Restrain Oneself And Restore Rites:Confucian Theory Of The Relationship Between The Ritual And Benevolence And Research Of Its Enlightenment Thought

Chinese culture is a kind of rite culture with a long history.It's an inherent culture's self-consciousness to hold etiquette culture as a principal part in Chinese culture,which may lay the foundation of the prosperity of national life.The form of rite culture's inheritance about meaning and main spirit is not only through words or written,but also life-oriented;therefore,rite is a kind of way of life.And Confucius thought it is through the ritual practice that people can manifest and implement the meaning of life.The origin of Confucius' Enlightenment thought is the etiquette and music civilization passed down from generation to generation.In the Spring and Autumn period,the rites of Confucius were Zhou rites,which were made by the Duke of Zhou to fix people's “daily use without knowing” rites in the form of system.These rites and music civilization contained the fundamental “Dao”.Confucius inherited the “Dao” from them by “the way of deletion”.Zhou rites are the rites of the time,which are most suitable for the real life of the people at that time,so they have the most practical significance.Although the Dao inherited by Confucius remains unchanged,the way of life of the common people is constantly changing,so Confucius chose “follow Zhou” to let the modern people live in the ancient way.It also implies that Confucius put “Rites” into practice and transformed them into a way of life.Confucius,as a great integrator of Chinese ritual culture,his greatest contribution to culture is to associate ritual with benevolence.The relationship between benevolence and ritual is the most profound cultural connotation of pre-Qin Confucianism.Confucius chose to“follow Zhou”,and on its basis,dig out the inner emotional foundation of human consciousness.Benevolence is human nature and the virtue of nature.Confucius' purpose is to connect the rites with human nature.Only when the benevolence of nature is fully demonstrated and realized,can people become human beings,and human life is meaningful.Therefore,Confucius' associating rites with benevolence is to realize rites as benevolence,find an internal basis for external rites,endow rites with fundamental life significance,and find a life-oriented manifestation and realization form for internal benevolence of nature,which is also the most fundamental way to realize the meaning of human life.“Restrain Oneself and Restore Rites” means that the moral subject can not only consciously conform to the norms of propriety,but also conform to the inner spirit of propriety,so as to realize the life of propriety.“benevolence” refers to the realization of benevolence.The realization of benevolence is the realization of human beings.In other words,human beings realize the benevolence of nature through “self-restraint and self-discipline”,which is based on the inner moral consciousness of human beings.Confucius said that “Restrain oneself and restore rites to benevolence” is to realize the meaning of life and further implement it as a way of life.It is to show and realize the benevolence of nature and realize the meaning of life through daily life,that is,“four bans”.Ceremony,benevolence and the significance of human life are integrated.The realization of benevolence or the realization of human beings is inseparable from the daily ritual.“To conquer oneself and restore propriety to benevolence” emphasizes the realization of propriety in life,and also means that benevolence must be realized in the practice of real life.Confucian education is a kind of education of rites and music,not only a kind of knowledge learning of rites and music culture,but also a kind of life.The significance of Confucian enlightenment means the realization of human life,while the realization of human life is the realization of life.In the daily life of the combination of rites and music,learners naturally and happily cultivate themselves in the Enlightenment of rites.Without any order,they can understand the principle of respecting elders and sages.In the real life of daily use and routine,through self-restraint and ritual,they implement the demonstration of virtue and the norms and spirit of ritual into a daily life style,so that daily life becomes a ritual life,In the real life,we can show the humanity of nature,realize the humanity of nature,and finally realize the moral life value of human beings,so as to show and realize the real vitality,realizethe educational significance of humanization and mutual achievements between people.