Xun school, we can double-confirm that the middle way philosophy of the "Middle Way" does belong to Xun Xue, not the Meng Xue road. Its Middle Way philosophy is connected to Xunzi upwards and to the Han and Tang Dynasties.
Second, when the "Zhongyong" was deducted, the Meng school's Middle Way philosophy was not much left in the pre-Qin Dynasty (this may be worth re-examining). It can be said that since the Song and Ming dynasties, the tradition of Middle Way philosophy in the Meng school has basically been constructed with the "Zhongyong Chapters and Verses" as the main trunk and center of the new and late, and as part of the Neo-Confucianism of the Song Dynasty.
Third, the Middle Way philosophy of the Xun school, from Confucius and Xunzi to the Zhongyong, has laid the foundation. Then, during the Two Han Dynasties, from the ontological cosmology, the theory of talent, the theory of cultivation to political thought, there were specific continuations and developments, and contained resources and driving forces for further pioneering. This is the Middle Way system of Confucianism on the other side of the Meng school, and we must not ignore this aspect when we discuss the Confucian Taoism in the future.
(LIU Youming. A Contemporary and Popular Confucianism: An Outline of Contemporary New Xunxue[M].Beijing: Chinese University Press, 2019.)
(Picture above is collected and provided by Ichizawa)