儒家公益的一个家族样本——古代武夷山仁义衷氏

A Familial Sample of Confucian Charity for the Public:Those Benevolent “ Zhong” s in Wuyishan County Before 1911

儒家强调济世利民,这种精神的一大表现就是民间传统的公益慈善行为。作为朱子理学摇篮的闽北地区,这种精神深入人心。世居武夷山(旧崇安县)的衷姓家族,从五代至清末,没有出过名公钜卿,却代代有读书士子行孔孟仁义之道于乡里。他们或能亲爱乡邻,或能兴起集体公益事业,各为力所能及之事,粲然可观,可视为奉行儒家公益慈善传统的一个地方家族样本。

"Helping the world and Benefiting the people”is a doctrine emphasized in Confucianism,and it has been traditionally practiced by ordinary Chinese without political power through loving their neighbors and serving the public.This seemed especially true in the Wuyishan area(or North Fujian),that is,the cradle of Zhu Xi5s neo-Confucianism.There has been a Zhong family living in Wuyishan County for more than one thousand years,which brought up,for every generation,scholars(but not officials)practicing Confucian morals in their hometown.These people showed love and forgiveness to their neighbors,or worked hard for the common good.They served as a familial sample of traditional Confucian charity for the public.