“After-sage” life pursuits: The ethical meaning of Feng Youlan’s Xin Shixun

Abstract

Feng Youlan’s Xin Shixun 新世训 (New Treatise on the Way of Life) written in the late 1930s differed from traditional moral teachings because it focused on nonmoral life lessons and how to “virtuously” pursue success. It advanced an interpretation of traditional virtues as life lessons for young people, so that these virtues could transform an individual life in modern society. Thereby the morals of ancient sages could transfer to the modern, individual, and morality. The problem is just how the ideals of traditional Chinese culture have adjusted themselves to modern society. Following the phrase “after-virtue”, this effort can be called a pursuit of “after-sage”.

摘要

冯友兰在抗战时期写的《新«世训》», 与传统人生教训相比, 突出的是非道德方面的人生劝诫, 即“如何不违反道德地追求个人的成功”。 它针对后圣贤时代而提出一种对传统德行的诠释和伦理教训, 以适应现代世俗社会的个人生活, 并谋求从古代的圣人道德向现代的以个人为基础的道德生活的转变。 其中涉及的问题实际上是中国文化的传统人格理想在现代社会如何调适, 借用“德性之后”的说法, 可以称此为“圣贤之后”的人生追寻。