《逸周書》〈芮良夫〉之憲政思想限制與隱埋

The Historical Limitations and Omission of Constitutional Thoughts in the Chapter Rui Liangfu of Yi Zhoushu

〈芮良夫〉的時代背景，早於孔孟，記載的是西周厲王宗室大臣芮良夫對君王的諫諍。其中透露了（一）惡君害民非君，（二）非難壟斷資源，（三）開放臣民言路，以及（四）以失位為制裁的觀念，都與當代的憲政思想接近而幾可接榫。但其囿於當時政治思想的進程，仍受天命論政治哲學影響，至少有兩方面的思想限制：（一）未能破除尊奉天子受天命而建皇極以為民之父母的習慣信念|（二）不曾思及保障人民正當利益所需要的程序正義|不思革君之位，只憑道德勸諫格君之心，尚不能與當代的憲政思想等量齊觀。〈芮良夫〉諫君的主張，「害民非后」「弗類，民不知后」等語，已到了臣民國人可以否定或變易君上的思想邊緣|其顯諫國君不可箝制民口，也與後世儒家「為君王諱」的政治道德異趣。〈芮良夫〉既不會為君王所喜，也從未選入襲故守常的儒學經典，則此篇懷有易君新論而接近憲政思想的上古文章，於迄至清末的兩千年間，處於為尊者諱、臣不顯諫等觀念的對立面，經史不名，久遭隱埋，不能有助於防君惡無方的中土世界，發展與西方平行的制度化憲政思想，長期難以建構有效抑制統治權力之惡的憲政國家，殊非偶然。

Rui Liangfu（芮良夫）, a chapter of the ancient history book Yi Zhoushu（逸周書）, is named after a high-ranking official in Western Zhou（西周）. The chapter contains his admonitions to the notorious Emperor Li（周厲王）, centuries before Confucius’s times. The admonitions embody political ideas almost compatible with contemporary constitutionalism, including (a) an emperor who severely hurts his subjects would no longer be considered legitimate by his subjects| (b) it is wrong for the government to monopolize natural resources that should be commonly enjoyed by the subjects| (c) subjects andsubordinates should have latitude to express criticism against the government| and (d) possible sanctions for the emperor’s wrongdoings may include deprivation of the throne.The author of the chapter, likely under the heavy influence of the doctrine of mandate from Heaven, fell victim to the conventional notion of the ruler being analogous to a parent government to his subjects, who are supposed to follow the ultimate social/ethical order solely established by the ruler. The admonitions only appeal to the emperor’s merciful moral reflections, wholly sidestepping procedural constraints upon the emperor’s decision-making process.On the other hand, Rui Liangfu’s admonitions imply that the emperor is replaceable if he fails to act morally as a qualified emperor must. This point is at odds with the Confucianist teaching that it is a noble’s duty to cover up the emperor’s wrongdoings to maintain his image or legitimacy. It helps to explain why Yi Zhoushu was never selected as one of the Confucian classics, and therefore had failed to help nurture any grass-roots thoughts of con-stitutionalism in the subsequent millennia in China until Western constitutionalism arrived.