‘絜矩之道’에 대한 해석을 통해 본 주자의 공동체 윤리

Abstract

Zhu Xi interpreted the principle of xieju (絜矩之道) in two ways. One was “the principle that uses the standard of being impartial in judging others’ minds-and-hearts.” Another was “the principle that make others receive their share as if I would do.” Both these ways are well-grounded in “the chapter of ping tianxia” (“平天下”章), converging on the point that “when I judge others’ minds-and-hearts, one uses one’s mind-and-heart as the standard, and after judging others’ minds-and-hearts, make them receive their share impartially as if one would do.” This is what I would like to show first in this article. The principle of xiejiu cannot be applied entirely to all circumstances. It can be applied under the condition of the well-ordered state, in which people, inspired by those who govern them morally, live their life with morality in their family. As a result, “others’ minds-and-hearts” mentioned above means what they live their life with morality in their family, and so does one’s own mind-and-heart. In this regards, “shu” 恕 in the Daxue 大學 is important in the sense that those who govern people should have the attitude of “shu” as an inner condition inside their minds-and-hearts. This is the second purpose I have in this article. The remaining revolves around the point that one should cultivate oneself morally before executing the principle of xieju, which is mainly applied to economic and political issues.