《荀子》中的两种文化--荀子思想的基本性格及其思想史的诠释 = Two patterns of Culture in XunZi - The Basic Character of XunZi's Thought and an interpretation in the Scope of Intellectual History

Abstract

Xun Zi was one of the greatest Confucian thinkers in the pre-Qin period. The purpose of this thesis is to interpret the basic character of his philosophy. First of all, it argues that like Mohists and Legalists, Xun Zi¿s thought also has a utilitarian character, but his utilitarianism should be understood in a broader sense. He was concerned about the material needs of the people as well as their emotional needs. Second, Xun Zi¿s thought also exhibits an empirical bent; unlike his predecessors Zichan and Confucius, Xun Zi tried to construct a kind of epistemology based on experience. Lastly, the empirical character of Xun Zi¿s thought was determined by its utilitarian character. As such, utilitarianism is therefore fundamental to Xun Zi¿s thought. In the context of intellectual history, both the utilitarian and empirical character of Xun Zi¿s thought exemplified the historical competition and reconciliation of two particular patterns of cultures¿ the political and intellectual cultures of the Zhou dynasty and the Warring States period. Specifically, utilitarianism was the mainstream thinking during the Warring States period in which Xun Zi lived, yet his broader sense of utilitarianism inherited and absorbed the elements of rites and music from the Zhou political culture. Xun Zi¿s empiricism reflected the trend of returning to the empirical views espoused earlier by Zichan, Confucius and others. At the same time, Xun Zi also adopted many ideas from the ¿epistemological movement¿ which reigned in the Warring States era.