原文
叶公春及为福清教谕,台使者委署连江苏。辞曰:“洪武十四年,禁有司差遣学官,则学官教诸生外不当与矣。齐景公以旌招虞人,杀之不往,守道即守官也。学之于县,岂特旌与皮冠哉。职实欲附于虞人之义。”
白话
中文
叶春及先生担任福建福清县教谕时,有位省级官员(如按察使或布政使等,其官署常带“台”字)想委派他代理连江县(“苏”疑为“县”字之误)的政务。叶先生推辞说:“明朝洪武十四年(1381年)已有规定,禁止地方官府差遣学官办理行政事务,那么学官除了教导学生之外,就不应当参与其他政务了。春秋时期齐景公用召见大夫的旌旗去召见掌管山泽的小官(虞人),虞人认为不合规矩,即使威胁要杀掉他也不前往,(这说明)坚守原则就是恪守自己的官职本分。学官的职责与县令的职责(差异之大),难道仅仅像旌旗和皮帽(召唤不同等级官员的信物)的区别那样(简单)吗?下官我实在想要依循那位虞人所坚守的道义。”
英文
When Mr. Ye Chunji was serving as the Education Intendant (Jiaoyu) of Fuqing County in Fujian, a provincial commissioner (likely a Surveillance or Administration Commissioner) wanted to temporarily appoint him to administer the affairs of Lianjiang County ("Su" is likely a mistake for "Xian," meaning County). Mr. Ye declined, stating: "In the fourteenth year of the Hongwu reign (1381) of the Ming Dynasty, a regulation was established forbidding local authorities from assigning administrative tasks to education officials. Therefore, apart from instructing students, education officials should not be involved in other government affairs. During the Spring and Autumn period, Duke Jing of Qi used a banner (meant for summoning high officials) to summon his gamekeeper (yúrén). The gamekeeper, deeming it improper protocol, refused to go even under the threat of death. This shows that upholding principles (shǒudào) is equivalent to adhering strictly to one's official duties (shǒuguān). The difference between the duties of an education official and those of a county magistrate – is it merely like the difference between a banner and a fur cap (signals for summoning officials of different ranks)? I truly wish to adhere to the principles upheld by that gamekeeper."
文化解读/分析
此条目通过记载明代官员叶春及辞去代理县令职务一事,深刻反映了中国古代官僚体系中关于职责、本分与原则坚守的观念,具有重要的文化和制度史意义。
- “守官”即“守道”:叶春及的核心论点是“守道即守官也”。他引用齐景公与虞人的典故,强调恪守自己职位的本分和规矩,本身就是一种坚守道义的行为。这体现了儒家思想中对名分、职责的看重,认为各司其职是维持社会秩序和实现个人道德价值的基础。
- 学官职责的专门性:叶春及明确引用洪武年间的禁令,强调学官(教谕等)的核心职责是“教诸生”,不应被地方行政长官随意差遣处理行政事务。这反映了明清时期试图将教育系统与行政系统进行一定程度区分的制度设计意图,旨在保障教育官员能够专注于教化本职,避免过多卷入繁杂的庶务。
- 原则性与气节:叶春及不以获得临时的行政权力(署理县务)为荣,反而以坚守学官本分为重,甚至不惜引经据典、据理力争,体现了古代正直士大夫坚持原则、不慕权位的品格和气节。这与《广东新语》中推崇的其他清廉、刚正的官员形象(如海瑞)一脉相承。
- 制度与实践的张力:虽然有“禁有司差遣学官”的明文规定,但“台使者委署”的行为表明,在实际操作中,上级官员仍可能因各种原因(如临时缺员)而调派学官处理行政事务。叶春及的拒绝,既是对制度的维护,也反映了制度规定与实际运作之间可能存在的张力。
- 对后世的启示:屈大均记载此事,显然是赞赏叶春及的行为,并以此为榜样,劝诫当时的官员(尤其是学官)要明确自身职责,坚守岗位,不应越俎代庖或因追求权力而偏离本职。
总而言之,“辞署县”条目不仅记录了一则历史轶事,更重要的是阐释了“守官有分”、“各司其职”的儒家政治伦理和官僚制度原则,颂扬了坚持本职、恪守原则的士大夫气节。
关键词
辞署县, 叶春及, 教谕, 学官, 署理, 代理县令, 守官, 守道, 职责, 本分, 洪武, 明朝, 制度, 儒家, 齐景公, 虞人, 广东新语, 屈大均, 官僚体系, 官员品格