本能,本性,本质———慈孝三题

Instinct, nature, essence——three questions of Ci and Xiao

孝是中国儒学学说中重要的道德范畴之一。孝作为子女对于长辈的尊重,并不是一种孤立的社会价值,而是与父母对子女关爱的慈紧密相连,慈孝因而是一种调整社会关系的双向机制。从一定程度上说,慈的产生基于人的本能,而孝的产生则基于人的本性,在本质上,慈孝就是家族中的仁爱。由此发端,可以培育社会的仁爱精神,从而使社会达到和谐。

Xiao （filial piety） is one of the important moral categories in Chinese Confucian doctrines. As a respect for elders from youngers, Xiao is not only an isolated social value, but also closely linked with parent caring for children. Ci and Xiao is a two-way moral mechanism to adjust social relations. To certain degree, Ci （take care of children） is based on human instinct, and Xiao is based on human nature. And in essence, Ci and Xiao are the love in family. From Ci and Xiao, we can nurture the caring spirit of universal love and achieve harmonious society.