智慧語錄

   ——關(guan) 於(yu) 當代儒學複興(xing) （注：副標題為(wei) 本站編輯添加）

作者：薑潔（譯者：吳萬(wan) 偉(wei) ）

來源：《環球時報》（GLOBAL TIMES）

時間：2013年12月11日

圖：北京4月份在紀念孔子的傳(chuan) 統節日到來之前，兩(liang) 個(ge) 小學生清潔祭掃孔子雕像。

在古代哲學家孔子（公元前551-479年）的誕生地曲阜，當地出版社正緊急加印兩(liang) 本有關(guan) 這個(ge) 聖人的書(shu) 籍，因為(wei) 訂單如潮水般湧來。這是因為(wei) 國家主席習(xi) 近平最近在山東(dong) 視察時稱讚了這兩(liang) 本書(shu) 。

得到習(xi) 主席稱讚的兩(liang) 本書(shu) 是《孔子家語通解》和《論語詮解》。作者楊朝明在周一接受《環球時報》采訪的時候仍然很激動。

楊轉述習(xi) 主席的話“這兩(liang) 本書(shu) 我要仔細看看。”

習(xi) 主席在11月視察曲阜的時候提出，在研究孔子和儒家思想時應該堅持“古為(wei) 今用”和“去粗取精，去偽(wei) 存真”的原則。

山東(dong) 友誼出版社和齊魯書(shu) 社的工作人員告訴《環球時報》該社的書(shu) 籍最近出現了需求暴漲的趨勢。出版楊朝明著作的山東(dong) 友誼出版社出版管理部負責人陳菁說“我們(men) 在得知習(xi) 主席認可後感到很興(xing) 奮。本書(shu) 本來隻是作為(wei) 學術交流之用，現在卻成了市場熱點。我們(men) 計劃組織更多的推介活動。”

但是習(xi) 主席的認可對楊朝明和出版社來說並不僅(jin) 僅(jin) 是潛在的巨大商機，而是一種鼓勵，因為(wei) 許多學者將這視為(wei) 源遠流長的儒家傳(chuan) 統複興(xing) 的跡象。

迷茫的意識形態

在中國曆史的大部分時間裏，儒家一直是意識形態可靠性的最主要來源。作為(wei) 中國主要思想流派之一，儒家常常受到道家和其他流派的批評，但是在國家支持的教育體(ti) 製中發揮了關(guan) 鍵作用。孔子被尊為(wei) 最偉(wei) 大的聖人之一，曆朝曆代的皇帝都要維護修繕曲阜的孔府、孔廟、和孔林，使之成為(wei) 直逼皇家宮殿的家族建築群，這在中國是十分罕見的。

不過，在1919年鼓吹“新文化”反對儒家的五四運動之後，儒家開始衰落，因為(wei) 它被視為(wei) 阻礙中國社會(hui) 進步的傳(chuan) 統文化殘餘(yu) ，應該被徹底砸爛和拋棄。

楊朝明說，“自那時起，儒家長時間一直遭到不公正地對待。人們(men) 把國家落後、戰亂(luan) 和遭受受外國列強欺負的國恥怒火發泄到傳(chuan) 統文化上，傾(qing) 向於(yu) 相信現代化等於(yu) 與(yu) 傳(chuan) 統決(jue) 裂。”

經營一個(ge) 致力於(yu) 介紹儒家文化的“儒家中國”網站的學者任重說，臭名昭著的文化大革命（1966-76）是反傳(chuan) 統狂熱的最高峰，那時儒家被譴責為(wei) 反革命思想。任重告訴《環球時報》記者說，習(xi) 主席的認可對傳(chuan) 統中國文化和儒家有著象征意義(yi) ，因為(wei) 中國共產(chan) 主義(yi) 思想最初就源於(yu) 現代的反孔觀點。任重說“自1949年新中國成立以來，儒家第一次得到了最高當局的認可，我們(men) 有理由相信社會(hui) 道德水平有望得到改善”。

失敗的傳(chuan) 統

北京航空航天大學教授和儒家學者秋風（姚中秋）表達了他對中國大陸教育的失望，因為(wei) 這種教育沒有能作為(wei) 傳(chuan) 統文化的載體(ti) 。

秋風說“儒家講究個(ge) 人修身和克己。這就要求人們(men) 意識到自己存在於(yu) 和他人組成的社會(hui) 圈子中，也意味著在追求自身利益時不能危害他人利益。在推行集體(ti) 主義(yi) 時也不能犧牲掉個(ge) 人的努力。”

秋風注意到孔子哲學在於(yu) 培養(yang) 君子，這種君子可以指政府官員也可以指管理方式受到價(jia) 值觀影響的管理者。“儒家鼓吹仁義(yi) ，但是今天許多人熱衷追求物質利益，難怪一直在強調經濟建設。”

楊朝明解釋了自漢朝（公元前206-公元220年）以來孔子的著名論斷“君君、臣臣、父父、子子”所遭到的常見誤解。人們(men) 往往片麵地強調下屬的忠誠和服從(cong) 。“其實，它也意味著管理者必須是賢德之人。”

任重說，從(cong) 儒家的視角看，當今的治理成本太高，行政管理的負擔過重。應該為(wei) 社會(hui) 自治留下更多空間，人們(men) 可通過源自儒家思想的共同價(jia) 值觀團結起來。

中央民族大學哲學與(yu) 宗教學院教授趙士林補充說，將儒家思想與(yu) 當代法律體(ti) 係結合起來能更好地服務於(yu) 國家，因為(wei) 民眾(zhong) 道德水平的改善可減少犯罪，領導率先垂範能夠帶領民眾(zhong) 前進。

道德之源？

最近一些年中國出現了一係列駭人聽聞的事件，令人感到道德恐慌，比如老人或小孩摔倒，路人漠然路過任其死亡，還有老師性侵學生等。

秋風說“如果僅(jin) 僅(jin) 依靠改革體(ti) 製，許多社會(hui) 議題，包括人與(yu) 人之間缺乏信任等在內(nei) 都是無法得到解決(jue) 的。我們(men) 需要改變深受物質主義(yi) 影響的文化、價(jia) 值觀和道德觀。”

秋風說，這是中國在現代化進程中遭遇的挫折之一，因為(wei) 我們(men) 的現代化缺乏一種國家現代化應該紮根於(yu) 文化的認識，而在中國，文化之根就是儒家思想。

楊朝明也注意到中國在遭受西方的文化入侵，現在到了返回傳(chuan) 統重新獲得民族自信的時候。

習(xi) 主席在八月份的一次會(hui) 議上強調，中國的軟實力在於(yu) 產(chan) 生了中國特色社會(hui) 主義(yi) 的“燦爛文化”。中國共產(chan) 黨(dang) 11月通過的改革計劃誓言要深化文化體(ti) 製改革，把中國建設成為(wei) 社會(hui) 主義(yi) 文化強國。

王蕊 對本文做出了貢獻。

譯自：Words of Wisdom by Jiang Jie

https://epaper.globaltimes.cn/2013-12-12/P06.htm

英文版原文：

Two primary school students dust a Confucius statue before a traditional ceremony commemorating Confucius in April in Beijing. Photo: CFP

In Qufu, the birthplace of the ancient philosopher Confucius (551-479 BC), the printing presses are running hot. With orders flooding in, local publishing houses can't afford to stop printing two recent books about the sage, after President Xi Jinping offered them his stamp of approval at a recent trip.

The author of the books Yang Chaoming still sounded excited on Monday when he was reached by the Global Times, after his works, The Interpretation of The Analects and The Collected Sayings and Dialogues of Confucius, were recognized by Xi during his visit to the Shandong city. 

"He said he would read them carefully," said Yang. 

During his visit to Qufu in November, Xi said scholars should follow the principles of "making the past serve the present" and "keeping the essential while discarding the dross" when researching ethics passed down from forefathers.

Staff from Shandong Friendship Publishing House and Qilu Press told the Global Times that their books have experienced an uptake in demand recently.

"We are thrilled to know of Xi's approval. The book was designed for academic exchanges only, but now it is becoming a market focus. Now we are planning to organize more promotional events," Chen Jing, head of the publication department of Shandong Friendship Publishing House, Yang's publisher, told the Global Times. 

But Xi's approval isn't just a potential moneymaker for Yang and his publisher. It's encouraged many scholars, who see it as a sign of a revival of the long tradition of Confucianism.

Lost ideology

For most of China's history, Confucianism has been given the greatest priority as a source of ideological credibility. Confucianism was one among many schools of thought in China, often criticized by Daoists and others, but it played a critical role in the State-backed education system. Confucius was worshiped as the greatest of Chinese sages, and emperors from different dynasties built and renovated Confucius' temple, cemetery and family mansion in Qufu, making them a rare family compound that rivaled royal palaces. 

However, the decline of Confucianism began after the May Fourth Movement in 1919 which advocated "new culture" against Confucianism, blaming it as a remnant of traditional culture that stemmed the progress of Chinese society and calling for its wholesale jettisoning. 

"Confucianism has been mistreated for a long time since then. The underdevelopment of our nation and the shameful history of warfare have made people directed their anger at our traditional culture. People fell for the belief that modernization equals estrangement from traditions," said Yang. 

The notorious Cultural Revolution (1966-76) marked a peak of anti-traditional sentiment when Confucianism was denounced as counter-revolutionary thinking, according to Ren Zhong, a scholar who runs a website offering an introduction to Confucian culture. 

Ren told the Global Times that Xi's approval hence has symbolic significance for traditional Chinese culture and Confucianism, as Chinese Communism originally developed from modern anti-Confucian ideas. "It may be the first sign of approval from the top authorities since 1949 and we have every reason to believe that an improvement in social morality can be expected," Ren said. 

Failed tradition

Yao Zhongqiu, a professor at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Confucian scholar, expressed his disappointment in education in the Chinese mainland, which has failed to serve as a carrier for traditional culture. 

"Confucianism calls for self-cultivation and self-rule by individuals. It also requires people see themselves as existing in a social circle with others, which means one should not harm others' interests in pursuit of their own. Neither should their own efforts be sacrificed, as in collectivism," Yao said. 

Yao noted that the philosophy of Confucius lies in the cultivation of junzi ("superior people"), which could refer to the government officials and managerial staff whose values affect the way to govern. "Confucianism preaches benevolence and justice, but today many worship materialism, hence the previous emphasis on economic construction." 

As for the famous saying of Confucius, "Let the king be a king, the minister a minister, the father a father and the son a son," Yang explained that the common misinterpretation started in the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) when it one-sidedly emphasized the loyalty and compliance of subordinators. "But it actually means that governors must be virtuous themselves." 

Ren stated that from a Confucian perspective,  the cost of governance is too high at present, and the burden of administration too heavy. Instead, more space should be encouraged for social self-governance, where people can be bound together with common values originating from Confucianism. 

Zhao Shilin, a professor from the School of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the Minzu University of China, added that a combination of Confucianism and the present law system can better serve the country as strengthened public morality can further reduce crime and noble leaders can influence their followers. 

Source of morality?

There have been a series of moral panics in China in recent years, following cases of elderly people or children being left to die by passersby, teachers sexually abusing students, and similar incidents. 

"Many social issues, including the prevailing mistrust between people, will not be solved if we rely solely on  reforming systems alone. Rather we need to change our culture as well as our values and ethics, which have been affected by materialism," Yao said.

Yao said this is part of the setbacks China has suffered in pursuit of modernization, which lacked the consciousness that a nation's modernization should be rooted in its culture and in China he sees that as Confucianism. 

Yang also noted China is under strong cultural invasion from the West and it is high time to regain national confidence by returning to tradition. 

President Xi has emphasized at a conference in August that China's soft power lies in its "splendid culture," which also breeds socialism with Chinese characteristics. The reform plan issued by the Communist Party of China in November vowed to deepen cultural system reform and build China into a socialist cultural power. 

Wang Rui contributed to the story

 責任編輯：泗榕