明代“鸟兽草木之学”的“转向”及其理学探源  

The Shift in Biology during the Ming Dynasty and Its Exploration of Neo-Confucian Origins

作　　者：王镛 赵云波 WANG Yong;ZHAO Yun-bo(Institute for History of Science and Technology,Shanxi University,Taiyuan 030006,China)

机构地区：[1]山西大学科学技术史研究所,太原030006

出　　处：《自然辩证法研究》2025年第2期104-111,共8页Studies in Dialectics of Nature

摘　　要：明代是“鸟兽草木之学”的高峰时期。通过对明代鸟兽草木之书的解析,可知明代“鸟兽草木之学”产生了两个走向:一是在传统研究路径上的进一步推进,主要表现在以科普和文献考证为目的的“识名”的深化与动植物伦理化更为普及的“知兴”、动植物分类体系的完善等;二是产生了以使用专业学术名词、实证考察为核心的专业化动植物研究范式的变革。深入分析其背后的理学影响,可知气本位思想是其解释鸟兽草木构成与生长发育的主要思想,象思维中的“类推”和“贯通”是格鸟兽草木之理的主要方法,其皆为传统的、儒家式的科学。但正是理学的格物致知说促进了明代“鸟兽草木之学”的发展,且专业化动植物研究范式的变革,尤其是植物实验园的建立,恰恰是古典生物学迈向近代生物学的关键步骤。The Ming Dynasty was the peak period of biology in China.Through the analysis of Ming Dynasty biology books,it can be understood that biology in the Ming Dynasty developed in two directions:firstly,there was a further advancement along the traditional research path,primarily manifested in the deepening of“name recognition”aimed at popular science and textual research,the more widespread“emotional expression”towards the ethical treatment of animals and plants,and the refinement of the classification system for animals and plants.Secondly,there was a transformation towards a specialized research paradigm for animals and plants,centered around the use of professional academic terminology and empirical investigation.A deeper analysis of the Neo-Confucian influence behind this reveals that the Qi-based ontology was the primary ideology for explaining the composition and growth of animals and plants,and the“analogy”and“connection”within the Xiang thinking were the main methods for studying them,all of which belonged to the traditional,Confucian-style science.However,it was precisely the Neo-Confucian doctrine of“study the nature of things”that facilitated the development of biology in the Ming Dynasty.Moreover,the transformation of the specialized research paradigm for animals and plants,particularly the establishment of plant experimental gardens,was a crucial step in the transition from classical to modern biology.

关 键 词：明代 “鸟兽草木之学” 理学 

分 类 号：N031[自然科学总论—科学技术哲学]