试论孟子与士人精神

作为中国“轴心时代”的重要思想家，孟子希望以道德化政治，实现天下有道。他提出士人修养的“浩然之气”，在士人与君主的关系上主张“道高于君”，而对于广大普通民众则倡导“使先知觉后知，使先觉觉后觉”。在此基础上，孟子推出了四种士人典范。而在孟子这些思想中，一以贯之的乃是对德性的张扬，在“尊德性”与“道问学”之间，他明显偏重于前者，这是孟子关于士人精神的特色所在。在孟子的精神世界里，我们可以看到的更多的是一种道德信仰和勇气。正是从这个意义上讲，孟子是一位信仰道德的“宗教家”，而不是一位代表智性的“学问家”。

An Analysis of Mencius and Intelligentsia's Spirit

As an important ideologist of axial age, Mencius hopes to lead politics with virtues so as to build a well-governed world where the Tao prevails. He proposes that the literatus must cultivate a grand and noble spirit. On the relationship between the literatus and king, he holds that ＂Tao is superior to the king＂ for the common people, he insists on ＂To make men who have foresights awaken those who have not and to make men who have been awakened awaken those who have not＂. Based on these thoughts, he puts forward four apotheoses for literatus. He promotes the virtuous nature constantly throughout his thoughts. On the relationship between ＂to honor the virtuous nature＂ and ＂to follow the knowledge＂, he obviously emphasizes the former. In his spiritual world, what we can observe more often is the moral belief and courage. In this sense, Mencius is a religionist who symbolizes morality and belief rather than a scholar who represents physical truth and rationality.