書評：由理至心到氣：評鄭宗義《從宋明理學到當代新儒家》

From“li”(理) to“xin”(心) to“qi”(氣): A Review of Cheng Chung-yi’s Cong Song-Ming lixue dao dangdai xinrujia

鄭宗義《從宋明理學到當代新儒家》共收錄十二篇長文，除了第九章〈理氣論―從宋明理學到當代新儒家〉是首先發表，其餘篇章皆是舊作，經由修訂彙集成冊，皆是作者當下最新研究成果。全書可分成三大部分：宋明理學的核心概念、當代新儒家的宋明理學研究、當代新儒家對於現代性衝擊的回應。該書具有多方面的意義，包括哲學概念、學術脈絡與儒學當代價值的省思與闡述。
此書整體呈現宋明理學至當代學術發展的儒學議題，依照種種線索開展論述，既是對於宋明理學的核心概念進行洞察幽微的工夫，也能精準闡發當代新儒家特別是牟宗三、唐君毅的研究成果及其所持之理由，本書作者分別名之「本體分析」與「德性工夫」的用法。最後，書中篇幅則是用心於重新思考儒學在現今意義，如何回應現代化的挑戰，思考時代帶來的課題與衝擊下，應當如何作出積極論述，因此提出以此重新設想（reconceptualize）「何謂儒學」的大哉問。本篇書評指出：作者對該書三大部分的研究進路，主要可就以下三點來說：一，仿效當代新儒家前輩學者牟宗三講原文的方式（如〈牟宗三致徐復觀佚書二十四通校箋〉），書中對於宋明理學的文獻訓詁及義理解釋作出辨析入微的工夫。二，建構宋明儒學概念的法門，既取諸於「感通」角度另闢蹊徑，亦相當用心於「本體分析」與「德性工夫」作出整體論述，並將哲學史議題延展至明清之際的「氣學」發展。三，作者植根於儒學回應時代的學術傳統，凸顯儒家思想的開放性與生命力，闡發儒學的當代價值。按照儒學傳統重要議題及面向而言，本書大致可歸納是：由「理」至「心」到「氣」的議題關注與推進，值得進一步論述當中意義與價值。

Cheng Chungyi's From Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism to Contemporary Neo-Confucianism contains twelve long articles. Except for Chapter 9,“The Theory of Li and Qi: From Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism to Contemporary Neo-Confucianism,”which was first published, the remaining chapters are revised versions of previous works, compiled into a single volume, and represent the author's latest research findings. The book can be divided into three main parts: the core concepts of Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism, contemporary Neo-Confucian studies of Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism, and contemporary Neo-Confucian responses to the challenges of modernity. The book holds significant value in multiple aspects, including philosophical concepts, academic contexts, and reflections on the contemporary relevance of Confucianism.
This book comprehensively explores Confucian issues from Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism to contemporary academic developments, unfolding its arguments along various threads. It demonstrates a masterful ability to analyze the core concepts of Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism in meticulous detail, while also precisely elucidating the research findings and rationale of contemporary Neo-Confucianists, particularly Mou Zongsan and Tang Junyi. The author refers to these approaches as“ontological analysis”and“moral cultivation.”Finally, the book devotes significant attention to rethinking the contemporary significance of Confucianism, addressing how it should respond to the challenges of modernization, and considering how to actively engage with the issues and challenges posed by the times. It thus poses the fundamental question of rethinking (reconceptualizing)“what Confucianism is.”This book review points out that the author's research approach to the three main parts of the book can be summarized in the following three points: First, following the example of contemporary Neo-Confucian scholar Mou Zongsan's method of interpreting original texts (such as in“Mou Zongsan’s Twenty-Four Letters to Xu Fuguan”), the book provides a meticulous analysis of the philological and interpretive explanations of Song and Ming Neo-Confucianism. Second, the author constructs a methodology for understanding Song and Ming Confucianism, taking a unique approach from the perspective of“sensory communication,”while also devoting considerable effort to providing a comprehensive discussion of“ontological analysis”and“moral cultivation,”and extending philosophical history issues to the development of“qi studies”during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Third, the author is rooted in the academic tradition of Confucianism responding to the times, highlighting the openness and vitality of Confucian thought and expounding on the contemporary value of Confucianism. In terms of important issues and aspects of the Confucian tradition, this book can be summarized as follows: the focus and advancement of issues from“li”(理) to“xin”(心) to“qi”(氣) is worthy of further discussion on its meaning and value.