On The Thrift Thoughts Of Pre-Qin Period

"Thrift" is an important ethical category, and is the significant issues of Confucianism, Taoism, Legalist school and Mohist school ethical thoughts. The thinkers of these four schools systematically constructed the Chinese moral tradition of "advocate thrift and restrain luxury". They thought that the essence of "thrift" is continence, namely, moralization of desire.In Confucianist’s opinion,"Thrift" is a necessary virtue of self-cultivationand governing country. But this kind virtue must bring into correspondence with "Rite", that is to say, people’s behavior mustaccord with hierarchy moral rule based on relationship of patriarchal clan system.Taoists thought that the connotation is indifferent to fame and gain, emptiness, non-action. Both Lao Tzu and Chuang Tuz opposed the moral rule system of Confucianism which has "Human-heartedness and Righteousness" as its spirit substance. And in order to protect life, they called for husbanding expenses andproposed to hold few desires.The thinkers of Legalist school also thought that people’s behavior must accord with hierarchy moral rule, and they emphasized the effect of law and penalty especially. Kuan Tzu went in the opposite, he thought "luxury" can humanize people. The thrift theory of Han Fei Tzu was one part of his theory of governing art. And Han Fei Tzu suggested that the most important thing is to know what kind of situation shoud be thrifty or luxurious.The standpoint of "advocate thrift" of Mohist school was the most determined in these four schools.Mo Tzu was an ascetic, so he refused any worldly enjoyments and luxury. And this was the reason that why Mohist school was called asceticism or abstinence. At the sametime, Mo Tzu was an utilitarian, because he thought the morality attribute of thrifty or luxurious behavior depended on whether it benefits the human being.In consideration of the similarity of linguistic context and Social context between Pre-Qin Period and modern China, developing and expanding the moral tradition of "advocate thrift and restrain luxury" has the positive significance in protectting individual mind and body healthy, improving the harmony relationship between human and nature, avoiding the overflow of consumerism, defensingthe sensualism and extravagance, advancing anti-corruption construction.