“尽心”与“养气”：孟子身心修炼的功夫论

彭国翔

“尽心”与“养气”：孟子身心修炼的功夫论

彭国翔

“Realizing the Xin” and “Cultivating the Qi”:Mengzi on Self-cultivation as Spiritual and Bodily Exercise

摘要: 把帛书《五行》说部和通行本《孟子》七篇结合起来，作为了解孟子思想的整体文献依据，在既有研究的基础之上，可以对孟子身心修炼的功夫论进行全面与彻底的考察。孟子功夫论的核心观念是“心”和“气”，而孟子功夫论不同于先秦其他诸家“治气养心之术”的地方，既在于孟子对“心”和“气”的理解，也在于孟子“尽心”与“养气”的意涵。孟子的“心”是道德法则、情感和意志的三位一体，孟子的“气”则是以“仁义”为内涵、以“刚大”为特征的作为“德气”的“浩然之气”。孟子身心修炼的功夫实践，无论“养心”还是“治气”，都不是以外在的规范来约束自然的生命，而是由内而外扩充固有的本心和德气，使之不仅流通贯注于自己作为个体的全副身心，进而遍及自我之外的他人和世间万物，展现为一种内在德性自我推动之下不断外化的过程。这一特点不仅在先秦诸家的功夫论中独树一帜，较之古希腊罗马传统特别是其中以斯多亚派为代表的“精神修炼”，孟子身心修炼的功夫实践不仅“心”与“身”兼顾，也更为外向和积极健动。而孟子特别提出的“大丈夫”观念，则是其身心修炼功夫所指向的理想人格。这一理想人格的“大成”，在孟子对于“圣”和“神”境界的描绘中得到了展现。
Abstract: Based on previous studies, this article endeavors to make a thorough study of Mengzi’s theory of self-cultivation as spiritual and bodily exercise by taking both Menzi and the Comments on Wuxing as the textual resource of Mengzi. The central ideas to Mengzi’s theory of self-cultivation are xin (“心”，heart-mind) and qi (“气”，vital energy). What distinguishes Mengzi from other thinkers in pre-Qing Chinese intellectual world in terms of self-cultivation lies not only in his understanding of xin and qi as well but also in his elaboration on “realizing the xin” and “cultivating the qi.” For Mengzi, xin is the unity of moral principle, moral feeling, and moral will; qi as the “flood-like qi” is a virtuous vital energy defined by humaneness as its essence and the greatness and strongness as its characteristics. As a spiritual and bodily exercise, either “realizing the xin” or “cultivating the qi” is not to constrain people’s life by rules from without but extend people’s innate xin of goodness and virtuous qi from within to the full life of people and the myriad things in the cosmos as well. As an everlasting process driven by the inner virtues of people, Mengzi’s self-cultivation is not only unique among the pre-Qin Chinese thinkers but also, compared with Greco-roman spiritual exercise represented by the Stoicism, more outside-oriented and active. The idea of “great man” Mengzi particularly advocated is an ideal personality that Mengzi’s self-cultivation aims to achieve. The full accomplishment of this personality is epitomized in the “sagehood” and “spirituality” that Mengzi depicted
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沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院沈阳 110142

“尽心”与“养气”：孟子身心修炼的功夫论

摘要: 把帛书《五行》说部和通行本《孟子》七篇结合起来，作为了解孟子思想的整体文献依据，在既有研究的基础之上，可以对孟子身心修炼的功夫论进行全面与彻底的考察。孟子功夫论的核心观念是“心”和“气”，而孟子功夫论不同于先秦其他诸家“治气养心之术”的地方，既在于孟子对“心”和“气”的理解，也在于孟子“尽心”与“养气”的意涵。孟子的“心”是道德法则、情感和意志的三位一体，孟子的“气”则是以“仁义”为内涵、以“刚大”为特征的作为“德气”的“浩然之气”。孟子身心修炼的功夫实践，无论“养心”还是“治气”，都不是以外在的规范来约束自然的生命，而是由内而外扩充固有的本心和德气，使之不仅流通贯注于自己作为个体的全副身心，进而遍及自我之外的他人和世间万物，展现为一种内在德性自我推动之下不断外化的过程。这一特点不仅在先秦诸家的功夫论中独树一帜，较之古希腊罗马传统特别是其中以斯多亚派为代表的“精神修炼”，孟子身心修炼的功夫实践不仅“心”与“身”兼顾，也更为外向和积极健动。而孟子特别提出的“大丈夫”观念，则是其身心修炼功夫所指向的理想人格。这一理想人格的“大成”，在孟子对于“圣”和“神”境界的描绘中得到了展现。

“Realizing the Xin” and “Cultivating the Qi”:Mengzi on Self-cultivation as Spiritual and Bodily Exercise

Abstract: Based on previous studies, this article endeavors to make a thorough study of Mengzi’s theory of self-cultivation as spiritual and bodily exercise by taking both Menzi and the Comments on Wuxing as the textual resource of Mengzi. The central ideas to Mengzi’s theory of self-cultivation are xin (“心”，heart-mind) and qi (“气”，vital energy). What distinguishes Mengzi from other thinkers in pre-Qing Chinese intellectual world in terms of self-cultivation lies not only in his understanding of xin and qi as well but also in his elaboration on “realizing the xin” and “cultivating the qi.” For Mengzi, xin is the unity of moral principle, moral feeling, and moral will; qi as the “flood-like qi” is a virtuous vital energy defined by humaneness as its essence and the greatness and strongness as its characteristics. As a spiritual and bodily exercise, either “realizing the xin” or “cultivating the qi” is not to constrain people’s life by rules from without but extend people’s innate xin of goodness and virtuous qi from within to the full life of people and the myriad things in the cosmos as well. As an everlasting process driven by the inner virtues of people, Mengzi’s self-cultivation is not only unique among the pre-Qin Chinese thinkers but also, compared with Greco-roman spiritual exercise represented by the Stoicism, more outside-oriented and active. The idea of “great man” Mengzi particularly advocated is an ideal personality that Mengzi’s self-cultivation aims to achieve. The full accomplishment of this personality is epitomized in the “sagehood” and “spirituality” that Mengzi depicted