王艮「安身」論的政治意蘊解讀——中晚明儒家之一種自我抉擇

The Political Significance of Wang Gen's Theory of 'Making the Self Secure'

本文克就王艮文本本身及其所處的歷史時期，對於王艮的「安身」、「保身」論展開詮釋。指出王艮的「安身」論體現了明中晚期君主專制不斷強化的背景下，儒家對於「行道」、君臣關係的重新考量。理解王艮「安身」論的關鍵，在於把它置於「出處進退」這一困擾儒家核心問題的大背景下。一方面，王艮以「安身」為前提，對於儒家之「行道而仕」提出了近乎嚴苛的條件，要求儒家只有在君臣關係中佔據絕對的主動地位時方能夠「行道而仕」。與此相應，王艮通過對「為祿而仕」的有條件的肯認，將君臣之間道義上的責任與義務關係降為職務上的責任與義務關係。另一方面，傳統儒家「得君行道」的政治舉措在現實政治中的可能性被基本堵塞之後，王艮以孔子為表率，將儒家「行道」的理想寄託在「修身講學以見於世」之上，而不再把「得君」與否視為「行道」的必要條件。這些均在一定程度上體現了明中晚期儒家對於自身社會政治角色的重新定位，而王艮也為泰州後學開闢了儒學、儒教發展的新的可能向度。

The aim of this paper is to discuss Wang Gen's theory of 'making the self secure,' or 'self-preservation.' Wang's theory of 'making the self secure' represents a reconsideration of the Confucian theory of 'performing Tao' and of the relationship between emperor and officials in the mid-late Ming Dynasty, when autocratic monarchy was being strengthened. The key to understanding this theory lies in the basic principle of 'becoming an official or retiring from public life;' that is 'advancing or retreating.' On the one hand, Wang maintains that Confucian scholars must first make themselves secure. Of those who are secure, only those who can influence the will of the emperor may become officials and perform Tao. Wang accepts the principle of 'becoming an official for the sake of salary,' moving duty and obligation from the moral realm to the professional realm. On the other hand, even if there is no possibility for a scholar to 'obtain the support of the emperor to perform Tao,' Wang Gen does not require it as a prerequisite for 'performing Tao.' Instead, one can follow the Confucian ideal of self-cultivation and study to 'perform Tao and be involved in the world.' This way of thinking represents the self-reorientation of Ming intellectuals with respect to their socio-political role in the mid-late Ming Dynasty. In this way, Wang Gen opens up a new way in which the younger Confucian scholars of the Taizhou School can develop themselves.