戴震思想的創獲

Abstract

Dai Zhen`s explanation to Mencius` thinking not only differentiates himself from Mencius but also from Song-Ming Confucians. By virtue of explaining Mencius, Dai has brought his own ideas into fore. Dai Zhen`s theory of “material force” (Qi) deals with the never- ending process of universe formation. However, Dai distinguishes the differences between “the source of change” and “the flow of change``，“the begetter of the production” and “the begetter of the principle，`，“nature”(ziran)，“necessity” and “thing-in-itself`. Dai Zhen places special emphasis on talking about the principle of the circulation of the material force and analyzing on the principle of things while letting things return to their own pattern and order. In terms of human nature, Dai Zhen maintains that desire, feelings and intellect are the natural products of blood, material force and mind. He is of the opinion that nature (xing) is not consummate at birth, thus insisting the human beings should develop their nature. He opposes to the view of restoring nature to “its original state”. As a thinker in Qing Dynasty, Dai Zhen is quite different from other Song Ming thinkers in that Qing scholars persisted in “returning to Confucius and Mencius”. In this way，they could expound their own ideas by means of explaining Confucius` and Mencius`, thought. On the basis of what has been achieved by Song Ming Confucians, Qing Confucian`s rationalistic way of thinking distinguishes them from the former, which is tantamount to creating something original.