A Study Of Yang Zhu 's Thought Of Ethics

Yang Zhu is Wei people in the early Warring States period, a small private land owner, and belongs to Taoism in the aspect of school.Yang Zhu focuses on the relationship between the individual and society, and puts forward the four ethical principles, which is "for oneself", "valuing oneself" and "despising material", "paying attention to life". "For oneself", "valuing oneself" mean everything should be centered on the life of self, and don’t do detriment to self life thing. "Despising material" refers to look down upon fame and fortune, to control their own desires, not to be tempted by the rulers; controlling desire, not to be confused by the rulers in order to avoid the rulers’ slaughter, injure, to preserve and cherish self life, and this is "paying attention to life". Yang Zhu’s ethical thought and these ethics of "the Lie Zi-Yang Zhu Chapter" is not entirely consistent, "the Lie Zi-Yang Zhu Chapter" has developed "valuing oneself" as the extreme egoism, and "paying attention to life" has become carnalism, the difference between the two, the predecessors did not give definite conclusion, and we should try to discern.Yang Zhu’s ethical thought in the Warring States is not only the way of preserving life and the spiritual bailment of the effete literati, but also embodies the awakening of the Warring States period of the Chinese people’s individual consciousness. Of course, Yang Zhu’s ethical thought has its limitations, which mainly displays in that "despising material", "paying attention to life", become "extortion", pay attention to the enjoyment, easily backward "carnalism", "stingy", there is no king too.However, overall, the positive significance of Yang Zhu’s ethical thought are far outweighed the negative value, especially in the modern era, Yang Zhu positive, ethical factors in the thought of positive can also be used for reference by people today. For example, "for oneself", "valuing oneself" thoughts have the reference significance to build the people-oriented harmonious society and today’s Chinese human rights construction, "despising material", "paying attention to life" thoughts are helpful for correcting the market economy under the extreme utilitarianism, materialism, but also for today’s youth impetuous, suicide attitude towards life sounds the alarm.