中国古代“明德慎罚”理念之人权思想探析  

An Analysis of the Human Rights Ideology in Ancient China's Concept of“Upholding Virtue and Exercising Caution in Punishment

作　　者：戴军 Dai Jun

机构地区：[1]中国人权研究会

出　　处：《人权》2025年第1期43-56,共14页Human Rights

摘　　要：“明德慎罚”是中国古代政治的重要治理理念之一。“明德慎罚”理念由周朝初期著名政治家周公旦明确提出,其思想脉络可上溯至尧舜时期。虽然历代剥削阶级统治者由于其自身局限性并不可能实质性地完全实现这一原则,但是,就其政治理念及其丰富内涵,尤其是中国古代政治家在4,000多年前就能够形成如此成熟的治理理念而言,无疑有着很高的学术价值和重要的理论实践意义,客观上也对后世的国家政治法律思想、道德价值观念、推进社会法制文明产生了深远影响。分析研究“明德慎罚”理念对于深入研究中国古代人权思想、构建当代中国人权话语体系都具有积极作用。本文试从政治哲学的角度,对“明德慎罚”理念的基本含义及思想脉络、社会认识的历史根源,尤其是其中包含的人权思想,进行概括梳理和分析研究。“Upholding Virtue and Exercising Caution in Punishment”(Ming De Shen Fa)is one of the core governance philosophies in ancient Chinese politics.This principle was explicitly proposed by Zhou Gongdan,a renowned statesman of the early Zhou Dynasty,though its intellectual roots can be traced back to the Yao and Shun periods.Although this principle might not be fully recognized by the rulers of the exploiting class throughout history due to their own limitations,the political ideas and rich connotations behind it,especially as a mature governance concept formed by ancient Chinese politicians more than 4000 years ago,undoubtedly is of high academic value and theoretical and practical significance.Objectively,this principle has also had a profound impact on the political and legal thinking,moral values,and promotion of social legal civilization in later generations.The analysis and discussion around this concept will play a positive role in the indepth study of ancient Chinese human rights concept and the construction of contemporary Chinese discourse system of human rights.This article attempts to provide a preliminary summary,collation,analysis,and research from the perspective of political philosophy on the basic meaning,ideological context,and historical origin of social understanding of this concept,especially the human rights ideas contained therein.

关 键 词：明德慎罚 中国古代人权思想 社会历史渊源 

分 类 号：G63[文化科学—教育学]