An Analysis On The Thought Of Business Ethics Of The Book Of Rites

This article selects the Book of Rites for the study from an economic ethics point of view and strives to make a comprehensive research. This paper aims to study the economic ethics of the Book of Rites, which highlights the history of ethical thought in economic status and influence and the enlightments on current production and living.The Book of Rites is of great significance, including important ethical thoughts. As one of the traditional Chinese Five Classics, the Book of Rites contains economic ethics, such as the the distinguishment between righteousness and profit and the economic ethics of production and consumption. It is necessary for us to fully analyze the economic ethics in it. Looking at the history of the research of the Book of Rites, political science research has been impressive and the study of the historical and literary aspects of the book are more common. So far, the economic ethics research of the Book of Rites is still not comprehensive. Introductary chapter explains the significance of the topic and research methods, focusing on review of economic ethics research of the Book of Rites. Firstly, the essay describes the concept of wealth and righteousness and profit. The Book of Rites proposes that righteousness is the control of the world. Retribution is the profit of the world. It also investigates the origin the distinguishment of righteousness and profit and the value of traditional confucian righteousness and profit. The Book of Rites proposes that the rulers should share profit and wealth with the people. The wealth of people is the real wealth of a country. The value of enriching the people embodies the thought that the people is the basis. The people is directly related to the survival of the country. People is the basis of the country and enriching the people is the first important thing. Secondly, the essay summarizes economic ethics of production. The relationship between man and nature can reflect the relationship between man and society. Environmental ethics of the Book of Rites attach great importance to the protection of natural resources and the harmonious existence of man and nature. People should maintain the harmony between production activities and the ecological environment, abide by the objective laws,aquire things and arrange production according to the season and achieve the unity of social order and natural order. The importance of agriculture cultivates the character of industry of Chinese nation. Thirdly , the essay analyzes the economic ethics of distribution and exchange. The economic ethics of distribution emphasizes that distribution should be like the sun shining the whole world without ignoring the small place. The concept of honesty and the principle of reciprocity plays an important role in the formation of business ethics of exchange. Finally, the fourth chapter introduces the economic ethics of consumption. The Book of Rites advocates thrift . Consumption should be frugal. Consumption is not simply a variety of manners for consumption, but also has specific ethics. The economic ethics in the book has enlightments on current production and living. The thought of emphasizing righteousness and despising profit can guide the correctly dealing with the relation between righteousness and profit in market oriented society. And the thought of the ethics of production has significance to current sustainable production and protecting natural environment. The thought of ethics of consumption which advocates frugality can guide current consumption. The comprehensive combing to the economic ethics of the Book of Rites deepens the research of the book theorectically, and has significance and meaning practically.