“孝”之道的社会学探索

A Sociological Inquiry of the Way of “Filial Piety”

思想转化为行动,有一套复杂的传导机制,也伴随着思想本身在操作上的现实改变。由于孝的观念及其实践在中国历史文化中极为重要,故可以作为一个重要范例加以考察。从社会学角度来研究孝,主要任务是探讨其运行的社会方式,包括它如何从儒家思想转化为中国人的行动并对社会产生真实的影响与建构。孝的本意在于事亲,但儒家将其同仁连接,进而成为仁的实现路径。至此,从仁至孝,可以看作一种从思想到行动的过程。在此过程中,孝所承担的社会学意义在于其因"报本返始"的含义而构建起的天人认知框架。这一框架的基本运行方式即是由亲子关系形成的互报模式与情感的角色化。其基本核心依据在于其关系设置上的不对等性所产生的下一代对上一代的歉疚与报恩。孝一旦运行,会导致中国人将整个社会生活集中于家族谱系、社会温情化、伦理导向、关系网络、权威至上等方面,进而可以起到整合社会的作用。可以说,孝所形成的社会特征是中国社会最稳定的传统。虽然说新文化运动以来,其主导性已经式微,但其社会底色依旧。

The idea of filial piety and its practice have paramount importance in Chinese history and culture.A sociological inquiry is called for to study the social practice of the idea,that is how the Confucian concept was internalized to become integrate part of the Chinese heart and mind.The origin of filial piety is about devotion to one’s elders,however,under Confucianism it is regarded as a path to fulfill morality of benevolence.Filial piety thus becomes an actionable manifestation of benevolence,a thought-action process.In this process,the sociological significance is reflected in the notion of "Heaven and Men",an explanatory framework derived from the meaning of"repay the gift of life and return to the origin"embedded in filial piety.The reciprocal parent-child relation and its emotional roles are operated within this framework.At its core,the parent-child relationship is unequal and this inequality is what causes the guilty conscience and the forever gratitude towards one’s parents.Filial piety encourages the Chinese to focus their entire social life on things like family continuity,social harmony,ethical behaviors,local networks,authority supremacy,and etc.,in order to promote social bonds in society.It can be said that filial piety is among the most pivotal and stable traditions in Chinese society.Although its dominance may have declined since the New Culture movement,to this day filial piety maintains the same center part of social fabric in China.