魏晉玄學聖人的「神明」與「應物」－－一種內聖外王哲學的實踐論詮釋

The“Shen ming”and“Ying wu”of the Sage in Wei-Jin Metaphysics: A Practical Hermeneutics of the Philosophy of Inner Sageliness and Outer Kingliness*

從先秦兩漢到魏晉的「聖人」論發生了很大變化，以聖人的心體和覺知的內聖看，先秦儒、道諸家的「聖人」多與「神明」關聯，但此「神明」更多是外在的神祇，聖人象天法地，遵循神道，制禮作樂以為百姓日用，也即「應物」和「應時」，此為聖人的外王。在魏晉玄學中，「神明」日益成為聖人乃至常人都具有的內在精神和智慧維度，此以王弼的聖人「神明」論為代表，聖人的「神明」「茂」於「常人」，它是生命內在的充實和完滿，是「以無為本」的無形、無名和領會天道和萬物的「無為而成」狀態，即「體沖和以通無」，其與萬物的相處是無為順應而不相逆，即聖人與常人五情同又能「應物而無累於物」。何晏「聖人」論的不同在於否定聖人的「五情」，而只承認「神明」的「以無為本」，這就割斷了聖人與常人、萬物的關聯，認為賢人有「五情」，但能以情當理，故「怒不過分」。宗炳的聖人「含道映物」與賢人「澄懷味象」可看作是對王弼的聖人「神明」之「應物」與何晏的賢人「怒不過分」思想的綜合和在藝術上的實踐展開。研究魏晉玄學家的「聖人」論，將有助於推動內聖外王的中國哲學的發展。

From the pre-Qin via Han dynasties to the Wei-Jin period, the discourse on the“sage”underwent significant transformation. In terms of the inner sageliness of the sage’s mind-body and awareness, pre-Qin Confucian and Daoist traditions often linked the“sage”to“divine spirits”(shenming神明), which were primarily external deities. The sage emulated heaven and earth, followed divine principles, and established rituals and music for the daily use of the people-- actions categorized as“responsive interaction with things”(yingwu應物) and“adaptation to the times”(yingshi應時), constituting the“outer kingliness”(waiwang外王). In Wei-Jin metaphysics, however,“spiritual intelligence”(shenming) increasingly became an internalized dimension of wisdom and spirit, attainable not only by sages but also ordinary individuals. Wang Bi’s theory epitomizes this shift: the sage’s“spiritual intelligence”surpasses that of ordinary people, representing an inner fullness and perfection rooted in“taking non-being /the Wu as the foundation”(yi wu wei ben以無為本). This state of formlessness, namelessness, and alignment with the Way (dao) enables the sage to“embody the harmony of vacuity (chonghe沖和) to comprehend non-being”(ti chonghe yi tong wu體沖和以通無). The sage interacts with all things through non-coercive responsiveness, harmonizing with the world while remaining“unburdened by things”(wulei yu wu無累於物). In contrast, He Yan’s theory denies the sage’s possession of“five emotions”(wuqing五情), emphasizing only the“non-being-based spiritual intelligence”, thereby severing the sage’s connection to ordinary people and the world. He argues that worthy individuals (xianren賢人), though possessing emotions, can align emotions with principle (li理), ensuring that“anger does not exceed its proper measure”(nu bu guofen怒不過分). Zong Bing’s notion of the sage“embodying the Way to illuminate things”(han dao ying wu含道映物) and the worthy individual“purifying the mind to contemplate images”(cheng huai wei xiang澄懷味象) synthesizes Wang Bi’s theory of the sage’s“responsive interaction”and He Yan’s idea of emotional moderation, extending these concepts into artistic practice. Investigating Wei-Jin metaphysical theories of the“sage”will advance the development of Chinese philosophy centered on“inner sageliness and outer kingliness”.