李光地對《孟子》〈知言養氣〉章的理解與詮釋

Li Guangdi’s Understanding and Interpretation of the Chapter“chih yen yang ch’i”in Mencius

圍繞《孟子》〈知言養氣〉章，李光地在對宋明儒學深入反省的基礎上，對此章的義理內涵提出了一些新的理解。在李光地看來，仁義顯發了「心」的本質，並確立了以「窮理以知言」及「集義以養氣」為核心的工夫基調。從他對「言」、「心」、「氣」三者關係的界定看，他無疑是將「心」置於首出地位。以「心」定「言」，以「心」帥「氣」，並以「心」集義，李光地認為這是孟子言「不動心」的根本要義。李光地對《孟子》〈知言養氣〉章的詮釋，若放在宋明理學的發展歷程來看，既有對朱子思想的繼承，也有對後者的調適發展。李光地以窮理工夫來貫通孟子之「知言養氣」，並認為「知言」在先，「養氣」繼之，此明顯是受朱子啟發。然而李光地又非全然依循朱子之說，此主要體現在他對「集義以養氣」的理解上。李光地對「集義」的理解，不同於朱子所側重的那種主體向外在客體格物致知後所實踐之工夫，而是德性主體由內向外的充擴。

On the basis of deep introspection of Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties, Li Guangdi put forward some new understandings of the meaning of“chih yen yang ch’i”知言養氣(knowing words, cultivating ch’i). In Li Guangdi's view, benevolence and righteousness reveals the essence of the mind and establishes the keynote of work based on knowing words by probing principle and cultivating ch’i by accumulating righteousness. From his definition of the relationship between words, the mind and ch’i, he undoubtedly places the mind in the first and foremost position. By defining words and ch’i with the mind, and accumulating righteousness with the help of the mind. Li Guangdi thinks that this is the nature of“the Unperturbed Mind-heart”. Li Guangdi's interpretation of the chapter of“chih yen yang ch’i”in Mencius, when viewed in the context of the development of Song and Ming philosophy, is both an inheritance of Zhu Xi’s thought and an adapted development of the latter. Li Guangdi uses the work of probing principle to explain the general idea of knowing words and cultivating ch’i. Li Guangdi believes that knowing words comes first and cultivating ch’i follows, which is obviously inspired by Zhu Xi. However, Li Guangdi does not follow Zhu Xi’s philosophical thinking completely, which was mainly reflected in his understanding of cultivation of ch’i by accumulating righteousness. Li Guangdi's understanding of the accumulation of righteousness is different from Zhu Xi, who places great emphasis on investigating things and extending knowledge to the utmost and corresponding moral practice. Unlike Zhu Xi, Li Guangdi emphasizes the expansion and development of the virtuous subject from the inside out.