论孔子俭约思想的当代意义

On Contemporary Significance of Confucian Concept of Frugality

俭约是中国文化中衡量做人,做事,成为君子的一项重要参数。普通民众要以俭约作为行事准则,为政者要以俭约作为提升政绩、练达品性坚守的信义。人们不能以发展经济作为可以恣意挥霍资财的借口,因为只有知足者才能真正实现富裕。孔子置身于"礼坏乐崩"的大混乱中,特立独行,创立"仁"学思想体系,期望以"仁"释"礼"的方式规范上层社会的行为,使社会各阶层能继续尊崇贵本俭省的祖训,实现俭以养德的目的。孔子的俭约思想是和谐社会所必需的根基,是当代中国社会必须大力提倡的美德,是必须坚守的生活理念。

Frugality in Chinese culture is an important parameter in judging one＇s personality and behavior as well as in the pursuit of becoming a gentleman. Ordinary people shall take it as ground rules, while politicians shall take it as the principle to stick to whether in performing their duties or in perfecting their own personalities. In no ease shall anyone take economic development as an excuse to squander social resources, and only those who are satisfied with material spending can truly become wealthy. During his time when ＂social rites collapsed and social order broke down＂, Confucius mended his own behavior and was different from others, he invented the school of thought of benevolence, expecting that by rebuilding social rites from benevolent behaviors the conducts of the upper classes might be regulated, all social classes might continue to respect the traditional ideas of being frugal so that morality might build up from frugal practices. The Confucian concept of frugality, as the foundation of building a harmonious society, is a social virtue which we need to vigorously advocate, and a social rule we must hold up to in our life.