論《荀子‧王制》中禮、法、刑的意義

On the Significance of Li, Fa, Shing of the ''HsünTze Wangzhi"

江美華(Meei-Hwa Jiang)

《花大中文學報》 2期 (2007/12) Pp. 1-38

https://doi.org/10.7000/NJCL.200712.0001

摘要

《荀子‧王制》為《荀子》書中論述治國之道最完整的一篇，王者之制的理想境界是「賢不肖不雜」、「是非不亂」、「王者富民」。荀子主張王者治國重在用人，而「禮」是為政的基本方法，隆禮，同時重「法」而不廢「刑」。荀子之「禮」與制度結合，此主張在〈王制〉中落實，「禮」是教育的目標，同時是獎懲的依據，「禮」要求名實合一，行事及生活用度須配合身分、名分。荀子之「禮」形同制度，是具體的規範，此轉變在儒學史上是重要的關鍵。〈王制〉篇亦論王者、霸者、強者之國，主政者對禮、法、刑的主張，影響一國的政治型態與國家存亡，以禮治國是趨向王者之治的重要條件，當刑罰太過，民生痛苦，則人民亦有載舟覆舟的力量。

關鍵字

荀子 ； 王制 ； 禮法刑

並列摘要

”Wangzhi” is an integrated political chapter of the book of ”HsünTze”. This chapter demonstrates the ideal regulations for governor to govern his state. The best achievement for an ideal royal state is realizing the separation of the virtue men and the mean men, the distinguishing between rights and wrongs, and the enrichment of people. HsünTze emphasizes the employment policy. The practice of Li is the basis of the state, Fa (rules, law) remains identically important, as to Shing (penalty), it will be applied when needed. In ”Wangzhi”, Li is treated as the goals of education and evaluations for rewards and punishment, Li also demands the unit of the practice of Li and the name and position of the person. The normative role of Li indicates the important change in the development of Confucianism. Besides ideal royal state, HsünTze discusses 2 other types of states in ”Wangzhi”: the hegemonic state and the powerful state. The different application of the policies of Li, Fa, Hsing by the governor manifests the different type of the state. Li is the decisive factor to approach the ideal royal state, but when penalty over practiced, people have the power like water to overturn a boat when lived in pain.

並列關鍵字

HsünTze (Xunzi) ； Wangzhi ； Li, Fa, Hsing (Xing)