Study On Confucian Filial Ethics And Its Contemporary Values

Confucian filial ethics,as a historical concept,has a very rich theoretical connotation.This paper focuses on the historical evolution of Confucian filial ethics from a historical perspective,and the essential connotation and spiritual essence of Confucian filial ethics by answering the philosophical questions of "what is the essence of Confucian filial ethics" and "how to understand Confucian filial ethics".At the same time,the value of Confucian filial ethics in contemporary society is re-examined.Finally,this paper studies the feasibility,necessity and rational path of creative transformation and innovative development of Confucian filial ethics.Based on previous studies,this paper first uses historical analysis to study the evolution of Confucian filial ethics,arguing that the forms of social production organization,regime organization,family organization,and ideological changes were the main factors that contributed to the evolution of filial ethics,and that the evolution was mainly manifested in the embryo and foundation of the pre-Qin period,the secularization process from the Han Dynasty to the Wei and Jin Dynasties,the reversion and change in the Tang and Song Dynasties,and the study then applies the logical analysis method to examine the evolution of the main principles.Then,using logical analysis,the essential connotation of Confucian filial ethics is examined,i.e.,what is the essence of Confucian filial ethics from a philosophical ontological point of view.It is argued that in essence Confucian filial ethics is expressed in five aspects:filial piety,ritual filial piety,filial rule,cessation of filial piety,and sincere filial piety.On this basis,the substantive Confucian filial ethics is further analyzed,i.e.,how to view the Confucian filial ethics from a philosophical epistemological point of view.It is argued that the essence of Confucian filial ethics consists of the five aspects of love for one’s relatives,admiration,obedience,loyalty,and public and private affairs.There is no doubt that the Confucian filial ethic still shines brightly in contemporary times,mainly in terms of its indispensable value in moral construction,home-school education,public-private coordination,the enhancement of elderly services,and the construction of a better life in today’s society.However,the Confucian filial ethics,which emerged in a specific context of traditional society,has the mark of the times and historical limitations.It needs creative transformation and innovative development in modern society and the paths are shaping a new family ethical community and constructing the "first virtue" status of Confucian filial ethics.