On Ceng Zi's Ethics with Filial Piety as the Core (2)

On Ceng Zi's Ethics with Filial Piety as the Core

Ceng Zi thinks:? There are three kinds of filial piety: filial piety to relatives, followed by humiliation, which can be raised. ? (Ceng Zi's Great Filial Piety Classic) The main content of filial piety is to respect parents, not to humiliate them, and to be able to support them. Respect for relatives promotes the name of parents; People who don't practice will not trap their parents in injustice; Can support, self-denial and pro-love, what else? Where to? This is its spiritual essence. Whether it is respecting relatives, not humiliating, and being able to raise, we must run through a word of respect. ? A gentleman is also filial, loyal and respectful; On the contrary, it is chaotic. Try to be polite, Zhuang Jing is safe; Being tireless in remonstrance, not lazy in listening, faithful in joy, and not born of blame is filial piety. ? ("Ceng Zi Li Xiao") Thus, Ceng Zi expounded the basic content of filial piety from four aspects, and gave full play to the spiritual essence of filial piety.

First, respect and support. Undoubtedly, the minimum requirement of filial piety to parents is to raise relatives, but as Confucius said, as for all dogs and horses, only respect is filial piety to parents. Therefore, Ceng Zi also believes that filial piety to adoptive parents is not simply to raise, but to raise with respect, so that parents can feel comfortable and comfortable for a long time until their parents die. The essence of respecting the old and loving the young is sincere in heart, always putting parents in mind, so Confucius has? You must be good at traveling, right? Said. So Ceng Zi thinks that parents should not care about their position when they are around? Poor old people, officials don't choose officials? . Han Shi Zhuan once recorded Ceng Zi's words:? I am an official, but I am not a bell jar. Still happy, I don't think it's too much, and I'm happy to catch my loved ones. Since then, I have tasted the south and traveled to Chu, respecting officials. At the beginning of nine years, the church was busy with topics and was overwhelmed by cars. People crying in the north are not ashamed, and I feel sorry for my relatives. ? Zhuangzi? The fable also records that Ceng Zi said? I am a pro-official, and I am happy after three pots; I don't stop for three thousand minutes, and I feel sad. ? Happiness depends on whether you can support and love your parents. If you can, although Lu is not a bell jar, you are still happy; If they can't, they can't have real happiness even if they have three thousand minutes of money in grade nine, because without their parents, they can't enjoy this achievement any more, and even if they have high officials and high salaries, they can't be filial to their parents.

Second, respect ambition. In Ceng Zi's thought, the fostering of adoptive parents is not only to support the mouth and body, but also to support the heart and nature. He said:? Filial piety also supports the elderly, happy, and does not violate their will; Enjoy your day, sleep in your place, be loyal to your diet and be a dutiful son when you die. ? People who are completely convinced should make their parents feel happy, respect their wishes and not go against their wishes. People who listen to all directions should take good care of their parents' diet and make them happy physically and mentally. Ceng Zi emphasized one point here? Loyalty? This word means to treat parents sincerely and with respect. Therefore, Ceng Zi said. The so-called filial piety of a gentleman, first of all, must bear his ambition and teach his parents the righteousness. ? The spirit of filial piety is respect, and respect needs it? First intention? Respect and inherit parents' wishes. Of course, he has not forgotten the premise of success, that is, he must meet? Tao? . ? Parents love it, but don't forget it; Parents hate their guts, have no complaints or fears; Parents have it, but they don't violate it? (Ceng Zi's Great Filial Piety)? Filial sons are selfless and happy, parents worry best, and parents are happy. The dutiful son is clever, so his parents are safe. ? ("Ceng Zi Against Parents") In short, I like what my parents like, and I worry about what my parents worry about. My emotions are only based on my parents' will. Filial piety is not simply to provide parents with necessities of life, nor to provide them as much as possible, but to be polite, respectful and loyal. The function of courtesy is to make it just right, and the meaning of respect is to make filial piety to parents come from the heart. If we can do this, then we can make our parents happy. This is a respect for ambition.

Third, respect the body. Ceng Zi thinks that body hair and skin are given by parents, which is the continuation of parents' bodies. What about here? For the body? It is not only care and respect for parents' bodies, but also respect for their own bodies. If you damage your body, it is equivalent to damage and unfilial to your parents' body. "The Book of Filial Piety" begins:? Parents who are physically injured dare not hurt, and filial piety begins. ? Ceng Zi also emphasized that the body is also a pro-body. How dare you disrespect (Ceng Zi's great filial piety)? Our life is the continuation of our parents' life, and our body is also the continuation of our parents' body. Cherishing one's life and body is the minimum filial piety to one's parents. Ceng Zi's thought was deeply influenced by Confucius: Ceng Zi heard the masters say: What is born in the sky and raised on the ground are all man-made. Parents are born and children are returned, which can be described as filial piety; If you don't lose your body, you can say it's all. Therefore, gentlemen dare not forget their steps. ? Therefore, a gentleman should not forget his parents in every move, nor in every word and deed. I dare not forget my parents in every move, so I don't take the path, I don't swim in the boat, and I dare not walk with my parents' bodies. Speaking without forgetting your parents, not swearing from your mouth, saying that you are not as good as yourself, and then not humiliating yourself and not worrying about your loved ones, this is filial piety. ? (Ceng Zi's "Great Filial Piety") To be filial to parents, first of all, you should cherish your body, don't take risks, don't let your parents worry, and always remember to protect the integrity of your body. Therefore, the matter of filial son is also close, easy to live in Egypt, willing to take risks. The dutiful son swims, and the violent person violates it; Go out and travel, don't worry about your parents; Adventure across the alley, not asking for help first, but taking care of your body so that you won't forget your loved ones. ? (Ceng Zi's Book of Filial Piety) Ceng Zi was careful not to hurt Bletilla striata until he was old. On his deathbed, he didn't rest assured until he saw that his body was well preserved.

Due to the establishment of patriarchal clan system since the Western Zhou Dynasty, filial piety has become the most basic and important moral norm in China traditional society, and it plays a fundamental and important role in social moral life. Book of rites? "Said sacrifice righteousness? Filial piety is a great lesson in the world. ? The Book of Filial Piety regards filial piety as the classics of heaven, the meaning of the earth and the trip of people. Ceng Zi's ethical thought also has the same view, he said. Filial piety is a great lesson in the world. Filial piety is placed in the world, balanced in the four seas, and applied to future generations. It is pushed to the East China Sea, pushed to the West Sea, pushed to the South China Sea, and pushed to the North Sea. ? (Ceng Zi's Great Filial Piety Sutra) In Ceng Zi's view, filial piety is ubiquitous in the universe, the most universal and eternal morality in the world, and the foundation of all other morals. He attaches great importance to filial piety, highlighting its important role in interpersonal relationships, taking filial piety as the basis of guiding all human ethics, as the value criterion of personal moral behavior and the basic program of self-cultivation, family harmony and peace of the world. This is not only the absolute value of filial piety with truth, but also the great universality and eternity in the code of conduct. This view clearly reflects the basic characteristics of traditional ethics based on consanguineous family and family morality in ancient China society.

Because Ceng Zi regards filial piety as the foundation of all virtues, practicing filial piety is not only a good boy who respects his parents, but also a good man who abides by social morality. How to be a virtuous person? Ceng Zi expounded his theory of moral cultivation. There are many viewpoints and methods in his moral cultivation theory, which are inherited and developed by later Confucian scholars. It is particularly worth mentioning. Introspection? 、? Prudent and independent? And then what? Loyalty? .

Ceng Zi inherited the basic spirit of Confucius and Confucianism, and always regarded moral perfection as the ultimate pursuit of a scholar. Therefore, he is strict with himself and constantly reviews and reflects on his words and deeds. This formed the first important thought of his moral cultivation, that is, the cultivation method of paying attention to introspection. The Analects of Confucius? Learning and recording:? I visit myself three times a day: am I unfaithful to others? Don't believe in making friends? The so-called "three provinces" is not only a reflection on these three things, but also an example. However, here, at least it shows that Ceng Zi thinks these three things are very important, so he gives a special example. Loyalty is responsible for others, faith is honest with others, and learning is the persistent pursuit of knowledge. These are three important virtues for a person. Therefore, Ceng Zi often reflects on his behavior from these three aspects. ? Every day when you are employed, you will reflect on yourself at night, thinking that you have no figure, which can be said to be a business. ? ("Ceng Zi Shili") He takes this method of introspection as his daily compulsory course, telling himself every day to persevere all his life.