「誠」、「真」互涵與會通的觀念史研究

Abstract

在中國歷史上，「真」字最初意涵與先秦方士所常用的容器「鼎」之字義相關切，本與「鼎」字出處相同，蓋皆與方士煉丹的行為有關，然經先秦道家引申運用後便塑造出了非同一般的內涵，自此便有著非常強烈的道家觀念色彩。此後在漫長的歷史長河中，「真」又在與儒家慣用之「誠」字相互映照與相互涵攝過程中，經歷了數次重大的意義轉變，它通過自身的演化與吸納，「誠」的意涵而逐步轉為今天的用意，以至「真理」概念的流廣。本文旨在通過字源與關鍵字的研究，梳理「真」與「誠」意義形態的相互涵化與相融轉變的演變脈絡，以揭示中國由「誠」開啟的真理觀從終極目的的設定到追溯終極原因的轉變過程。

In Chinese history, the meaning of ＂authenticity＂ (真) was originally related to the meaning of the word ding (鼎), which refers to a container commonly used by the Pre-Qin alchemists. Sharing the same origin with ding, ＂authenticity＂ was also related to the corresponding alchemistic activities. Being borrowed by Pre-Qin Taoists, the word ＂authenticity＂ became unique and started to carry strong Taoist connotations. Afterwards, ＂authenticity＂ underwent significant semantical changes several times due to its long-term interaction with the concept of ＂sincerity＂ ( 誠) in Confucianism. Through its self-evolution and absorption of the concept of ＂sincerity,＂ ＂authenticity＂ has gradually morphed into its present-day meaning, which also accounts for the far-reaching spread of the concept of ＂truth＂. This paper aims to reveal the transformation of the Chinese ontological concept of ＂truth＂ from a pursuit of ultimate goal to that of ultimate cause by tracing the development of the mutual interaction of ＂authenticity＂ and ＂sincerity＂.