在先秦,以尧舜为首的道统谱系始于孔子,为子思、孟子所继承,而以伏羲为首的谱系始于《易传》,为荀子所继承。虽然这两种谱系在历史上都产生了重要影响,但主张后者的儒士占绝大多数。从董仲舒至孔颖达期间的儒士,虽然他们所建构的道统谱系并不完全一致,然而他们的谱系则与孔子、子思和孟子有较大不同,皆由尧舜往上进一步追溯。面对佛教的挑战,韩愈、柳开基本上继承了思孟学派的观点并皆以道统继承者自居。然而朱熹则吸收了李翱、张载、二程等人的思想,在《〈大学〉、〈中庸〉章句序》中把道统谱系溯及伏羲、神农、黄帝并把子思、孟子作为道统的重要传承者。显然,这是对思孟学派道统谱系的发展,以此回应佛教的挑战,而且随着程朱理学成为官学,从而使这一谱系成为中国传统社会后期的稳定模式。 In the pre-Qin period, the Taoist pedigree, led by Yao and Shun, began with Confucius, which was inherited by Zi Si and Mencius. The pedigree headed by Fu Xi began with Yi Zhuan and was inherited by Xun Zi. Although both pedigrees have historically had a major impact, the latter claim the vast majority of Confucians. Confucian scholars from Dong Zhongshu to Kong Yingda did not completely agree on the Orthodox lineages, however, their pedigrees were quite different from those of Confucius, Zisi and Mencius, and were further traced back by Yao and Shun. Faced with the challenge of Buddhism, Han Yu and Liu Kai basically inherited the views of the Si-Meng school and both regarded themselves as successors to the Taoism. However, Zhu Xi absorbed the thoughts of Li Ao, Zhang Zai and Er Cheng, and traced the Taoist pedigree to Fu Xi, Shen Nong and Huang Di in the chapter sequence of Important successor. Obviously, this is a response to Buddhism’s challenge to the development of the monastic lineage of the Si-Meng school. With Cheng and Chu became the official school, the lineage became the stable pattern of the later period of traditional Chinese society.