論中國經典詮釋的目的與方法──以《春秋》的詮釋為例

Aims and Methods in Hermeneutic Interpretations of the Chinese Classics-The case of the Chunqiu

目前中國學界在西方詮釋學的激盪下，對自家傳統經典的詮釋活動開始進行反省：到底中國經典詮釋是怎樣進行的？本文以《春秋》的詮釋為例，論中國經典詮釋的目的與方法，並依以下各節：一、前言，二、《春秋》經籍的詮釋體式，三、《春秋》詮釋歷程的轉折，四、經典詮釋的目的面向，五、經典詮釋的方法面向，六、結論，企圖揭開中國經典詮釋活動的底蘊。在《春秋》的詮釋學裡，要對孔子為何作《春秋》？如何作《春秋》？是作經還是修史？方法是借事明義？還是直書其事？其意是新周還是從周？等諸問題作說明，其實這些都關聯著詮釋的目的與方法。傳統《春秋》類的著作表現在詮釋、書法、批評與考訂四個方面上，詮釋著眼於義，書法著眼於文，批評與考訂著眼於文本原義與史事真實的考究。傳統對《春秋》的詮釋總是離不開詮釋者的目的與方法，目的在致用者，其方法採取託比或見指不任辭的方式，不免以己意解經，其失也誣，故有回歸本義之舉；通本義與致其用往往構成經典詮釋目的的兩端，因應詮釋目的的兩端，在方法上也就有了即事存真與借事致用二式，這便是中國經典詮釋活動的底蘊。

Under the stimulus of Western hermeneutics, Chinese scholars have begun to reflect upon the basis of their own tradition of hermeneutical interpretation. This paper discusses the hermeneutic basis of interpreting the Chinese classics with reference to the Chunqiu, in four sections: (1) Introduction, (2) Forms of interpretation, (3) Changes of direction in interpretation, (4) Aims of interpretation, (5) Methods of interpretation, (6) Conclusion. Hermeneutical studies of the Chunqiu raise the following questions: why and how Confucius composed the Chunqiu, was this a composition or revision of history, did he use events to reveal ethical meaning or did he record events faithfully, did he aim to revitalize the Zhou or simply followed the Zhou? These questions involve aims and methods of hermeneutical interpretation. Traditional works on the Chunqiu manifestly concern interpretation, forms of writing, criticism and evidence. These involve, respectively, meaning, literary form, origins of text and meaning, and accuracy of historical events. Thus, traditional interpretations are inseparable from aims and methods. Aims could be based on motive of use or application and methods could be based on analogical comparisons. However, these lead to subjective interpretations and misunderstandings. This gives rise to the thought that there is a need to go back to understanding original meanings. Thus, in terms of aims, we invariably find these two extremes of motive of use or application on the one hand, and understanding original meaning on the other. Similarly, in terms of method, there is the idea of preserving the truth of events on the one hand, and the motive of use or application on the other. This is the underlying basis of the problem of hermeneutic interpretation of the Chinese classics.