《管子》「法」論的多層構造和其思想形成

The Evolutionary Process of the Concept of Fa during the Warring States Period, with a Close Focus on the Book of Guanzi

本文藉由「觀念史／概念史」研究途徑，分析《管子》「法」概念的內容，連同由此構成的相關論述，以及其思想意義。本文探討順序如下：筆者先檢驗在20世紀的學者如何理解《管子》「法」論的情形，接著說明《管子》「法」概念含有「度量衡」、「政府的法規」、「自然世界的法則」以及「儀」四種涵義。本文也同時釐清《管子》「法」論的內容可分成(1)探求理想國家的倫理秩序（＝「禮」）；(2)作為直接與形上的概念聯想；以及(3)在「公－私」論脈絡下的展開，此三種議題於《管子》「法」論均有涉及。基於上述分析，便能夠發現《管子》的「法」概念和「法」論構成相當多樣且多層，並且《管子》「法」論應該按照〈七法〉→〈法法〉→〈任法〉的內容順序發展。總之，由於在〈任法〉中的「法」論容納著《管子》其他重要議題，如「公－私」論等，並且呈現「法」至上主義的特色，倘若以〈任法〉的「法」論內容來評斷《管子》思想基本特質的話，《管子》的「法」論確可稱作「戰國法家」。

This article analyzes the concept of fa found in the Guanzi, together with the relevant discourse based on this concept and its intellectual significance. First, I examine how scholars of the 20th century understood the discourse on fa in the Guanzi. Then, I explain that there are four meanings to the Guanzi’s concept of fa:“measurements”,“regulations of the government”,“principle of the natural world”, and yi (behavioral form). I then proceed to clarify the concept of fa in the Guanzi, which can be divided into: (1) As a search for the moral order (li) of the ideal country; (2) as a link with metaphysical concepts; (3) as a development within the context of“impartiality”and“selfishness”(gong and si) discourse. Based on the findings of this analysis, the article discusses the possibility that the multilevel structure of the discourse on famight reflect the course of its development, and that the fa discourse of the Guanzi developed in a sequence starting from the the“Seven Standards”chapter (Qifa七法), to the“On Conforming to the Law”chapter (Fafa法法), and then finally to the“Reliance on Law”chapter (Renfa任法). In sum, since the fa discourse in the“On Conforming to the Law”chapter also contains the other important themes found in the Guanzi, such as the“impartiality - selfishness”discourse, it presents the characteristic of holding the fa in a supreme place, and if we refer to the content of the fa discourse in the“Reliance on Law”chapter as the fundamental characteristic of the Guanzi’s thought, then the fa discourse of the Guanzi could truly be known as Warring States.