Cheng Wei.Virtue and Evil in Nature and Three-Generation Emulation: Zhong Tai’s Reconstruction of Xunzi’s Philosophy[J].Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Social Science Edition),2024,64(03):128-137.
Cheng Wei.Virtue and Evil in Nature and Three-Generation Emulation: Zhong Tai’s Reconstruction of Xunzi’s Philosophy[J].Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Social Science Edition),2024,64(03):128-137. DOI: 10.13471/j.cnki.jsysusse.2024.03.012.
荀子 and reconstructed its theory. This is mainly manifested in two aspects: first, he revealed that although Xunzi advocated the inherent evil nature, he did not negate the inherent good nature; in addition, the cognitive ability acquired through spiritual tranquility as described in Xunzi’s teachings was downplayed. Second, Zhong revealed that Xunzi’s distinction between “the former king” and “the later king”was a
ctually two different terms in similar meaning. Specifically, he first referred to the Western Zhou Dynasty, and then extended to the Three Dynasties. These interpretations deviated from Xunzi’s original intentions due to different causes: Zhong’s own position in the Cheng and Zhu 程朱 school of Neo-Confucianism, the need to construct a genealogy of pre-Qin thinkers, and the influence from the earlier discussion of Zhang Taiyan 章太炎. Zhong’s reinterpretation of
Xunzi
traces the Neo-Confucian concept of “the unity of mind and nature” back to the pre-Qin period. While Xunzi focused on institutional construction, Zhong endowed institutions with the dynamic force of diachronic change and incorporated modern concepts such as opposition to hereditary succession. Zhong’s attempts of combining two perspectives and departing from the original while introducing new ideas can be regarded as a creative interpretation.
关键词
钟泰荀子人性论先王后王
Keywords
Zhong TaiXunzithe theory of human naturethe former kingthe later king