先秦儒学与老年学

The Confucianism and Its Viewpoint on Senior Citizens

关于现今老年学,西方社会学已提出数家老年学理论,儒学领域则多从孝道及养老思想进行讨论,然皆有所限制,故拟将西方老年学理论与儒家观点进行对话,尝试建构一套儒家的老年学理论。先秦儒家的老年学,既能正视老年期的生理限制,又能安而不忧,致力道德实践。不仅为老年世代提供可行的安身立命法门,也为青、壮世代提出当下安立及面对老年的实践方向:一、自觉本心、好学修德,实现义命;二、孝亲敬老;三、面对未来衰老不忧不惧;四、将道德实践视为终身使命。透过建立正确观念及伦理道德实践来面对老年课题,乃先秦儒家对现今老年学发展的重要贡献。

Seeing that the western theories about senior citizens have their limitations and the Confucianism ’ s interpretation mainly focus on filial piety and provision for the old age, the purposes of this study are to find out the characteristics and limitations of contemporary theories about senior citizens and to construct the viewpoint of senior citizens of Confucianism through dialogue so that some suggestions can be offered to the theories on senior citizens and how Confucianism deals with the issues of senior citizens may be highly focused. Confucianism ’s viewpoint of senior citizens inspires us to truly realize the physical limitations of the elderly people, and to guide them to behave themselves in accordance with moral rules, showing the values of their lives. In addition, these viewpoints also point out some solutions to problems younger generation will possibly encounter in their old age. Such inspirations are as follows： First, be aware of your original self and respect your parents and other elderly people. Second, study harder and modify your behavior and mental status. Third, be brave enough and never be worried about the old age no matter how mentally and physically feeble you will be in the future. Last but not least, one has to constantly live up to moral self-awareness and make it his / her lifelong mission. Proper understanding and positive ways of modifying one’s mental status and behavior toward one’s old age should be something that Confucianists have left for us to value modern-day theories on senior citizens.