“意义一感通”的教化哲学——儒家教育思想要义新释

The Edification Philosophy of "Yi yi and Gan tong": A New Interpretation of the Essence of Confucian Educational Thoughts

What fully reveals the essence of Confucian educational thoughts is not Xue Ji (Book of Study)， but Da Xue (the Great learning) and Zhong Yong (the Doctrine of the Mean). Seeing Xue Ji as the very first educational monograph is a view derived from the knowledge-technology mindset of modern pedagogy of China. As a matter of fact， the root of Confucian educational philosophy is edification， with Yi yi (meaning of life) and Gan tong (holistic interaction) constituting its two fundamental aspects; the meaning of life is the purpose of learning and the holistic interaction the generative mechanism of the former， herein Gan tong is nothing but the fully and unhindered realization of Gan ying (interaction). Furthermore， meaning of life and its holistic interaction converges and combines into Zhong he--equilibrium and grand harmony， an ideal state in which one fully cultivates and completes his/her intrinsic nature， and at the same time builds up the rapport with objects. Though Gan ying (or Gan tong) can be literally translated as interrelation or interaction etc. ， even sometimes as stimulation and response; nevertheless， these interpretations could not adequately reveal the former' s charm. The distinguishing feature of Gan tong is that it represents inseparable and coordinated motion as an organic unity based upon Qi (the pervasive and penetrating energy) and thus also upon Qing (an ideal state that is unconcealed and sincere， precedes the subject-object dualism). Gan tong embodies the very spirit of Confucian edification: it stresses that li (rules and principles) originates from Qing， and Qing shall be the commencement of one's life which allows oneself to merge into the world entirely， thereby to generate and convey the meaning of life in the process of one's holistic interaction with it.