先秦諸子論「男女」

春秋戰國是中國所謂的「先秦」時期。在這個變動的時代中，來自列國的諸子，為匡救時弊，紛紛提出各式各樣的主張，爭奇鬥勝、互相辯難，鮮少有一致的共識。然而，當他們在面對男女關係的問題時，卻往往採取相同的立場；而為此所提出的解決方案，亦頗為類似。此種情形，值得吾人加以留意。本論文旨在探討先秦諸子的男女觀念、以及針對當時所產生之種種男女問題的相關議論。在先秦諸子的眼中，天地、陰陽、男女、夫婦、尊卑所構築的自然與人倫秩序，乃是宇宙至理，必須加以維護。而在此種將男女關係視為天經地義、並建構禮制予以規範的框架下，他們往往展現出對「男女有別」的堅持、以及對「男女無別」的憂懼。既然抱持著這樣的觀念，復面對激烈變動的世局，於是，他們遂一方面試圖防範女子的敗德亂政，俾能將政事導向正軌；另一方面，則企圖恢復「正常」的男女關係，以符合自然法則。而這樣的主題，不斷展現在其議論之中，也充分反映時代的變動與混亂。最後，作者透過宏觀的視野，審視先秦諸子對男女的諸多觀念、以及由此所衍生的文化內涵與刻板印象，評析其對後世的影響；並參照西方的性別研究與兩性觀念，省思其所具有的歷史與文化意義。

關鍵字

先秦思想；男女；夫婦；女禍；性別刻板印象

並列摘要

In Classical China, the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period predate China's unification under the Qin dynasty. This was a time of intellectual ferment in which philosophers of different states considered the crisis of their time and sought ideas to avert the collapse of the world as they knew it. Although they displayed sharp disagreement on many issues, they yet showed considerable consensus in their discussions on the relationship between ＂men and women＂ (nannü 男女) and its connection to the maintenance of a harmonious social order. This article examines pre-Qin philosophical views on nannü, specifically how categories of men and women were conceived, as well as its connection to an ideal of world maintenance. Almost all of the philosophers asserted ideas of natural binaries (including ＂Heaven and Earth＂ or Yin 陰 and Yang 陽) indicating that not only were men and women fundamentally different (and complementary), but also that any erosion of this difference would have a negative impact on the larger social/moral/universal order. Accordingly, as a part of a larger effort toward restoration, they advanced suggestions for safeguarding female virtue and re-establishing ＂normal＂ gender relations. In this way, these debates reflect the impact of the transformation and disorder of their time. Following this review, the essay then considers the influence of the views of the pre-Qin philosophers on the long-term development of China's culture. Here we see a profound influence on historical ideas of men and women, extending to stereotypes of gender still present in society today.