《论语》“麻冕”章所见儒家礼义原则

The Confucian Principles of Propriety and Righteousness as Seen in Chapter “Ma Mian” of The Analects of Confucius

摘要: 周代的礼乐制度完备而繁盛，“郁郁乎吾从周”与“服周之冕”即可见得。降至春秋，礼崩乐坏，面对不同类型与程度的礼制变革，孔子或欣然应从，或以非礼(义)严拒，其实彰显了孔子自身符合其政治理念与道德原则的系统性的判断标准。《论语》“麻冕”章直接地讨论了春秋时代衣裳礼制和礼制仪节的变革，并将礼义取舍同列一章。“麻冕”为“周宗庙之冠”，是周人礼冠中最贵者；“拜上”“拜下”的区别更意涵深刻。孔子对此二者皆曰“礼也”却各因其义而一从一拒，礼则形式可变，义则一以贯之。此“义”的具体内涵是儒家以“仁心义路”为内，以“尊尊亲亲”为外，进而对个人与社会的道德原则的发明和对政治与伦理的理想秩序的建构，特别是还包含了儒家以“养(保)民”为根本要求的为政原则。

Abstract: The ritual and music system of the Zhou Dynasty was complete and prosperous, as can be seen from the lines “I am deeply grateful for following the Zhou Dynasty” and “I am honored by the Zhou Dynasty’s crown”. When the Spring and Autumn period arrived, the rites and music collapsed. Faced with different types and degrees of changes in the ritual system, Confucius either readily responded or strictly rejected what was not in line with the rites (righteousness). In fact, this demonstrated Confucius’ own systematic judgment criteria that conformed to his political ideas and moral principles. The chapter “Ma Mian” in The Analects of Confucius directly discusses the changes in the dress code and ritual system during the Spring and Autumn Period, and lists the selection of rites and righteousness in the same chapter. The “Ma Mian” was the “crown of the Zhou ancestral Temple” and was the most expensive among the ceremonial crowns of the Zhou people. The difference between “bowing up” and “bowing down” is more profound in meaning. Confucius called both of them “rites”, but he adhered to one and rejected the other because of their respective meanings. Rites have variable forms, while meanings remain consistent. The specific connotation of this “righteousness” is the invention of moral principles for individuals and society and the construction of an ideal political and ethical order by Confucianism, which takes “benevolent heart and righteous path” as the internal and “respect and respect for relatives and friends” as the external. In particular, it also includes the Confucian principle of governance with “nurturing (protecting) the people” as the fundamental requirement.