An Analysis of the Yin Gaozong wen yu san shou from the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips

Abstract

《殷高宗問於三壽》牽涉到儒家與黃老學的思想光譜之移動，其複雜性表現了一個融合過程的思想現象。而且這篇文章在「治國」的議題上，又有特殊之見解，因此本文將嘗試清理其中的思想成分，並以文獻的重要概念為核心，分成兩部分進行討論，其一為「長、險、厭、惡」，其二為「祥、義、德、音、仁、聖、知、利、信」。試圖透過這些概念的辯證，勾勒古代「治國」理念的發展。

The Yin Gaozong wen yu san shou manuscript involves the shifting spectrum of Confucianism and Huang-Lao thought, the complexity of which demonstrates the phenomenon of fusion of thoughts. The manuscript also offers unique insights into the topic of ＂statecraft,＂ therefore this article attempts to sort out the elements of thought therein. Using important concepts contained within the manuscript, this article divides the discussion into two parts: 1. eternity, danger, satisfaction, excessiveness; 2. auspiciousness, yi (righteousness), virtue, music, ren (humaneness), sacredness, knowledge, interest, trustworthiness. This article explores the dialectical relationships among these concepts, in order to outline the development of the ＂statecraft＂ philosophy in ancient China.