＂The Master Speaks Himself ?＂ : A Study on the Interpretations of ＂At fifteen I set my heart on learning＂ by Scholars in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

Abstract

孔子是中國文化的象徵性人物，歷來學者對於其學說主張的探討，構成了 中國思想中重要的成分。因此，進一步瞭解孔子的生命歷程與自我期許，有助 於釐清思想史上各種儒學主張的得失。《論語》的〈為政〉中有「吾十有五而 志於學」章，正好是孔子自述其一生的文獻，尤其自三十歲之後，每隔十年的 改變，都帶來新的境界，引發了歷代學者的討論。本文即以明清時期的解者如 何詮釋此章，說明其中所可能有的意義。本文將從其「自道」的作者身分切入， 說明孔子在被解釋的過程中，其個別作者身分已然轉成神聖集團之代言人。所 以其自述一生的變化，就不再只是個人的心境抒發，而是代表儒者對於「人」 的圓滿境界之理解。另外，本文將透過明清解者的說解論起，分述他們如何詮 釋孔子各個階段的心境之改變。並且分析其中的可能原因，以及在思想上的意 義。

The academic discussions around the symbolic figure in Chinese culture Confucius constitute an important part of Chinese thought. Therefore, further understanding Confucius`s life and self-expectations helps to clarify the pros and cons of all the various Confucian in Chinese thought history. Confucius describes his life himself with the sentence led by ＂At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning＂ in the ＂Governing,＂ Analects. The changes of life phases every decade after the age of thirty in Confucius`s description lead to discussions by scholars in different dynasties. This article discusses the possible meanings of the sentence with the interpretations of this chapter by the scholars of the Ming and the Qing dynasties. It indicates that the identity of Confucius has been turned from an individual author into a spokesman of a sacred group during the interpretation process. So his self-description is no longer only a personal expression but a Confucian understanding of the life phase of ＂fulfillment.＂ This article also describes how the Ming-Qing scholars interpret the life phase changes of Confucius, analyzes the possible reasons of the comments, and explores their important meanings in Chinese thought.