Studies On Views Of Filial Piety Of The Wei,Jin,and Southern And Northern Dynasties

The period of the Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties was among the periods of great turbulence in China, as well as the period of cultural diversity. At that time, metaphysics was rising. The dominant position of Confucianism was weakened by incompatibility and conflict between foreign Buddhism and Confucianism in the central plains. However, its recognized position was not changed, with its thoughts as the fundamental thoughts in running state affairs. Confucian idea of filial piety was advocated and promoted by the rulers and all social levels, and filial piety became the core of moral thoughts. This had great influence on politics, laws and foreign religions in that era. There are always two sides to everything and it is going crosswise when developing to a certain degree. It is the same with filial piety ethics. On one hand, filial piety ethics was the core of the moral thoughts in the period of the Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties. On the other hand, false filial piety or unwise acts were derived to get the fame, as the rulers ran state affaris according to filial piety. Confucian idea of filial piety ethics in the Pre-Qin Period experienced great variation in the period of the Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties. Accordingly, reconsideration of filial piety ethics was conducted by the great minds in the Wei and Jin dynasties.This research is carried from the angle of an extensive view on filial piety, with the background set in the Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties which is a period of great turbulence and cultural diversity. This thesis forms a tentative analysis on the influence of Confucian idea of filial piety ethics on the politics, laws and foreign Buddhism at that time. The reconsideration of great minds in the Wei and Jin dynasties ( represented by Wang Bi, Ruan Ji, Ji Kang, Guo Xiang) on filial piety ethics is the other essential part which forms this pilot study.