李二曲悔过自新说之诠解

清初大儒李二曲为了对治时代之“过”,在反思理学及整个传统学术的基础上,提出了“悔过自新”说。该学说以人性本善和“人皆有过”作为“悔过自新”之可能和必要的形上根据,赋予了“过”以普遍和形上的内涵,并将消极意义上的“悔”改造为积极的修养方法。在工夫路径上他强调自策自励,要求从转念做起,将慎独、静坐的工夫与人伦日用中的磨炼合为一体。经由悔过的工夫,二曲要实现一种“新”的成己成物打通、内圣外王合一的理想的社会人生图景。这是该学说的终极人文关切。

An Interpretation of Li Er-qu's "Repenting and Starting a New Life"

Li Er-qu,a famous confucianist who lived in the beginning of the Qing Dynasty,on the basis of the principles of li-xue and traditional Confucianism,creatively puts forward the thought of "repenting and starting a new life" in order to cure the diseases of his time.This theory takes "man is good in nature"every body errs" as its metaphysical basis,and endows "fault" with universal meaning and transforms "repenting" from a negative to a positive method of selfcultivation.In his Gongfu theory,he insists on self-encouragement,and proposes that,beginning with a second thought of everything,one should combine the practice of being always on the alert for any wrong ideas through reflecting on one's own behavior especially in solitude and meditation,with special training in everyday life.At last,Er-qu wishes to realize an ideal human life,society,and universe by means of repenting.This is the ultimate human concern in his theory.