老吾之老：明代官吏养亲问题探论

On the Three Measures for Ming Dynasty Officials to Nurse Their Parents

明代继承历史上官吏任职的地域回避制度,绝大多数官吏为官之地都远离家乡,由此造成"为官"和"养亲"之间的难以兼顾。在"以孝致忠"的政治文化背景下,二者之间的两难必须予以解决。移亲就养、分俸养亲和辞官终养三种措施就是明代官吏解决养亲问题的主要办法。

The government officials of Ming dynasty always held posts far from their hometowns. That led to an important problem of how the officials should support their parents at home and a moral conflict arose of the loyalty to the sovereign and the filial duty to their parents. The problem and the moral conflict must be solved in the background of ＂the loyalty to the sovereign comes from the filial duty to parents＂. So the government officials could take one of three measures to support their parents： supporting parents at their official mansions; giving money to parents at home; and resigning their offices to nurse their parents at home.