Research On "Anti-filial Piety" In The May Fourth Period

"Filial piety" is the core concept of Chinese culture,which includes the filial piety of Confucianism,the ethical norms of filial piety and the content and manner of filial piety.The operation of ancient society depends on filial piety ethics,and in this sense,it can be said that traditional Chinese culture is the culture of filial piety.Since the late Qing Dynasty,the traditional family ethics has been criticized,and thus "filial piety"naturally became the focus of criticism.The "anti-filial piety" thought during the May Fourth period played a significant influence on the subversion of Confucian ethical thought was been paid much attention by academics."Anti-filial piety" is the criticism of traditional Chinese filial piety culture.During the May Fourth period,intellectuals such as Chen Duxiu,Wu Yu,Lu Xun and Hu Shi were the main participants in this trend.In the early years of the Republic of China,Yuan Shikai government advocated the moral ethics of "loyalty and filial piety",and promoted the people to adhere to the ancient ethical norms.At the same time,the celebrities strongly urged that the "loyalty and filial piety" is the foundation of the country,and the school also advocated filial piety education,so that all of people were emerged in the traditional ethical atmosphere.These practices have aroused the resentment of radical intellectuals.May Fourth intellectuals advocated that "loyalty and filial piety" are the dark side of the national character,suppress and even distort the human nature,and cannot create an independent personality.Based on the idea of individualism and evolutionism,May Fourth intellectuals believe that filial piety cannot be adapted to modern life.On the one hand,economic independence is very important in the modern life,but the Confucian classics ethics makes neither an independent personality nor an independent property which are the two prerequisites for modern life.On the other hand,modern life also requires political independence.But filial piety ethics advocates the idea of "three years without change to his father’s idea".Thus Confucian class ethics and democratic republic system cannot be reconciled."Filial piety" is the spiritual basis of autocracy,maintaining the country and the authoritarian rule."Filial piety" like a kind of slave morality greatly depresses and deprives the child of personality development and independent personality.Foolish filial piety,pseudo-filial piety and one-sided obligations of filial piety,are the inevitable results of filial piety.This article holds that the "anti-filial piety" of the May Fourth intellectuals,besides the above three aspects,also includes the discussion on the feminist issues such as early marriage,authoritarian marriage and women’s inheritance based on the notion of "no descendants are not filial piety".Filial piety is to repay the parents,but the May Fourth intellectual thinks that there is no benevolence between father and son,which fundamentally impact the filial piety ethics.In order to highlight the shortcomings of traditional Chinese culture and spread the concept of Western culture,the May Fourth intellectuals did not intend to analyze the context of filial piety culture,and made no effect to distinguish between the pre-Qin Confucian and the later filial thoughts.They are only focusing on the actual effect of filial piety culture for evaluation.It inevitably ignores the rational part of Confucian filial piety.At that time,this kind of direct attack method is conducive to the liberation of thought,and it has certain historical rationality.However,when we look back at the"anti-filial piety" during the May Fourth period,we cannot but point out that the May Fourth intellectuals have big problems in the evaluation of filial piety culture.It is true that there are some pseudo-filial piety and one-sided obligations of filial piety in our life.But it is unfair to reject the Confucian filial piety completely.We just don’t discuss whether the foolishly filial piety can find the corresponding basis in the Confucian classics.It is not worthwhile to think that the idea will inevitably lead to the reality.May Fourth intellectuals believe that filial piety suppresses human nature,and cannot create an independent personality.But the "admonition" thinking in the Confucian filial piety,is precisely the embodiment of personal self-consciousness.The ideal family of the May Fourth intellectuals is the equality of father and son,personality independence and mutual support,and these spiritual essence is precisely Confucianism has repeatedly insisted.