论儒家的“象贤”说对政治权力过渡的一种阐释——兼论《春秋公羊传》“讥世卿”及儒家对封建制的不同理解

对于中国传统政治来说,权力的过渡可分为三个层次,即君王层面实行世袭制,政府层面实行尚贤制,而民间基层社会实行乡贤制。然而,儒家素来主张“贤贤”或“尚贤”的政治理想,尤其对于政府各级官吏的选用,更是如此。但是,自“三代”以降,随着君主制的确立,同时要求遵循“亲亲”的原则。即便对于君王层面的政治权力过渡,儒家虽然认同传说中尧舜“禅让”这种理想模式,但落实到现实层面,大多采取“父死子继”或“兄终弟及”的模式,其实都属于“亲亲”原则的体现。然而,《尚书》中又有“象贤”一说,汉代学者通过对此说的诠释,认为君王层面固然贯彻“亲亲”的原则,这却依然符合“贤贤”的政治理想。按照郑玄的说法,天子、诸侯的子孙“恒能法其先父德行”。质言之,对于君王而言,其“贤”的内涵不同于对官吏或乡贤的要求,即不在于治国理政的具体能力,而关键在于对“祖宗之法”的坚守和继承。可见,君主层面的“象贤”与政府层面对治国理政能力的“尚贤”要求,虽然有着根本不同的内涵,却都符合“重民”的目标。由此,如果我们站在儒家“象贤”说的角度,就不难发现:无论是君王层面的世袭制,还是大夫层面的世卿制,都在一定意义上又符合“贤贤”的原则,从而将政治忠诚纳入了选贤的重要标准。尤其对于政治人物来说,不仅需要具备治国理政的具体能力,而且政治上的忠诚更为重要,两者都同样构成了贤才的标准。
Abstract：The traditional politics in China has an ideal of “xianxian” or “shangxian,” which means respecting the virtuous and knowledgeable people. Later with the establishment of monarchy, it is also required to follow the principle of “qinqin,” i.e. close to relatives. It is especially reflected in the political power transition at the sovereign level: both “son succeeded father's crown” and “younger brother succeeded the senior's position” belong to this section. However, the scholars in the Han Dynasty, thought “qinqin” at the sovereign level was still in keeping with the political ideal “xianxian.” The concept of xian has different meaning for emperor: it emphasized on the inheritance of ancestral law instead of the governance capability.Therefore, it is not difficult to find that, if we take the perspective of Confucian “xiangxian,” the hereditary system is in a certain sense in accordance with the principle of “xianxian,” which considered the political loyalty as an important standard of virtuous selection.