论孟子的仁义概念及亲亲相隐问题

On Mencius' View of Benevolence and Righteousness and Kin Concealment System

在先秦儒家道德的变迁中,孔子发展了仁的概念,孟子则将义与仁并称,使仁义成为战国到秦汉间儒家道德的主要内容,适应了从春秋小国到统一国家、从封建制到郡县制的变迁中道德的需要,儒家关于亲亲相隐的争论也是建立在这样的基础上,表现了过渡阶段不同道德行为的冲突。孟子的仁义理论也努力将两种道德统一起来,其中的"义"类似于西方的正义理论,为儒家道德解决现实政治和法律问题提供了思考,对理解西方伦理的演变也有重要的参照作用。

Confucius developed the concept of benevolence in the pre-Qin Dynasty. In Mencius＇ work, righteousness is paralleled with benevolence and became the main content of the Confucian morality between the Warring States and the Han Dynasties. They adapted to moral changes from the small country of the Spring and Autumn Period to the monarchical state and county sys- tem. The Confucian debate on the Kin Concealment System was also based on the conflict of different moral behaviors in the transitional phase. Mencius＇ theory of benevolence and righteousness also attempted to unify the two kinds of morality. The meaning of righteousness was similar to that of western theory of justice, which provided thought for Confucianism to solve real political and legal problems and had an important reference for understanding the evolution of western ethics.