The Concept And Practice Of Traditional "Yi"

《Kuan Tzu·the herdsman)):"State owned four-dimensional. If one of them is missing, the state will be tilted; if two of them are missing, the state will be in danger; if three of them are missing, the state will be subverted; if the four-dimensional are missing, the state will be perished. If the state is tilting, we can make it right; if the state is in danger, we can save it; if the state is subverting, we can renew it; if the state is perishing, we can only do nothing. So, what are the four-dimensional? The first is propriety, second is Yi, third is honesty and the forth is the sense of shame. Propriety, Yi, honesty and the sense of shame are four-dimensional of the country. They exist in the value system of Chinese feudal society, and will exist in the value system of China for a long time. The concept of Yi is the use of high frequency in moral evaluation. So, how the concept of Yi is produced? Has it changed in the history? What are the ethical requirements of it? Whether the specific practice under the guidance of the theory is consistent with the ethical requirements? Has it a role in today’s society? These questions are all need you to know and think.This paper discusses the above problems. The first chapter is doing study of the Yi. It was first discovered in Oracle. In the western Zhou dynasty, the category of "Yi" is produced. Through the development of pre-Qin philosophers, the concept of Yi has been enriched. It is not only the general ethics category, but also a political ethics category. To the Han Dynasty, it had the first major changed. As we all know, the Han Dynasty rejects hundred, reveres the Confucianism method alone. So, the Yi of the Confucian became the basic guiding principles for governing the country. This transformation process began with Liujia, after the efforts of Jiayi and Dong Zhongshu, the first transformation basically completed. To the Song Dynasty, it had the second major changed. Under the strong sense of social responsibility, Neo-Confucians began to reflect on the meaning of life, the order of the universe and the laws of history in the lost and confused, the recognition of the traditional concept of Yi had new change. In the Qing dynasty, the perceptive thinkers appreciated the turmoil by the historical development. So, they inherited the sages’thoughts which they also reflection and adjustment them in many aspects. The priority among priorities is the reflection and adjustment of the value system of ethics which contain the the concept of Yi.The first chapter introduces the basic concept of "Yi", which is the idea of "Yi" in the history of ethics. The specific idea is ethical requirements of "Yi". The ethical requirements of "Yi" are reflected in how to deal with the relationship between the concept of "Yi" and other ethics concepts, which can show us the basic connotation of "Yi". These relationships can be divided into two levels. The first level is the relationship between the "Yi" and benefit、"Li", which are all the idea. The second level is the relationship between the "Yi" and "Zhong、Xiao、Jie、Yi". Then we can draw the conclusion from the relationships. The conclusion is "Yi is a kind of abandon". No abandon, no Yi.Just because "Yi is a kind of abandon", we have various ethical practices of "Yi". The third chapter will talk about the ethical practices. When we deal with the relationship between "Yi" and benefit, we should choose "Yi" instead of benefit. When we deal with the relationship between "Yi" and "Li", we should "save heaven, eliminating human desires". When we deal with the relationship between "Yi" and "Zhong", we should choose "Da Yi" instead of "Zhong Yi". When we deal with the relationship between "Yi" and "Xiao", we should choose "Yi" instead of family. When we deal with the relationship between "Yi" and "Jie", we should choose "Jie Yi" instead of beautiful spring-time and free. When we deal with the relationship between "Da Yi" and "Xiao Yi", we should choose the country or group’s Yi instead of the family or friends’ Yi. "Yi is a kind of abandon", we can abandon anything which may be material or spiritual, Tangible or intangible.Ethical requirements guide practice, however, ethical requirements sink into social life will be affected by time and space. So there must be some difference between the ethical requirements and ethical practice. "Yi is a kind of abandon", this conclusion deserves our meditation and practice. It provides a theoretical guidance for our practice in contemporary society. It has practical significance for perfecting self; stabling society; building a harmonious society.