第二节 “以人为本”的人本主义精神 Section 2 “Human-oriented”Humanistic Spirit
人文主义或人本主义即 “以人为本”的学说，也是中国文化的基本精神之一。在中国传统文化价值体系中，人居于中心地位，人为万物之灵和宇宙万物的中心，天地之间人为贵。
以人为本，就是肯定人的个体价值; 强调人性尊严，注重人性的完善，肯定人在天地间的崇高地位和伟大作用; 高扬个体在道德自省自律与道德实践上的主体性和自觉性; 重视人的道德修养，主张人们通过自身的修养和学习，成为高尚的人，成为有理想的人。人本思想的确立有助于人们合理地对待人与神的关系，增强人的主体意识，以抵制宗教神学。
Humanism refers to the theory of “human-oriented-ness”.It is one of the basic spirits of Chinese culture.In the value system of Chinese traditional culture，human is at the center position，for human is the lord of creation，the intelligent part of the universe and the most important on the earth.
Human-oriented-ness affirms the individual value，emphasizing on human dignity，paying attention to the perfection of human nature，confirming human's high position and great effect in the world， chanting the praises of individual's subjectivity and consciousness in the moral introspection， self-discipline and moral practice， attaching great importance to the moral accomplishment，advocating people to be noble with lofty ideals through training and learning.The establishment of humanistic thought is helpful for people to properly treat the relationship between man and god，to strengthen the subject consciousness and to avoid the religious theology.
孔子将人的生命放在第一位，一贯反对以神为本，坚持以人为本的人文主义立场。以人为本是相对于宗教家以神为本而言的。孔子虽然承认天命，却怀疑鬼神。他说:“务民之义，敬鬼神而远之，可谓知矣。”［1］(《雍也》)认为生命最重要，而不必求助于鬼神。孔子认为应更重视生的问题，而不必考虑死后的问题。《论语》记载:“季路问事鬼神，子曰:‘未能事人，焉能事鬼?’曰:‘敢问死! ’曰:‘未知生，焉知死?’”［1］(《先进》)孔子更不赞成祈祷，《论语》记载:“子疾病，子路请祷。子曰:‘有诸?’子路对曰:‘有之。诔曰:祷尔于上下神祇。’子曰:‘丘之祷久矣。’”［1］(《述而》)孔子对于鬼神采取存疑的态度，既不否定，也不肯定，但认为应该努力解决现实生活中的问题，而不必向鬼神祈祷。孔子的这种思想观点是非常深刻的。这种思想其实是倡导 “人事为本，天道为末”(用天道指引人道)。在自然万物之间，人为贵，而不像佛家所一概之以“众生”。
Confucius puts human life in the first place，opposing to god-oriented-ness，adhering to the humanistic position of human-oriented-ness which is relative to the case of religious-based god- oriented-ness.Confucius，who acknowledges the mandate of heaven，suspects of ghosts and gods.He said:“Those who try to do something for the people，revering ghosts and gods but being far away from them，can be called the wise.”［1］(On Harmony)He thinks that life is the most important in the world and people do not have to resort to ghosts and gods.He also believes that we should pay more attention to life rather than considering problems after death.It is recorded in The Analects:Ji Lu asked Confucius how to serve the ghosts and gods.Confucius answered:“No one can serve men，how can he serve the demons?”Ji Lu asked:“What's the story about death?” Confucius said:“We still don't know anything about life，how can we know death?”［1］Confucius is not in favor of prayer.It is recorded in The Analects:“One day，Confucius was seriously ill.Zi Lu requested to pray to ghosts and gods.Confucius said:‘Is it workable?’Zi Lu said:‘Yes.It's said in Lei:‘I'll pray to god for you.’Confucius said:‘If it were workable，I would have prayed for a long time.’”
Confucius suspects of ghosts and gods，but neither does he deny them，nor is he sure for them.He thinks we should try to solve the problems in real life，rather than praying to ghosts and gods.His view on ghosts and gods is profound which is actually to advocate that “human events are rather important than natural law”.Human beings are the most important in nature，but not all living creatures as Buddhists suggested.
历史上所有战争的本质都是利益的争夺。物质的富有和军力的强悍只会加剧占有欲的膨胀，并不能提升文化。对内统治的 “人本”和对外掠夺的 “物本”不但不能使世界和平，反而会导致同归于尽式的仇杀。相反，“己所不欲，勿施于人”的理念，宽容和 “善性”是使人类 “融合”的能量。把 “憎恨”与 “报复”转变为 “慈悲”与 “报恩”，把“独霸”转变为 “共享”的人文主义智慧也许是长治久安的良方。
The nature of all the wars in history is to fight for benefits.Affluent materials and tough military strength can only exacerbate the expansion of the possessiveness but cannot ascend culture.The internal rule of so-called “human-oriented-ness”and external plunder of “material- oriented-ness”cannot make world peaceful but lead to mutually revengeful murder.Instead，the concept of“Do not do to others what you do not want others do to you”，tolerance and“goodness” can make human kind “convergent”.The humanistic wisdom of changing “hate”and “revenge” into “compassion”and “gratitude”，and “dominance”into “share”may be a way out for the long-term stability.
从历史发展的主流来看，中国文化在过去几千年的发展中，人本主义占据着显赫和重要的地位。文艺复兴时高举的人本主义火炬，驱逐了欧洲政教合一制度下神本主义统一的黑暗，给人类带来了资产阶级文化的曙光，其影响是巨大的、深远的。
人本主义在中国社会的发展过程中有其独特的意义和巨大的贡献。然而，仅有人本主义思想是不足以造就理想社会的; 仅强调道德是不足以使社会稳定有序地发展的，还需要民主法制来维护社会的公平与秩序，还需要科学技术的发展来提高劳动生产率，满足社会需求以保证人文质量。极具包容力的中国文化还需要学习和借鉴西方在对内政治方面的民主法制文化，逐步充实和发展中国文化中人本主义和民主的内涵。现代文明的大鼎，还需要人文道德、民主法制和现代科技这三足方可鼎立。
From the perspective of the mainstream of history，humanism occupies a prominent and important position in the past several thousand years of development of Chinese culture.The humanism torch in Renaissance expelled the darkness of European system of unification of the state and the church，and brought the dawn of the bourgeois culture and enormous and far-reaching influence to human kind.
Humanism has its unique significance and great contribution in the development of Chinese society.However，it is not enough to create the ideal society with humanistic thoughts; it is not enough to make the society stable and orderly develop only by emphasizing morality.Democracy and legal system are needed to safeguard social fairness and order; the development of science and technology is also needed to improve the labor productivity to meet the needs of society and to ensure the quality of the humanities.Highly tolerant Chinese culture is also needed to learn more about western democratic legislative system，to gradually enrich and develop the connotation of humanism and democracy of Chinese culture.Thus，the big “pot”of modern civilization can be set up by the support of the humanity morality，democratic legislative system and modern science and technology.
思考题
1.中国文化基本精神的意蕴是什么?
2.中国文化基本精神的主体内容有哪些?
3.中国传统文化基本精神与现代化的关系如何? 怎样构建中国当代文化的基本精神?
Questions
1.What is the connotation of the basic spirit of Chinese culture?
2.What are the main contents of the basic spirit of Chinese culture?
3.What is the relation between the basic spirit of Chinese traditional culture and modernization? How to build the basic spirit of contemporary Chinese culture?