儒家性論的歧路——《孟》、《荀》學說的形異質同

The Divergent Paths of Confucian Theories on Human Nature: The Different Manifestations of Similar Essence in the Works of Mencius and Xunzi

蔡富任(Tsai Fu-Jen)

《孟子》 ； 《荀子》 ； 中國人性論 ； 性善論 ； 性惡論 ； Mencius ； Xunzi ； Chinese Theory of Human Nature ； The Theory of Innate Goodness ； The Theory of Innate Evil

輔大中研所學刊

47期（2024 / 05 / 01）

153 - 170

繁體中文;英文

人性論一直是中國歷朝代所關注的命題之一，就先秦百家爭鳴而起的諸子學說，學說系統隨著時代更迭更為豐備，在學術上呈現活絡的生機與面目，亦熨燙著漢學界之文化生活。本文即從《孟》、《荀》二者談「性善」、「性惡」之分歧，欲明性善與性惡二者之異，首先藉由離構分別闡述二家之異同與分歧，以及前人研究與西學東漸理論的浸潤當中，《孟子》學說大多闡述於「性」的本體，《荀子》則闡述「性」與「欲」的一種關聯與實際作用性，然而，本文分為若干論述，第一以離構分析，闡述二家分別與「性」所指涉的意義，二來，以明二家學說的整合問題，《荀》的補充，能不能調和「性善」學說的教條，本文最後欲重構、整合二家學說，為目的進行討論。

The discussion of human nature has always been one of the key topics explored throughout the various dynasties in China. It emerged during the Warring States period, and the different schools of thought developed rich and diverse theories over time, presenting a vibrant academic landscape and influencing the cultural life of the field of Chinese studies. This article specifically focuses on the divergence between the theories of "innate goodness" and "innate evil" in the works of Mencius 孟子 and Xunzi 荀子 , aiming to clarify the differences between these two concepts. To achieve this, the article starts by deconstructing and analyzing the unique characteristics and distinctions of the two schools concerning the term "性" (xing) or "nature." Mencius' teachings mainly focus on the essence of "性" while Xunzi 荀子 explores the relationship and practical implications of "性" in connection with "欲" (yu). Furthermore, the article delves into the integration of the two theories and addresses the possibility of reconciling Xunzi's supplementary perspectives with the dogma of the "innate goodness" theory. Ultimately, the article seeks to reconstruct and integrate the theories of Mencius 孟子 and Xunzi 荀子, with the purpose of fostering further discussions on this subject.