人的道德本性。最早見于《禮記·中庸》。古人普遍承認，人天生所具的本性之中包含著人對于外物的感知與欲求。但是，對于人性之中是否包含道德性的因素，古人則持有不同的見解。大部分儒者認為，人性之中同時還包含著仁義禮智等道德的根基，即是“德性”。“德性”需要經(jīng)過一定的成長，才能最終成就善行。

This refers to people's innate moral nature. The term first appeared in The Book of Rites. Ancient Chinese people widely believed that inborn human nature had feelings and a craving for knowledge of the outside world. However, they had different views as to whether morals were included in innate human nature. The majority of Confucian scholars held that human nature had in itself a basic sense of benevolence, righteousness, rites and wisdom, and together they constituted the virtuous nature. Still these scholars maintained that self-cultivation was required for such nature to develop into conscious benevolence.

引例 Citations：

◎故君子尊德性而道問學，致廣大而盡精微，極高明而道中庸。（《禮記·中庸》）

因此君子尊崇德性又從事于對知識學問的追求，使自己的認識廣博又能極盡其精微之處，極為高明又能遵行中庸之道。

Therefore, a man of integrity should revere the virtuous nature of human beings and constantly pursue knowledge. This way, he will acquire extensive knowledge and gain command of it in an in-depth way. He can thus reach mastery and observe the doctrine of the Mean. (The Book of Rites)

◎德性者，非耳目口體之性，乃仁義禮智之根心而具足者也。（王夫之《張子正蒙注》卷二上）

德性并不是耳、目、口、身體等官能的本性，而是仁義禮智根源、具備于心的本性。

The virtuous nature is not that of ears, eyes, mouth and body, rather it is the source from which benevolence, justice, rites, and wisdom emerge. They actually come forth from one's heart. (Wang Fuzhi: Annotations to Zhang Zai's Enlightenment Through Confucian Teachings)

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供稿：北京外國語大學 外語教學與研究出版社

責任編輯：錢耐安