从天理到生生与乐：论程颢的道德进路

From Heavenly Principle to Continuous Life and Joy: On Cheng Hao’s Moral Approach

摘要: 程颢的道德哲学常被从宇宙论角度理解为万物一体之仁，但这一理解未能充分揭示其工夫论逻辑。本文认为，程颢的思想并非概念的简单集合，而是一条从本体到工夫、再到境界的完整“道德进路”。文章论证，程颢以天理为本体论基础，将道德价值根植于宇宙秩序之中。随后，通过“识仁”(体认万物一体)和定性(保持内心澄明)的修养工夫，最终达到生生不息和孔颜之乐的终极境界。他对天理的理解扬弃了天命之义，聚焦于自然之义，将理与仁贯通一体，使道德价值得以根植于宇宙本体。识仁要求从心灵层面体认“浑然与物同体”的境界，定性则要通过“廓然大公，物来顺应”保持内心定止，二者共同构成体悟与持守的修养工夫论。在此基础上，生生将仁从伦理范畴再次拔升到宇宙论层面，乐是反身而诚后与万物和谐一体的终极体验。程颢的这一道德进路不同于程颐与朱熹格物穷理的向外求索路径，侧重于对个人心灵的修养，为后世王阳明等心学思想家开辟道路，同时也对当代生态哲学与个体精神安顿具有重要启示。

Abstract: Cheng Hao’s moral philosophy is often understood from a cosmological perspective as the “benevolence of forming one body with all things,” yet this interpretation fails to fully reveal its inner logic of moral cultivation. This article argues that Cheng Hao’s thought is not a simple collection of concepts, but rather a complete “moral approach” that proceeds from ontology to cultivation, and then to the realm of ultimate achievement. The article demonstrates that Cheng Hao takes “Heavenly Principle” as his ontological foundation, rooting moral value in the cosmic order. Subsequently, through the cultivation practices of “recognizing benevolence” — i.e., experiencing the state of forming one body with all things — and “stabilizing the nature”— i.e., maintaining inner clarity and composure — he ultimately arrives at the ultimate realm of continuous life and the “joy of Confucius and Yan Hui”. Cheng Hao’s understanding of Heavenly Principle abandons the meaning of Heavenly Mandate and focuses instead on its natural dimension, interpenetrating principle with benevolence and thereby rooting moral value in the cosmic ontology. “Recognizing benevolence” requires one to experience at the level of the mind the state of “forming one body with all things,” while “stabilizing the nature” seeks to maintain inner composure through being “broad and impartial, responding to things as they come.” Together, they constitute a theory of cultivation that integrates experiential insight with sustained practice. On this basis, “continuous life” elevates benevolence from an ethical category to a cosmological level, and “joy” is the ultimate experience of harmony with all things after “turning inward and being sincere”. This moral approach differs fundamentally from Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi’s path of “investigating things to exhaust principle”, emphasizing instead the cultivation of the individual mind. It paves the way for later thinkers of the School of Mind such as Wang Yangming, while also offering important insights for contemporary ecological philosophy and the spiritual sustenance of individuals.