中晚明儒者友誼研究

Review of Scholarship on Confucian Friendship in the Mid- and LateMing China

處於開展階段的中國友誼研究中，中晚明是較受矚目的一個時段。係因「尚友」風氣自陽明學興起以後，至晚明興盛一時，不少儒者對此有新穎之見解。儒者為此時期主要關注的對象，他們的言說與實踐都受到細膩的檢視。部分學者已有研究，然綜述整理或討論尚屬稀缺，僅見英文學界黃衛總（Martin W. Huang）為「明代的男性友誼」（Male Friendship in Ming China）專號寫的導論，著重於背景說明，並突出專號文章之貢獻。中文學界則尚無專文回顧。本文梳理前輩學人對中晚明儒者友誼的研究，將成果依據研究取徑分為四階段，以便說明此一研究的發展，並提出個人對友誼研究未來發展的淺見。

As an emerging field of research, studies of male friendship in China primarily focus in the friendship among Confucian scholars in the mid- and late- Ming periods, since the advocacy of friendship was initially flourished under the influence of Yangming school and reached its peak by the late Ming. A few studies have examined, yet few comprehensively reviewed Confucian scholars' discourses and practices regarding friendship at that time, except for Martin W. Huang's introduction to Male Friendship in Ming China (2007). This paper reviews the development of current scholarship according to four different themes/approaches. The focus has shifted from the definition and interpretation of friendship within Confucianism to the actual practice of friendship. In conclusion, this paper suggests several potential directions for future research in this area.