First, the origin and evolution of the concept of filial piety
Traditional concept of filial piety, primitive concept of filial piety. What does the original intention mean? The word "filial piety" was first seen in Oracle inscriptions in Yin ruins. There is an example of a person's name in the bronze inscription of Shang dynasty. The bronze in the museum is engraved with the hieroglyphics of "filial piety", which was interpreted by ancient philologists as the seal character of "filial piety". Because people are old, they look old with their backs bent and crutches. Old people and young people serve and stay strong. The explanation of "filial piety" in Er Ya and Shi Xun is "the kindness of parents". The explanation of Shuo Wen Jie Zi is that "those who do good to their parents inherit the old from the old province, from their descendants, from their descendants". Is to support parents. According to the ethical meaning of "filial piety" in the original code, it was formed in the early Zhou Dynasty and advocated by Confucianism during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Yaodian of Shangshu: "Harmony is filial piety"; "Zuo Zhuan" said that "Uncle Ying Kao is pure and filial, loves his mother and gives it to Zhuang Gong"; The Book of Songs says that "filial piety is not lacking, and it is often one kind"; "The Analects of Confucius for Politics" "Today's filial piety can be raised by Wei"; "The Analects of Confucius" "If you don't change your father's way for three years, you can be said to be filial"; "The Doctrine of the Mean", "Filial piety is good at obeying people's aspirations and telling people things"; "University" "Filial piety, so things are also". Mencius and Zhang Wan; "A dutiful son is nothing more than respecting his loved ones"; "The Book of Filial Piety": "The husband is filial, the middle is monarch, and the end is standing"; "New Books, Daoism": "Children love interests, and relatives call them filial piety". And so on, these ancient books have different interpretations of filial piety. The Chinese nation has been talking about filial piety for thousands of years. No matter which scholar or sage explains it from various angles, of course, there are different views. Throughout the ages, thousands of words have achieved the same goal and expressed a meaning: respecting the elderly. Filial piety from the family refers to supporting parents, taking care of the elderly's food, clothing, housing and thoughts, and fulfilling the responsibilities of the son of man. Outside the family, the family refers to the elders of the clan, the elders of the consorts, and all the elders in the society. Therefore, the content of filial piety is not only family life, but also the realization of the wishes of the elders. Strive for progress, realize the value of life, and ultimately serve the people, the people and the country. Filial piety is an important category of national traditional morality. Confucius said, "Filial piety is the foundation of virtue, from which teaching is born." The code of conduct followed for thousands of years is also one of the origins of China culture.
Second, filial piety was formed in the Zhou Dynasty.
When was filial piety born? How was your initial performance? In recent years, academic circles have different views on this issue.
The author believes that the life and religious beliefs of ancient ancestors occupy a very important position. Beliefs and customs include ancestor worship, etiquette, and the concepts of misfortune and happiness. In the patriarchal society, ancestors have a special social status, and the patriarchal system linked by clan blood relationship attaches great importance to the inheritance of lineage, regards ancestors as symbols of clan or family blood relationship, and therefore regards ancestors as gods. In the Yin and Zhou Dynasties, China formed the tradition of ancestor worship, and the ancestor god was promoted to the status of national god after God, and was worshipped by later generations year after year. With the spread of patriarchal clan system, the tradition of respecting ancestors, the elderly and filial piety is manifested in the Confucian system as the idea of "respecting respect". "Book of Rites Biography" "Governing the ancestors and respecting the monarch; If you rule your descendants, you can kiss them. "
The author also thinks that Confucius is very important to the formation of filial piety. Confucius founded Confucianism in three important stages. First, nine times out of ten, he was determined to learn, and by the age of 30, he had mastered Lu's "six arts" at that time. Second, he began to accept apprentices at the age of 30 until his later years, and he held important positions in Shandong and made gratifying achievements. He traveled around the world and enumerated the implementation of rule by virtue. Third, writing books in his later years and sorting out the Six Classics. In that era when the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period were engulfed, the minister regicide, the son patricide and the ethical code collapsed, Confucius took it as his duty to help the world. At that time, the religion of ghosts and gods occupied people's minds, and from the monarch to the people to solve daily chores, they all relied on ghosts and gods. When Confucius preached benevolence, he also saw the importance of filial piety, which was the foundation of benevolence. Living in an era when witches and ghosts are so powerful, they refuse to talk about ghosts and gods according to customs. " At that time, there was no science in society and politics to explain the existence of ghosts and gods. The Analects of Confucius said: "I don't talk about strange things, politics, chaos and immortals." For Lu Ji, Confucius regarded people above ghosts. The Analects of Confucius says, "If you don't do anything, how can you deal with ghosts"? Say: "Dare to ask death". Say, "How can you know death if you don't know life"? In the Analects of Confucius, I talked about filial piety many times. In the Analects of Confucius, there is a saying that "a disciple is filial, a younger brother is younger, and loving the people is the people." In The Analects of Confucius, Meng asked questions about filial piety. Confucius said, "Parents are only worried about their diseases." . "The Analects of Confucius: If you don't change your father's way for three years, you can be said to be filial. . . . Wait a minute. Put the illness, will and support of parents first. Then the filial piety in the family is pushed to the society, so as to realize an ideal society in which everyone loves me and I love others. According to the pre-Qin classics, Confucius sorted out the six classics in his later years, followed by the Classic of Filial Piety, The Analects of Confucius, Mozi, Mencius, Xunzi, Lu Chunqiu and Laozi. The examples and rules of filial piety described in these documents are mostly theoretical deduction and speculation of filial piety. Three Emperors and Five Emperors are the age of myths and legends in the history of China. This is well known. The ancestors of Confucius, Yao Shun, Charter Wu Wen, Duke Zhou and their old people also praised and praised the ancient ideal society and civilization and morality. So later Confucian literature was unfilial. In fact, according to the author's textual research on pre-Qin classics and He Ping's The Origin of Filial Piety and the Earliest Proposition of Filial Piety, Confucius put forward the viewpoint of dealing with the relationship between man and ghost in the Book of Rites: Confucius said: "Xia Dao respects life, ghosts respect God and stay away, and they are near and loyal. Green before prestige, reward before punishment, and respect; Its people are clumsy, stupid, wild and simple. Yin people respect God, lead the people to serve God, put ghosts before rituals, punish first and reward later, respect but not kiss; Its people are open, quiet, victorious and shameless. Zhou people respect the ceremony, but stay away from ghosts and gods, be close to the people and be loyal to the people. Their rewards and punishments are given by Jue Zhu, but they are close to them but don't respect them. They are humbled by their people, skillfully benefited by their people, sincerely written by their people and humbled by their thieves. " Confucius' research on the rites of Xia, Shang and Zhou shows that although Xia people worship ghosts and gods, they do not regard them as orthodox contents, while Yin people pay more attention to the respect for ghosts and gods. Zhou people respected etiquette, extended benefits to Enshi, and respected ghosts and gods. It can be seen that the ethics of textual criticism in Xia and Yin dynasties is dim and powerless, and the sacrifice is mainly to eliminate disasters and worship ghosts, while the Zhou people value courtesy and filial piety. Zhou Li local official Stuart: "One day be kind to the young, two days be filial, parents, eight punishments in the countryside to correct the public": "One day be unfilial ...". Poetry, Zhou Song, reading boy; To be filial to the emperor and always be filial is to have children and inherit the ancestral business. "Poetry Zhou Song Articles": "Show filial piety and take filial piety as fun"; Sacrificing ancestors, "Guoyu" worships Zhang Rong "Sacrificing the sun, the moon, enjoying the time and paying tribute". Zhou people educated and pursued filial piety, and put forward the connotation and praise of filial piety. In short, filial piety in the early Zhou Dynasty developed from the religious feelings of sacrificing ancestors, so the concept of filial piety was formed in the early Zhou Dynasty and matured in the Spring and Autumn Period.
Third, philosophers' views on filial piety.
From the end of the Spring and Autumn Period to the Warring States Period, a hundred schools of thought contend, and each party expressed its own views on the statement and flaunt of "filial piety". Confucius (Confucianism) theory, which has become a prominent school, takes benevolence as its core and filial piety as its foundation. Confucius often talks with his disciples about filial piety, which is above all else. Family filial piety has become everyone's most basic virtue. "The Analects of Confucius Liren": "Parents are here, and it is good to swim if you don't travel far." In the Analects of Confucius, Confucius said: Parents only worry about their illness. That is, old parents will naturally bring inconvenience and illness to life, and even if they want to go out, they should not be away for a long time. They should always remember their parents' life at home and should always go home and have a look. "The Analects of Confucius is a government", or Confucius said: "Zi Xi is not a government? Confucius said that the Book said that filial piety is only filial piety, brotherhood and administration. Is it also administration and ridicule? After filial piety is influenced by the monarch, the monarch is like a filial son of a family to his people, then the country will be harmonious and prosperous. " "The Analects of Confucius is a government": Confucius said, "When things are done, they should be treated with ceremony." Emphasis is placed on respecting and supporting parents before death, and burial and sacrifice are carried out according to etiquette after death. The Analects of Confucius Politics: Ziyou Asking about Filial Piety. Confucius said, "Today's filial piety means that it can be raised. As for dogs and horses, you can keep them. It's disrespectful. "What you say about obeying your parents is a question of filial piety. In Chapter 20 of the Book of Filial Piety: Advice, Ceng Zi asked," Dare you ask, is it filial piety to obey your father's orders? "? Confucius said, "Shen, what's the matter? What is this? "! More than 2,000 years ago, Confucius suggested that we should not blindly follow, not be ignorant of filial piety, and put spiritual and ideological filial piety to our parents above food support. All of the above are Confucius' filial piety education spirit beyond time and space.
Mozi had "studied under Confucianism and was influenced by Confucius" in his early years, and later founded Mohism. Mozi advocated "universal love" and attributed the root of the chaos in the world to the discord between brothers. Father and son are unfilial, and the monarch and minister are unfaithful. He emphasized that "loving each other between father and son is filial piety". Mozi also regards the kindness and filial piety of loving father as the foundation of governing the country and leveling the world. He also put forward that "if a lover loves his body", loving others is also loving himself; Honoring other people's parents is also equal to honoring your own parents. This undifferentiated view of love transcends the Confucian thought of loving people and is a two-way complementarity of love. In a prosperous society, Wang Zhidao, a saint based on Mozi's filial piety, belongs to all Italian people.
Mencius, a Warring States man, inherited and carried forward Confucius' theory and thought, and put forward the idea of benevolent governance based on benevolence and righteousness, with the people valuing the monarch and honoring their parents. Mencius, the Analects of Confucius, the Doctrine of the Mean and the University are also called the "Four Books". There are many discussions about filial piety. Mencius and Zhang Wan: "A dutiful son is nothing more than respecting his relatives". Respect for relatives has become the highest moral expression of human beings; It also puts forward the universal love concept of "providing for the old, providing for the old" after filial piety. Mencius on Li Lou: "There are three kinds of unfilial, none of which is the greatest". Mencius regarded the absence of a queen as the greatest unfilial duty. This view, at that time, pursued filial piety and delayed reading; In addition, there were few people in the war at that time, which had certain historical significance. Mencius changed the ancient "five religions": father and son are close, monarch and minister are righteous, husband and wife are different, young and old are orderly, and friends are trustworthy, into "five virtues". Mencius believes that the most important thing in society is the relationship between father and son and the relationship between monarch and minister. He put forward: "If there is no benevolence, there will be a relative, and if there is no righteousness, there will be a gentleman." Finally, the combination of benevolence and righteousness, filial piety and loyalty to the monarch will promote benevolence and intimacy in the world. Mencius also took the ancient filial piety as a model. Mencius and Gao Zi: "The only way of Yao and Shun is filial piety". Filial piety is regarded as the cornerstone of ethics and morality, which advocates filial piety for both monarch and sage, sets an example for all the people in the world, and finally integrates with Confucius' filial piety.
Xunzi was born at the end of the Warring States Period. After the death of Confucius, Confucianism was divided into eight schools. Mencius developed Confucius' theory, and Xunzi summed it up, integrating legalist thoughts and forming Xunzi's theory, one of the eight Confucian schools. Xunzi absorbed Confucius' view of filial piety and combined his own unique viewpoint, although in a society of theocracy, monarchical power and patriarchy, obedience is the command of the king and the son is the command of the father. Xunzi, on the other hand, believes that a dutiful son should think carefully and distinguish between right and wrong before he obeys. This is filial piety, which is also excellent in chapter 20 of the Book of Filial Piety: "If you dare to ask, you can say that you are filial to your father's orders"? Confucius said, "Ginseng, what is it?" What is this? ...."。 " "Xunzi Zidao" said: "There are three reasons why a dutiful son does not obey: obedience is dangerous, obedience is safe, and obedience is worrying; Obedience means danger, disobedience means honor, disobedience means justice; Obedience is an animal, disobedience is a modification, and disobedience is a respect for a dutiful son. "Xunzi's' three noes' tells us from the family that blind obedience is making mistakes and adding chaos. It is emphasized that the dutiful son should be thoughtful when listening and take the protection of family interests as the starting point.
The Book of Filial Piety is formed by the dialogue between Confucius and Ceng Zi, Ceng Zi's questions, Confucius' answers and Ceng Zi's arrangement. Ceng Zi, a disciple of Confucius, is famous for his filial piety. He inherited and developed Confucius' filial piety thought in breadth and depth. In ancient China, the patriarchal clan system was the core of the society, and "filial piety" was the main spirit and thought of developing clan power, the link to maintain the patriarchal clan blood relationship, and the basis for individuals to cultivate the consciousness of kindness, courtesy, gratitude, responsibility and loyalty to the monarch. The Book of Filial Piety puts forward the ethical purpose of "ruling the world by filial piety". It is taken for granted that "filial piety" is "the foundation of virtue and the foundation of teaching." This paper expounds the relationship between filial piety and people themselves, filial piety and family, filial piety and politics, and filial piety and society. It is believed that "filial piety begins with the closest relatives and ends with being an official", and different requirements and corresponding norms are put forward for filial piety of princes, governors, doctors, historians, from "careful use of body posture and adoption of parents" to "offenders don't say anything" Non-Tao can't do it "; From "not charming in the world, full but not overflowing" to "serving the monarch with filial piety and serving the minister with respect" From "love and respect" to "moral filial piety is added to the people"; From "filial piety" to self-cultivation, keeping the family and governing the country will make the world peaceful. The Book of Filial Piety in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period is the perfection and achievement of filial piety. It reflects Confucianism after Confucius' re-transmission.
Fourthly, the comprehensive theory of filial piety culture in feudal society.
The feudal integration of loyalty and filial piety
The Han Dynasty is famous for "ruling the world by filial piety", and it is also the most important dynasty in the history of China. As a social moral concept, "filial piety" had a great influence on the society of Han Dynasty. Han people believe that people who can be filial are "good at inheriting people's aspirations and telling people's things." Not only did they not fulfill their filial piety in the early Han Dynasty, but it was the beginning of the politicization of filial piety. Inspired by Confucianism, the rulers regard family filial piety as the starting point of "ruling the country and calming the world". Emperors from Emperor Hui of Han Dynasty all took "filial piety" as an overflow, such as filial piety, filial piety, filial piety and filial piety. "Han Shu" and "Biography of Huo Xian" recorded the words of the Han people: "After the death of the Han people, they are always filial, so there is the world", which represents the general view of the Han people. The Confucian Book of Filial Piety received special attention in the Han Dynasty. People not only regard it as "three talents, longitude and latitude, five elements outline", but also regard it as the "six arts meeting" of Confucianism. By the end of the Han Dynasty, the whole world was reciting the Book of Filial Piety, and many people in the society became dutiful sons by reciting the Book of Filial Piety and were educated by it. The position of the Book of Filial Piety in Han Dynasty rose, the concept of filial piety flourished, and the ruling class formed the guiding ideology of "ruling the world with filial piety". It is in this social background that the feudal "unity of loyalty and filial piety" gradually formed.
Fifth, the filial piety of Taoism and Buddhism in feudal society.
From the Han Dynasty, Confucianism became feudal orthodoxy for more than 2,000 years, and filial piety also became the traditional ethical concept in China, and became the code of conduct for children to support, respect, obey and care for their parents. For China, the Confucian idea is not only a theory, but has penetrated into the blood of every capillary of traditional culture. It is deeply rooted in the cultural soil of China, and has a strong influence on all fields of China culture.
Laozi, the ancestor of Taoism in the pre-Qin period, advocated returning to simplicity and truth. He believes that "the road is abandoned and there is righteousness; When wisdom comes out, there is a big holiday; Six parents are not harmonious and have filial piety. " In the eighteenth chapter of Laozi, we can see from Laozi's thought of transcending the secular world that benevolence and goodness are hypocritical and bound natural humanity, which shows that Taoism at that time still did not attach importance to filial piety. Since the Eastern Han Dynasty, there has been a convergence of local Confucian ethics in Taoism. The Taiping Jing puts forward "great kindness and great filial piety" and "filial piety begins with learning and becomes good". Ge Hong's "Embracing Pu Zi and Going to the Custom" says: "Those who want to become immortals should be based on loyalty, filial piety and faith." Ge Hong, a Taoist moralist, stressed that filial piety is indispensable for cultivating honesty and immortality. After the Tang Dynasty, the Classic of Filial Piety of Wenchang Taoism is a classic devoted to persuading filial piety, which leads filial piety to all interpersonal relationships and moral life. He also inherited Confucianism in terms of pampering, life and death.
Buddhism was introduced into China from the Han Dynasty, and its initial teachings impacted the feudal traditional ethics. Stone monk concept, haircut, no husband, no father. Since Wei and Jin Dynasties, Buddhism has been gradually localized. Buddhist documents such as Hong Ming Ji, Ling Feng Zong Lun, and Kanyu Anthology hold that filial piety is not a matter of blood relationship, but a kind of high-level filial piety. It is the greatest filial piety to cross over for the dead and pray for all beings; Sincerity to Buddha and respect for a blessed life are also filial piety: being in the temple, caring for parents and always seeking happiness for parents are also filial piety. "Confucianism takes filial piety as the foundation of every line, and Buddhism takes filial piety as the supreme principle." Buddhism always emphasizes the consistency with Confucian morality in Lingfeng Zonglun.