論常州學派研究之新方向

New Directions for Research on the Changzhou School

學界於清代常州學派，著墨可謂不少，然多受梁啟超先生影響，以公羊學或今文學等概念與角度來詮釋，此論誠然有其不可動搖的價值，然筆者以為常州之學或許非如此簡單的概念所能道盡。以筆者觀察所得，科舉儒學所陳設之「庸俗理學」，乃儒學意識形態構成之最大成色。被推為今文學之祖的常州莊氏學術，可謂科舉儒學之典型，貫串其著作的，是輔佐君王，強調致用的精神，但在強調客觀的學術價值下，這一深層理念絲毫不受重視，所以學界所論述常州學術與晚清今文學的關係，以及今文學本身的發展脈絡，或許並不完全符合歷史實情。故冀望學界能以更開闊的眼光重新審視常州之學，而其關鍵，在於對科舉儒學重作價值思考，並以此角度釐清常州莊氏學術之內涵。如此，方能超越既有視域，賦予文獻新的意義與生命。

The Changzhou school of the Qing dynasty has been a topic of much discussion. After Liang Qichao, most scholars interpreted the Changzhou school from the viewpoint of Gongyang or the New Text school. That theory was certainly solid; however, it is too simple to explain the import of the Changzhou school. According to my observations, the primary character of Confucian consciousness was the 'vulgarized Neo-Confucianism' that informed the examoriented Confucian studies. The scholarship of the Zhuang family of Changzhou, which has been regarded as the beginning of the New Text school, is the epitome of this exam-oriented Confucianism. The aim of their writings was to assist the leader: it was practical. However, this fundamental character of the Changzhou school has been ignored in favor of its emphasis on the objectivity of scholarly pursuits. Thus, the discussions of the relationship between the Changzhou school and the late-Qing New Text school, as well as the development of the New Text school itself, are often historically flawed. Therefore, further new research with a much broader outlook will be advisable. The crucial point of such research is to rethink exam-oriented Confucianism, and then clearly to identify the contents of the Changzhou Zhuang family’s teachings. In doing so, we can transcend the limited views on the school and give new meanings to the materials.