论张栻的“万物一体”思想

“仁者以万物为一体”是儒家仁学史的一项重要理论创新。继承这一思想,湖湘学派的代表学者张栻从多方面对该命题进行了理论深化。人之心即“天道之在我者”,即是天理的呈现。既然人与万物都源自天地生生之意,便应通过一套“反身而诚”的功夫将仁爱精神“推”至万物,以实现“民胞物与”的目标。这种仁爱并非普遍无差别的兼爱、泛爱,它必须通过一套亲亲—仁民—爱物的实践予以实现。这种看似有所隔、有所分的爱有差等的实践方式,因其贯穿着儒学“一本”的精神,因而是真正的“廓然大公”。

On the Notion of "Universal Unity" of Zhang Shi

“Benevolence takes all things as one” is an important theoretical innovation in the history of Confucian benevolence.Inheriting this thought,Zhang Shi,a representative scholar of Huxiang school,deepened the proposition theoretically from many aspects.The heart of man is “the way of heaven is in me”,that is,the presentation of natural principles.Since people and all things are derived from the meaning of heaven and earth,we should “push” the spirit of benevolence to all things through a set of “reflexive and sincere” work,so as to achieve the goal of “The people are my compatriot and all things are my friends”.This kind of benevolence is not universal love.It must be realized through a set of practice of being close to the people,being kind to people and loving things.This seemingly separated and divided way of practice,such as differential pattern of love,is a real “great virtue” because it runs through the spirit of Confucianism.