伍廷芳的通神學與靈學生涯

Wu Ting-fang, Theosophy, and Spiritualism

身為清末民初之著名外交家、法學家的伍廷芳，乃當時的進步人物。這般人物投入靈學與通神學之研究與推廣，在深受科學主義影響的我們看來似難以理解，然細究之，確有其因由。因家庭與學校的緣故，基督教對伍廷芳有相當影響。然其身處科學掛帥的時代，對基督教的部份教義難免有疑，其中靈魂不滅顯然係其所疑的重點，而其亦確曾在青年時期以極粗糙的方法得到一暫時的答案：人死靈魂亦隨之而滅。逐漸步入老年的伍氏對靈魂不滅再度感到疑惑。長期接觸西學與西方社會的他，在晚年適逢靈學與通神學於十九世紀末的西方世界興起，幾經觀察、研究後，其認為這兩門學問合於科學且不違其本有之信仰，遂選擇走上這條或可解惑的道路。在加入「天人明道會」後，伍氏從此確信靈魂不滅，致力於靈學與通神學之研究與推廣，而這兩門學問與其政治主張、宗教觀等多方面亦開始有一定程度的關係。

Wu Ting-fang, who was a famous diplomat and legalist, was an enlightened person during late imperial China and early Republic of China period as well. Though people influenced by scientism usually face difficulties in order to understand why he studied and promoted Theosophy and Spiritualism. Through some further investigations, we may find out possible reasons. In Wu’s family and secondary education, Christianity showed a great impact on him. However, he inevitably suspected the doctrine of Christianity under the era of science, especially indicating whether the human soul is immortal. Druing his early years, Wu first believed that the human soul is not immortal after putting out some rough experiments; Wu was confused with whether the human soul is immortal again later. During his time retrospecting, observing and studying, he kept in contact with the Western world as well. After becoming a member of the Theosophical Society, Wu was convinced that Theosophy and Spiritualism rised in the Western society at the end of the nineteenth century. Wu believed that human soul is immortal afterwards; he then devoted himself to the studying and promoting of Theosophy and Spiritualism, which has close relationship with Wu’s thoughts.