辜鸿铭：《大学》英译

HIGHEREDUCATIONANEWTRANSLATIONBYKUHUNG-MING,M.A.(EDIN.)(GŪHÓNGMÍNG,)***INTRODUCTORYNOTEThefollowingisanewtranslationofoneofthefourbooksintheConfucianBiblewhichhasbeentranslatedbyDr.Leggeasthe“GreatLearning.”ThisTaHsüeh(),the“MethodofHigherEducation,”togetherwiththeChungYung(),the“UniversalOrderorConductofLife,”formswhatmaybecalledtheCatechismoftheConfucianTeaching.WhenfirstpublishingmytranslationoftheChungYungsometenyearsago,Isaid:“Itwasmyintentiontopublishthesetwobookstogether;butIhavenotbeenabletobringmytranslationoftheotherbookintoashapetosatisfythestandardatwhichIaimatinmytranslation.”Nowthepresenttranslationis,inmyhumbleopinion,fittobepresentedtothepublic.IthereforeventuretoofferittotheconsiderationofeducatedmenwhoarereallyandsincerelyinterestedinthecauseofeducationinChinaandintheworld.Inordertomakethesequenceofthoughtmoreintelligible,IhaveventuredtoslightlyrearrangethetextasadoptedbythegreatChinesecommentatorChuHsi()andfollowedbyDr.Legge.ThebookconsistsofthetextofConfuciusandcommentaryorexplanationofthetextbyadisciple.KuHung-Ming,Peking,1915HigherEducation–KuHung-ming()theintelligent()moralpower()ofournature;tomakeanewandbettersociety(lit.people)1;andtoenableustoabideinthehighestexcellence.2Whenamanhasastandardofexcellencebeforehim,andonlythen,willhehaveafixedanddefinitepurpose;withafixedanddefinitepurpose,andonlythen,willhebeabletohavepeaceandtranquillityofmind;withtranquillityofmind,andonlythen,willhebeabletohavepeaceandtranquillityofsoul;withpeaceandserenityofsoul,andonlythen,canhedevotehimselftodeep,seriousthinkingandreflection;anditisonlybydeep,seriousthinkingandreflectionthatamancanattaintrueculture.3COMMENTARYI1.TheCommissionofInvestituretoPrinceK’angsays:“He(theEmperorWen)succeededinmakingmanifestthepowerofhismoralnature.”2.IntheAddressoftheMinisterI-YintotheEmperorT’aiChia,itissaid:“He(thegreatEmperorT’ang)keptconstantlybeforehimtheclearOrdinanceofGod.”3.IntheMemorialRecordoftheEmperorYao,itissaid:“Hesucceededinmakingmanifesttheloftysublimityofhismoralnature.”4.Thusallthesemenmademanifesttheintelligentmoralpoweroftheirnature.Thissectionexplainswhat“tobringouttheintelligentpowerofournature,”means.1Montesquieusays:“Thefirstmotivewhichoughttoimpelustostudy,isthedesiretoaugmenttheexcellenceofournatureandtorenderanintelligentbeingyetmoreintelligent.”2MatthewArnoldsays:“Thereisofcultureanotherview,–inwhichalltheloveofourneighbour,thedesireforremovinghumanerror,clearinghumanconfusion,anddiminishinghumanmisery,thenobleaspirationtoleavetheworldbetterandhappierthanwefoundit,–motiveseminentlysuchasarecalledsocial,–comeinaspartofthegroundsofculture,andthemainandpre-eminentpart.Cultureisthenproperlydescribed,notashavingitsoriginincuriosity,butashavingitsoriginintheloveofperfection;itisastudyofperfection.”3Goethesays:“ReligiousPietyisnotanend,butonlythemeansbywhichthroughperfectcalmnessandtranquillityofmind,toattainthehighestculture.”HigherEducation–KuHung-ming’ang’sbathsays:“Beanewmaneachday;fromdaytodaybeanewman;everydaybeanewman.”2.TheCommissionofInvestituretoPrinceK’angsays:“Createanewsociety.”3.TheBookofSongssays:AlthoughtheRoyalHouseofChouwasanoldState,anewMissionwasgiventoit.4.Thereforewhateveragentlemanfindsforhishandstodo,hedoethwithallhismight.Thissectionexplainswhat“tomakeanewandbettersociety,”means.III1.TheBookofSongssays:TheImperialDomainwasathousandliwide;withinitallthepeoplefoundtheirabode.2.TheBookofSongs,again,says:Thetwitteringyellowbirdhasfounditsabodeonthesideofalittlehill.Confuciuscommentingonthissaid:“Inchoosingtheirabode,eventhebirdsknowwhattochoose.Canitbethatmanislessintelligentthanbirds?”3.TheBookofSongssays:ProfoundlyseriouswastheEmperorWen.Ah!howearnestlyhestrovetorealizehisideals.Asaruler,hisidealwastolovemankind.Asasubject,hisidealwastorespectauthority.Asasonhisidealwastobeadutifulson.Asafather,hisidealwastobekindtohischildren.Inintercoursewithhisfellowmen,hisidealwastobefaithfulandtrue.HigherEducation–KuHung-ming–ourPrince,Likeivoryfinelycutandfiled;Likeagemchiselled,groundandgroundagain.Oh!howdistinguishedandcalmhelooks,Oh!howmajesticandgrandhisair;Sofullofgraceishe,–ourPrince,Oh!Hisglorywillneverend.Thewords“cutandfiled”refertothecarethathetooktoimprovehisknowledge.Thewords“chiselledandground”refertothecarethathetooktomakehimselfperfect.Thewords“howdistinguishedandcalmhelooks”showtheseriousnessofhismind.Thewords“howmajesticandgrandhisair”showthedignityofhismanners.Lastly,thewords,“Sofullofgraceishe–ourPrince,Oh!Hisglorywillneverend,”meansthatwhengloriousmoralqualitiesarebroughttosuchperfection,thepeoplewillneverforgetthem.5.TheBookofSongssays:“Ah,theformerkingsarenotforgotten!”Thehigherclassesappreciatetheirgreatmoralqualitiesandlovethem.Thelowerclassesaremadehappierandenjoythebenefitsderive