“舜不告而娶”何以是大孝、至孝——兼论儒家“孝文化”层级与理论框架

The Level Frame of Xiao Culture:On the Value of"Shun’s Marrying without Informing Parents"

汉以后的儒家对舜“娶亲不告父母”很难完全认可。有人说“舜不告而娶”是“为父担责”,但“责”总是难免;有人说是“事急从权”,但终归是“权”不是“正”;也有人以“不告而娶必乱大伦”抨击虞舜。这些批评忽略了,在孝文化延续家族血脉之“孝”面前,其他“大伦”只能让位。“舜不告而娶”因为是“续后”的必要,所以是高于“大伦”的“大孝”。由“孝之始”到“续莫大”“五不孝”“三不孝”等儒家元素建构的“层级框架”,足以诠释“孝”之层级高低及“舜不告而娶”的孝文化价值,并提供“孝文化”舍鱼而取熊掌的标准。

Interpretations of the Sage king Shun’s taking a wife without informing his parents in the Mencius are at variance among confucian scholars since Han Dynasty.Some explains his action as"taking the blame for his father";some takes it as a matter of expediency;others criticizes Shun’s marriage without getting his parents’blessing for it would lead to the corruption of human relations.However,Mencius’s interpretation shows that this does not hurt Shun’s fame of Xiao(filial piety).The reason lies in that from the perspective of the Confucian idea of immortality,compared with other ethical requirements,the continuation of the bloodline of one’s ancestors is the most pious one,therefore,Shun’s action here highlights his greatest piety.By interpreting the beginning and final goal of Xiao in Xiaojing and Mencius’s comments of the Five Unfilial Behaviors and the Three Unfilial behaviors,this essay will try to construct"a level frame of Xiao culture"to provide new evidence for Mencius apology for Shun’s marrying without informing his parents.