孟子學說——義與利、善與惡，孰是孰非？

【OUR TOWN學生團隊成員蔡子容報導】

文藻外語大學社會責任實踐計畫─「OUR TOWN 社區永續跨域共創平台計畫」於04月25日舉辦了「社區故事採訪編輯社群」的第二堂專題講座，特別邀請文藻校內退休教授徐漢昌教授來為參與學員進一步講解儒學的轉變與其他儒學大家不同於孔子的理念，除了認識他們的歷史與軼聞外，了解思想的碰撞也為整體講座增添了別樣的趣味性。

Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages' University Social Responsibility Practice Program, “OUR TOWN Community Sustainable Cross-Domain Collaborative Platform Project” held its second thematic seminar of Stories Interviewing Editors Community on April 25th. We were honored to have retired Professor Xu from Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages to further elaborate on the evolution of Confucianism and the unique perspectives of other Confucian scholars different from Confucius. Besides learning about their history and anecdotes, exploring the clash of ideas added a unique element of interest to the entire seminar.

有別於第一講的主題，徐漢昌教授此次將講座重心聚焦於另一位大儒——孟子身上。孟子作為戰國時期的思想家，在各國君主以利益當先的局面中，仍是以「仁」作為他理想的中心，勇於挑戰窮兵黷武、橫征暴斂的諸侯國們，推動「仁政」學說，為解決民生疾苦貢獻一份心力。孟子認為國君當以百姓為優先，要去了解百姓的生活，要去感受他們的喜、怒、哀、樂、愛、惡、欲，唯有為政者能做到「樂民之樂者，民亦樂其樂，憂民之憂者，民亦憂其憂」的時候，他才會成為真正的王者，而當上位者能夠體恤民眾、仁民愛物，便能創造和諧安祥、蒸蒸日上的社會風氣。這種以民為本的概念，恰恰在我們這個政治局勢時常轉換、社會環境不斷變遷的時代，起到了警世作用。

In contrast to the theme of the first lecture, Professor Han-chang Hsu focused this session on another great Confucian thinker—Mencius. Mencius, as a philosopher of the Warring States period, advocated for "benevolence" (仁) as the central ideal despite the prevailing self-interest among rulers of various states. He boldly challenged the aggressive and oppressive practices of feudal lords, promoting the doctrine of "benevolent governance" to alleviate the suffering of the people.

Mencius believed that rulers should prioritize the well-being of the people by understanding their lives and empathizing with their joys, anger, grief, pleasure, love, hatred, and desires. Only in the condition of “when a ruler rejoices in the joy of his people, people also rejoice in his joy; when he grieves at the sorrow of his people, they also grieve at his sorrow,” can they be regarded as benevolent rulers. Leaders who sympathize with the populace and exhibit kindness towards all living beings can foster a harmonious and prosperous society.

This people-centric concept of governance serves as a timeless lesson, particularly relevant in our era of frequent political changes and evolving societal dynamics.

本次社區故事採訪編輯社群講座在徐教授的帶領下圓滿得落下帷幕，「OUR TOWN 社區永續跨域共創平台計畫」旨在為參與群眾提供豐富的進修管道，讓學員們不止能提升自身的文學素養，更透過社群學習如何反省思辨、精進採訪及編輯的功力，並將所學回饋至我們的本土社區，為左營舊城的推廣盡一份力，讓越來越多的人見識到這片土地的活力與魅力。

Under Professor Xu’s guidance, the Stories Interviewing Editors Community’s seminar concluded successfully. The aim of the “OUR TOWN Community Sustainable Cross-Domain Collaborative Platform Project” is to provide participants with rich educational opportunities, enabling them not only to enhance their literary skills but also to reflect, analyze, and refine their interviewing and editing abilities through community learning. Participants are encouraged to apply their learning back to our local community, contributing to the promotion of Zuoying's old town and showcasing the vitality and charm of this land to an increasing number of people.