儒学伦理对于日本敬语现象的影响力研究

Influence of Confucian ethics on Japanese honorific

敬语是日本文化中最为重要的语言现象,它是否受到中国古代文化的深刻启示,并如何接受中国传统儒家伦理在敬语意识上的影响,通过儒学在日本历史中的演绎过程以及日本敬语现象的历史变迁及其特征两种坐标,特别关注伦理意识在其中的影响力,对此进行了初步考察。研究发现:敬语现象既是日本引进儒学伦理并使之日本化的结果,又是它在日本社会历史变迁中的一次特殊映照。这一结论一定程度上明晰了儒学伦理成为日本文化积淀乃至一种文化精神的过程,同时,佐证了敬语意识从肯定性的敬畏神格出发,到走向人的忠孝礼义以及泛道德,最后再回归恭谨即对于他者的尊敬待遇的一个历史的发展轨迹。

Honorific is the most important language phenomenon in Japanese culture.Our questions are whether it was inspired by the Chinese traditional culture and how it was affected by the Confucian ethical ideals.By studying the history of Confucianism in Japan and the development of honorific,we found that honorific is a product of both the introduction of Confucian ethics to Japan and the development of Japanese society.This study sheds light on the questions of how Confucian ethics became part of Japanese culture and how the consciousness of honorific developed from respects to spirits,then to loyalty,filial piety and righteousness,and finally to the other.