大美立教——道家美学思想的教育意蕴

道家思想的核心范畴和最高追求是"道",在其思想起步的地方并无专门之心去"求美",但"道"在运行过程及对人生的影响中,不期然而然地指向了一种最高的美学精神,也即庄子说的"大美"。一方面,"大美"是一种道的可感形式;另一方面,对"道"的体认需借助于美的活动和精神。天地运行是道的显现形象,天地之大美即是道的可感觉形式,而天地的审美之维在于其整全、无限、无为的特性。道家美学思想通过对道和天地大美的体认而立足于人和人生,对走出现代教育的困境具有重要的借鉴意义。以天地大美立教,强调"内养"之"修道",此修道过程也是成就生命之大美的过程:其培养的理想人格是完整而丰富的人,因此需要警惕现代教育中知识技术对"道"的分裂和遮蔽;教育之本性在于以有限的"教"启示和通向无限的"道",因此需要注意解脱于有限的教育内容和载体的束缚;教育应无为而无不为,因此需要顺任自然而非威慑强制,以道主知,还天地万物以生机。

Teaching with the Great Beauty:The Educational Implication of Taoist Aesthetics

The core category and highest pursuit of Taoist thought is“Tao”,and there was no special intention to“seek beauty”in the place where Taoist thought started.However,“Tao”unexpectedly pointed to a highest aesthetic spirit,namely the“great beauty”by Chuang Tzu,in the process of its operation and its influence on life.On the one hand,“great beauty”is a sensible form of Taoism.On the other hand,the realization of“Tao”needs activities and the spirit of beauty.The movement of heaven and earth is the manifestation image of Tao;the great beauty of heaven and earth is the perceptible form of Tao;and the aesthetic dimension of heaven and earth lies in its characteristics of integrity,infinity and inaction.Taoist thought has its impacts on human being and human life through the recognition of Tao and the great beauty of the world,which has significant implication for us to get out of the dilemma of modern education.Teaching with the great beauty of the world gives emphasis to the“internal cultivation”.This process of cultivation is also a process of achieving the great beauty of life:the ideal personality to be cultivated is a complete and abundant person.Therefore,it is necessary to be wary of the separation and shield of knowledge and technology for“Tao”in the modern education.The nature of education is to use finite“teaching”to enlighten the infinite“Tao”,so it is necessary to get rid of the shackles of finite educational content and carrier;Education should be about nothing and everything,so it should obey natural law,instead of exerting deterrence and coercion.Know through the Tao,and endow all creatures with vitality.