儒家倫理美德系統的詮釋及其與中國現代化之關係

An Interpretation of Confucian Virtues and Their Relevance to China's Modernization

劉國强(K.C. LIU)

《新亞學報》 16卷(上) (1991/10) Pp. 201-221+ap10

並列摘要

The aim of this paper is to provide an interpretation of the fundamental and systematic structure of Confucian virtues, and based on such an interpretation the author hopes to throw some lights on how Confucian virtues could be an asset to China's modernization. The paper composes of three parts. The first part is an interpretation of the fundamental and systematic structure of Confucian virtues. The second part looks into the meaning of modernization and gives a brief review of China's effort to modernization in the past hundred years. The third part is a discussion of the relevance of Confucian virtues to China's modernization. I. For all Confucians, the foundation of ethics or moral virtues is human nature, the core of which is ren (仁 benevolence or humanliness). A human being is a center of relationships. An individual fulfils or accomplishes himself by realizing ren in different relationships and situations he encounters. Moral virtues are but names given to the different manifestations of ren in different relationships and situations. For examples, to manifest ren towards our parents is filial piety; towards our brothers and sisters is brotherly love; towards friends is trustworthiness. Therefore Confucian ethics or moral virtues as a system consist of basically three levels of principles and rules. To manifest our true nature - ren is the most fundamental principle. The middle level consists of general moral principles or virtues such as filial piety, love, trustworthiness, and loyalty etc. The surface level consists of Confucian rites and norms which are based on the middle general moral principles (which in turn based on ren) while at the same time conditioned by the particular societal and cultural environment of China in the past. II. Modernization is not a simple phenomenon. The author maintains that in order to understand modernization both external and internal approaches should be applied. The external approach includes all social, economic, political and institutional perspectives which give a picture of modernization as basically consisting of all the phenomena of industralization, urbanization, bureaucratization, democratization, universal education and fast communication etc. The internal approach includes the psychological and behavioural pattern as well as value-orientation of the people which are characterized by this worldly attitude, free and adventuous spirit, and universalistic achievement orientation etc. The author also maintains that it is fruitful to analyse modernization based purely on an undeterministic and value-oriented standpoint. China started her modernization with the conclusion of the Opium War. The Self-strengthening Movement, the Hundred Days Reform, the Constitution Movement, the Republican Revolution, the May-Fourth Movement, the Communist Revolution, and the Four Modernizations of Deng Xiaooping all directly or indirectly revolved around the goal of modernization. Modernization was first seen as westernization. However, on the road to modernization, there has not been adequate reflection on the basic nature of both Chinese and Western culture. Deng's Four Modernizations is a setback compared even with the Hundred Days Reform. III. In order to understand the relevance of Confucian ethics or virtues to China's modernization, each level of the Confucian ethical principles and rules should be looked into individually. The fundamental principle of ren implies a conscious effort of the subject to achieve prosperity and the betterment of human conditions in the world. This supplies individual with an active spirit and a this-worldly attitude which form a direct dynamism to modernization. The general Confucian virtues such as familistic love, loyalty, trustworthiness, when unbounded by the social, political structure of imperial China, could turn out to be great asset to modernization. This can be seen in the cases of Japanese coperations and the prosperity of overseas Chinese. The surface level of Confucian virtues which formed the specific norms and rites of traditional China could be amended and changed whenever necessary. Therefore Confucian norms and rites do not necessarily form real obstruction to China's modernization. The author concludes that on the road to China's modernization, it is important to re-establish a Confucian common faith based on the Confucian fundamental principle of ren. The Chinese government should recognize the historical need of a more adequate and in-depth reflection on confucian tradition and to promote as well as to give a free hand to Confucianism research.