柳宗元之自然氣論

中國傳統之思想中，形而上之本體論主要歸納約有氣本論、道本論、無本論、空本論、理本論和心本論等六種型態，而氣本論中又分自然氣本論、神仙氣本論、道德氣本論，在儒家之道德氣本論中又有孟、荀兩類型，柳宗元之氣論基本上以自然氣本論之型態，循荀子之天人關係往道德義型態之氣本論發展，雖具有儒家之道德義，但其自然義較道德義強，距神仙義亦較遠。本文主要試圖從其對元氣本體論、以聖人之「道」為職志、天命之性相互關係與後天修養、天人不相預之自然義與從自然氣論過渡到道德義之天爵等不同面向探討其對後世之影響。

關鍵字

柳宗元；自然氣論；氣本論；天人不相預；天人相分

並列摘要

When it comes to traditional Chinese theories on metaphysical ontology, there are mainly six types: Chi (a special natural force) ontology, Doctrine ontology, Nix ontology, Void ontology, Ration ontology, and Mind ontology. The Chi ontology can be divided into Nature Chi ontology, Immortal Chi ontology, and Morality Chi ontology. Regarding the Morality Chi ontology in Confucianism thoughts, the theories of Mencius and Hsun-tze have been the two mainstreams. The Chi ontology advocated by Liu Tzung-yuan (773-819) is basically a type of the Nature Chi ontology, which followed Hsun-tze's theory of heaven-mankind relations to develop morality-sense Chi ontology. Such ontology, though bearing the Confucianism's morality-sense Chi ontology, has more nature-sense than that of morality-sense, but less than that of immortal-sense. This article intends to discuss the influence of Liu's many ideas of Nature Chi ontology-including his advocate of sages' doctrines, the relations between natural quality-postnatal moral culture, the nature-sense of mutual non-intervention between heaven and mankind, as well as the transition from Nature Chi ontology to the natural endowments of morality-sense-- on later generations.