This paper examines the Cheng-bai Lun concerning Confucius in the Analects from the perspective of intellectual history,asking whether it can provide a basis for dating the compilation of the text.The study argues that the Analects exhibits significant internal tensions and multiple perspectives in both its treatment of core concepts such as Ren仁and in its portrayal of Confucius,lacking a coherent and traceable development of ideas sufficient for historical periodization.A systematic comparison with Qiongda yishi《穷达以时》,Mencius,Xunzi,and Lüshi chunqiu《吕氏春秋》shows that,although the Analects encompasses multiple views of success and failure—appeals to Tianming 天命,assessments of circumstances时势,and inward morality—its statements remain fragmentary and lack deeper intertextual correspondences with other texts.The conclusion is that,given the fragmentary nature of its thought and the absence of sustained argument on core issues,intellectual-historical analysis based solely on the theme of success and failure is insufficient to determine the date of compilation,highlighting the theoretical and methodological challenges in dating early Confucian texts.
The process whereby the early myths were lost is generally referred to as"euhemerization"or"euhemerism".However,the story of Kung Kung and the flood in Yao Tien demonstrates China's unique"reverse euhemerism",because there is no Chinese mythology that we can claim is forgotten Chinese history,and there is only a richly pre-served putative ancient Chinese history.The real importance of China's"reverse euhemerism"is not whether history becomes myth,or myth becomes history.Rather,the real importance is that the distinction between the two,and hence between gods and men,has been obliterated.This is exactly the feature of archaic Chinese religion and myth that should command our attention.
THIS ESSAY PRESENTS A CONFUCIAN PERSPECTIVE ON LI (rites, propriety). My main concern is question, How can a Confucian moral philosopher move from ethical to dimension of li? Section 1 provides an analysis of scope, evolution, functions, and a brief discussion of question of justification of li. (1) Section 2 deals with inner aspect of foundation of conduct, motivational aspect of li-performance. Section 3 discusses outer aspect of foundation of li, focusing on Hsun Tzu's vision of triad of t'ien (heaven, nature), earth, and humanity (ts'an t'ien-ti), an interpretation of his use of t'ien, shen (spirits, gods) and shen-ming (spiritual or godlike enlightenment) as expressing a respect for established linguistic, practice without an endorsement of associated popular beliefs. This interpretation leaves open question of validity of reasoned beliefs, while presuming dimension of li as extension of Confucian ethics. Section 4 centers on ethical significance of li of mourning and sacrifice and more general question on efficacy of li, and concludes with some remarks on transformative significance of dimension of li. I An Analysis of Li. For more than two millennia, traditional Chinese moral life and thought have been much preoccupied with li as a means for realization of Confucian ideal of tao (Way) or human excellence (shan). Implicit in this notion of li is an idea of rule-governed A rough indication of its scope may be gathered from a list of possible translations. Depending on context of Confucian discourse, li can be translated as religious ceremony, deportment, decorum, formality, politeness, courtesy, etiquette, good form, good behavior, [or] good manners. (2) For convenience of reference it is sometimes desirable to use such terms as rules of propriety, or rules of proper conduct. (3) For marking pervasive feature of members of this list, one might propose such terms as rites, rituals, ritual propriety, or ritual rules, especially if we think of rites in broad sense as inclusive of any established practice or set of action-guides that stresses formal procedures for proper behavior. However, without explicit explanation, this usage is likely to be misleading, particularly in view of different connotations of term. For this reason, I shall retain transliteration li in this essay and adopt Hsun Tzu's distinction between generic (kung-ming) and specific terms (pieh-ming). A generic term is a formal, general, abstract term amenable to specification by other terms in different contexts of discourse. These terms, used in practical or theoretical contexts, may be said to be specific terms in sense that they specify significance of use of a generic term adapted to a current purpose of discourse. Li will be used as a generic notion subject to specification in context by such locution as the li of x, where x may mean mourning, sacrifices, marriage, manners, and so forth. (4) In this sense, law, morality, religion, and other social institutions, insofar as they require compliance with formal procedures, may be said to be concerned with propriety. However, as a term for a compendious description of scope of li, ritual propriety or like presupposes some understanding of connection of li with other cardinal notions of Confucian ethics. Although we occasionally refer to dependence of ethical significance of li on jen (benevolence, humanity) and yi (rightness, righteousness), for present purposes we assume their conceptual connection without elaboration. (5) Our explication of li is based mainly on works of Hsun Tzu and Li Chi (Record of Li). (6) The Li Chi is one of three ancient texts on li: Chou Li, Yi Li, and Li Chi. …
欣逢中国人民大学国学院"国学与中华民族现代文明建设"学术研讨会隆重召开,我谨代表湖南大学岳麓书院对论坛的召开表示由衷热烈的祝贺!中国人民大学国学院自2005年成立以来,秉持"大国学"观念,温故知新,筚路蓝缕,在中华优秀传统文化实现创造性转化与创新性发展的宏伟指引下,紧跟时代发展需求,重视关怀时代需要,成就斐然,影响深远,已然成为了我国国学教育研究的先行者、国学学科建设的领航者、国学传播的佼佼者.本次大会的主题是探讨"国学"与"中华民族现代文明建设",选题高屋建瓴、切中肯綮,既呼应了国家的文化战略,也可以总结国学学科建设中已有的成就,直面存在的问题,展望在新的历史时期"国学学科"的使命和发展前景.
"降"是一个多音多义字,本文详细讨论了它在上古汉语时期的音义匹配及句法特征,认为读见母去声的"降"用在双宾式时指强制性地赐予,用在"于"字式时指普通的降予."降"读见母去声时还可以指"在具有序列性的事物上降低",大型古汉语辞书中应增设这个义项.先秦到两汉,"降"在韵文中基本上都只和平声字押韵,可能是因为当时能与"降"押韵的去声字较少.中古音义文献在注音时可能受押韵的影响,认为同调相押更加和谐,给某些韵脚字注隐性叶音,造成音义匹配的例外.
