《莊子》內七篇本不言"性",但學者普遍認為內篇之"德"即"性"。然而,莊子在諸子競相言"性"的思想氛圍中不言之,更應被解讀為學理上的自覺選擇。"德"與"性"在莊子那里是涇渭分明的兩個概念,并呈現為三個維度的"德""性"之辨:第一,在內涵上,"性"指向的是"善惡"之道德思考與倫理界定,"德"則試圖超越"善惡之性"所導致的虛偽之弊與是非之爭,而以"真偽"分辨存在方式的本真與非本真;第二,在性質上,"性"意味著人之"同然"與"實理",指向著對群體道德的肯認,"德"則意味著獨與、虛靈、自適的存在原則,呈現為對個體之殊異存在方式的追求;第三,在政治視域之中,同然之"性"構成了圣王展開"仁政"或"禮治"的現實基礎與價值歸宿,多元之"德"則是統治者應該尊重并涵蘊的生命本質,而非被教化或同化的對象。

Most scholars think that De is equivalent to xing( nature) in the Inner Chapters of the Zhuangzi; this paper,however,argues that De means the principle of Beings rather than virtue,and the absence of xing is a deliberate choice. There are three differences between these two concepts: 1) xing implies a moral reflection on good and evil,while De refers to a genuine life; 2) xing makes no distinction among human beings,while De is related to the independent and self-adaptive pursuit of life; and 3) xing is ascribed to the generality of an actual foundation in sagely government,while De personalized should be respected and protected.