贤良政制与古典诗教--孔子与柏拉图诗教观念同异略论

摘要

Since Confucius’and Plato’s ideas of the best regime decisively shape their conceptions of poetic education,a more meaningful comparison of their conceptions of poetic education must be based on that of their ideas of polity.Their ideal political order,as far as its fundamental principle is concerned,can be defined as a kind of aristocracy based upon hierarchical distinctions of humanity. Poetic education in Confucius and Plato is,therefore,politically moral education required by that aristocracy.Although this classical moral education,in general,is aimed at a principle of mean or moderation,there are nonetheless significant differences between Confucius’notions of education practiced in The Book of Songs and those of Plato’s in poetry,because benevolence,which is morally underlying Confucius’ideal political constitution,bears fundamental differences from the absolutely public spiritedness required by Plato’s ideal polis in speech in his Republic .%由于孔子和柏拉图的政制观念对其诗教观念具有决定意义，只有基于孔子与柏拉图政制观念的异同，才能更有意义地比较两者诗教观的异同。就根本理念而言，孔子和柏拉图的理想政治秩序都可以被归结为基于人性差序的贤良政制，因此，诗教在孔子和柏拉图那里都表现为贤良政制所要求的政治德性教化。但是，尽管上述德性教化在孔子和柏拉图那里都以中道或节制等原则为重要旨归，由于作为孔子理想礼制道德基础的“仁”与柏拉图理想城邦所要求的绝对公共德性之间存在重要差异，孔子之《诗》教观念与柏拉图的诗教观念之间必然存在重大差异。