先秦儒學的「知天」之道：政治論述的解讀角度

The Way of “Knowing Heaven” in Pre-Qin Confucianism: A Political Discourse Analysis

本文從政治論述的角度解讀先秦儒學的「知天」之道。從這個角度看，「知天」之道，意謂：執政君子知道採取某種政治行動以實現平治天下的願景，藉此回應天命。隨著先秦儒學的發展，子思、孟子、荀子三位不同世代的儒者，先後透過「性」之正名，分別從「天命」、「天之降才」、「天之就也」三個面向以言人性的特質，從而倡議三種不同的「知天」之道。這三種「知天」之道，論述的面向有所不同，子思主要涉及倫理實踐的意義，孟子主要涉及人性價值的追求，荀子則主要涉及政治體制的功能。這般「知天」論述的推陳出新，當今學界大多關注其中的心性之學以及天人合一的觀念，本文則是嘗試透過思想史的眼光，探究彼時儒者思索「知天」之道的政治論述意旨以及推陳出新的軌跡。

This article discusses the way of “knowing heaven” in pre-Qin Confucianism from the perspective of political discourse analysis. It demonstrates that the way of “knowing heaven” means a gentleman should know what kind of political actions a ruler should take to realize the vision of stabilizing and governing the world and thus to respond to “heaven’s mandate.” Zisi, Menzi, and Xunzi, three Confucians of different generations, adapted and developed the notion of “nature” successively during the development of pre-Qin Confucianism. They expounded human nature from three different aspects: “heaven’s moral requirements of humans,” “moral capacity born in humans by heaven,” and “life instinct given to humans by heaven.” Hence, they proposed three different ways of “knowing heaven” and their arguments involve the significance of ethical practice, the pursuit of human values, and the function of the political system respectively. Facing these innovations of the “knowing heaven” discourse in pre-Qin Confucianism, today’s academic world mostly focuses on the discussions of mind and human nature and the concept of a unity of heaven and humans. This article attempts to reveal the main ideas of pre-Qin Confucians’ political discourses and the trajectory of their innovations in their ruminations over the way of “knowing heaven.” through the history of thought in pre-Qin China.