“三纲五常”再认识

A New Understanding of the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Permanent Relations

"三纲五常"是中国最基本的传统观念。人类文明发展到今天,三纲不能要,五常不能丢。三纲何以不能要?五常何以不能丢?须结合文明的通义与现代文明的发展,作出新的解释。由于"五常"属于人的基本特性,当然是解释的重点所在。

The'Three Cardinal Guides'( ruler guides subject,father guides son,and husband guides wife) and'Five Constant Relations'governing( 1) ruler and subject,( 2) father and son,( 3) elder brother and younger brother,( 4) husband and wife,and( 5) friend and friend) are basic traditional Chinese values. In the present world,the three guides are outdated,but the five constant relations still apply. New interpretations must be made of the concepts to determine what is to be retained and what is to be discarded. As the five relations are the basic attributes of humans,they are the focus of our interpretation efforts.