布衣及其文化精神

在中国古代,布衣原指人的身份,即身处下层的平民。但是到了后来、尤其是到了唐代,布衣几乎成为未仕的士人的代名词,即所谓的布衣之士。布衣之士不同于普通的平民,他们是平民中的读书人。布衣之士虽身处贫贱,却以通经籍、明道义而自高。布衣之士,虽然始终没有形成自觉的阶层意识,但是却在历史上形成了士文化中一种突出的现象:布衣精神。主要表现为以天下为己任的责任情怀,即忧以天下、乐以天下的社会责任感和历史使命感;安贫乐道的士人气节,即不以贫贱为耻、乐道安贫、寂寞以守志的情操;平交王侯的布衣立场。总结这些布衣精神,有助于我们深入了解中国古代的士人出处之道。

Commoners and Their Cultural Spirits

In ancient China,commoners originally referred to the civilians. While in the Tang Dynasty,commoners were almost synonymous with scholars who had not become officials,that is,scholars among the civilians. Commoners,although without class consciousness,have formed a striking phenomenon in the history of Scholar Culture-the commoner spirit. This spirit includes the sense of social responsibility of taking the world as their own duty,being the first to worry about the problems of the world and the last to enjo...