The Family Ethics From Pre-Qin To Han Dynasties And Their Modern Values

With the development of reforming and opening, the ethics of modern family become many-faceted. The change of the structure of family weakens the restraint of the traditional family ethics; however, the family ethics in modern society are not mature. So there appear many social problems,such as the higher divorce rate, the frequency of family disintegration,the more single-parent family, the family violence etc. People begin to rethink the salvation,some people resort to the traditional Confucian family ethics. It is important to study the period of Pre-Qin and Han Dynasties,for this period is the sprout,development and mature period of family ethics. I think the primitive Confucianism discussed the ethics at a neutral attitude. Their discussion was based on the general principles of the father's kindness and son's filial piety,the husband's righteousness and wife's obedience,the friendship between brothers,the mother's kindness and the daughter-in-law's filial piety. The latter Confucians converted the original ethics for the purpose of adapting them into the needs of the feudal government. They enlarged the unreasonable parts of the original thoughts,which became one-sided. Moreover,the socializing of ethics is an important issue,but scholars have not yet studied them to perfection. Ethics are just ideologies,how to put them into practice and let all people accept them,this is more important. Knowing this course helps us perfect our social control mechanism of ethics and improve the society more harmonious.This thesis includes four chapters in all. Chapter one discusses the background of the Pre-Qin Confucian family ethics. Due to the economic and political reasons,the patriarchal clan system ruined. From the middle of the Chun Qiu Period,personal family became the undertaker and embodiment of natural unit .The independent personal family appeared. The etiquette system in Xi Zhou period ruined from upper to lower ,from inner to outside .Ethics were perishing. Utilitarian ethics appeared. Against this background the Pre-Qin Confucian put forward the family ethics.Chapter two discusses the ethics diversion from Pre-Qin to Han Dynasty and its politicalization. For the need of the emperors of Han Dynasty to strengthen feudal government,the original Confucianism's reasonable factors were unilateral .The natural show in emotion became the means in governing country for the governor and became...