The Orthodox Transmission and the Moral Capacity: Reassessing Xunzi’s Refutation against Zisi and Mencius

此文之作，係檢視竹、帛《五行》篇出土後學界關於荀子非難思孟旨趣的解讀，然後提問：荀子非難思孟是對其「德行觀念」的反駁，還是對其「德行論述」的譴責？重探方案則是：首先，分析「非十二子論」的語境，掌握寓於其間的儒者自我認同與道統意識。其次，觀照荀子的治學方法，對比孟、荀的詩書之學對於其成德之教的意義所在。又及，探討荀子的德行論述，闡述其間的行動意旨。乃知：荀子非難思、孟「甚僻違而無類，幽隱而無說，閉約而無解」，意謂思、孟既欠缺「統類之行」的道德行動能力，也欠缺「辨異而不過，推類而不悖」的辯說本事，因而無法有效抗衡當時的「家言邪說」，而這基本上就是斥責思、孟不是一個能以言行道的真正儒者。經由以上旨趣的辨明，乃得以彰顯荀子的德行論述特色，並且揭示他的道統意識，以及「非(難）」作為一種論述形式所具有的意義。The excavation of the bamboo slips with the Wuxing (Five Virtues) manuscript on it gives rise to reassessments of Xunzi’s refutation against Zisi and Mencius. Xunzi criticizes Zisi and Mencius’ theories for lacking proper logical categories, satisfactory theoretical bases and adequate explanations. Their statements are in his opinion peculiar, unreasonable, mysterious, enigmatic, laconic and esoteric. He considers that differences should not be made to introduce errors and inferences should be made from the characteristics of the category that the target belongs to. From this perspective, Zisi and Mencius are feeble opponents against the schools of heterodox learning and are unqualified transmitters of ancient kings’ teachings. Beginning by examining the Confucianist self-identity in Xunzi’s “Criticism of Twelve Philosophers,” this paper verifies whether Xunzi’s refutation is an objection against their concept of moral capacity or against their discourse on moral capacity. Zisi and Mencius’s methodology is compared with that of Xunzi, which exalts rituals and moral principles and gives less importance to the Odes and Documents. Also scrutinized is Xunzi’s intention in his remarks. With the above analysis, the author demarcates Xunzi’s notion of the orthodox transmission, his discourse on moral capacity, and the meaning of his refutation as a unique genre