變動與行動：論《黃帝四經》中的「時」

Abstract

《黃帝四經》於1973年馬王堆漢墓出土，此經分有《經法》、《十大經》、《道原》及《稱》四篇。有別於先秦其他典籍，此經對於「時」之概念有特別的關注與論述。本文採取以文本內部邏輯為主的詮釋方式，並且深入討論《黃帝四經》中對「時」的理解及用例，包含「時」在文本中的幾種使用情形：「四時」、「民時」與「天時」。說明「時」作為「變動」的來源與意義，論其與陰陽、日月、四季、刑名之間的關聯，以及它們如何被「動靜」串聯收納起來，上升成為「規律」。最後說明「時」如何從自然觀察過渡到人事的指引。 「時」向執政者展現了世界運行的機制，透過「見知」的方式讓執政者得以進行視域的轉換，是人倫政治正當性的來源與行動與否的判準，當中涉及了刑德、階級、軍事行動等人事不同面向的討論。本文透過《黃帝四經》中「時」之概念的建構，釐清《黃帝四經》政治行動之要旨。讓執政者能在亂世當中藉由參天地而通人事，在複雜的時局中開闢生存的空間。

The Four Canons of the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi Sijing 黃帝四經), unearthed in 1973 from the Mawangdui Han tombs, comprises four distinct sections: Jingfa (經法), Shi dajing (十大經), Cheng (稱), and Daoyuan (道原). Unlike other pre-Qin philosophical texts, this corpus places particular emphasis on the concept of Temporality (shi 時). This study adopts a hermeneutic approach grounded in the internal logic of the text itself, and provides a close analysis of the conceptualization and deployment of Temporality within the Four Canons of the Yellow Emperor, focusing on its primary manifestations: si shi (四時), min shi (the timing of the people, 民時), and tian shi (heavenly timing or cosmic trends, 天時). The study elucidates Temporality as a source of transformation and a dynamic principle, tracing its relationships with cosmological dualities such as yin and yang, solar-lunar cycles, the seasons, as well as with legal and punitive classifications (xing ming 刑名). These diverse elements are integrated through the dialectic of movement and stillness (dong jing 動靜), ultimately forming a coherent notion of patterned regularity. Moreover, this sudy examines how Temporality transitions from a model of natural observation to a normative guide for political action. Within this framework, Temporality functions as a mechanism that reveals the structure of the cosmos to the ruler, facilitating a perspectival shift through observation (jian zhi 見知). In doing so, it becomes the epistemological foundation for political legitimacy and the criterion by which the ruler determines whether to act. This encompasses deliberations on law and virtue, social hierarchy, and military strategy. By reconstructing the conceptual architecture of shi in the Huangdi Sijing, this study clarifies the text’s core vision of political action: that a ruler, even amidst disorder, may align with cosmic patterns to govern human affairs, thus carving out a viable space for survival in a turbulent world.