明清天主教靈魂論與儒學的對話

The Dialogue between the Christian Concept of the Soul and Confucianism in Ming-Qing China

明清時期天主教傳教士譯介西方靈魂論進入中國時，除了直接翻譯西方靈魂論相關著作外，也採取與儒學對話的方式來譯介。本文主要考察這類與儒學對話的漢語靈魂論文本，探討傳教士如何運用儒學話語、引用儒家經典，又藉著比附儒學性善論，來說明天主創造人類何以尊貴、人何以能認識天主、應該追求更像天主等。傳教士在比附儒學的同時，也藉由重新定義氣、理、道體等語詞，並以天主教立場來反駁儒學。雖然他們的反駁顯示出對儒學的誤解，但其選擇反駁的論點，則鮮明凸顯天主教與儒學在義理上的差異。本文也進一步討論中國士人對於天主教靈魂論的接受與傳播，及其對明清學術思想史的意義。

The present article delves into the strategies employed by missionaries during the Ming-Qing period to introduce the Christian concept of the soul to China. Beyond mere translations of related western texts, missionaries sought to elucidate Christian beliefs by drawing comparisons with Confucianism. They quoted Confucian texts, with the Confucian theory of innate goodness playing a pivotal role, to convey Christian ideas about human nature, the soul of the individual, and the ideal relationship between humans and God. But in doing so, missionaries redefined key Confucian terms such as qi氣, li理, and daoti道體, and subsequently used these redefinitions to engage in debates refuting Confucianism. Despite being misinterpretations of Confucianism, their points of argumentation led to further distinctions between Christianity and Confucianism. This article also examines the dissemination and impact of the Christian concept of the soul among Chinese literati, shedding light on how this exchange shaped intellectual and religious discourse in Ming-Qing China.