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政治社会学

忠孝难两全?——从忠孝关系看中国传统政治的伦理基础

2024-12-06 作者: 李松涛

【作者简介】李松涛,上海大学

【文章来源】《社会学评论》2024年第4期

【内容提要】中国传统政治的构造由伦理关系生发而来。本于人性的伦理引导、规范着具体的政治实践,构成了传统政治秩序的深层基础。父子关系是亲属伦理的核心,君臣关系是政治伦理的核心,两种伦理的安排关系到传统政治秩序的性质和社会结构的基础。依据儒家对自然人性的理解,孝是仁最本源的体现,忠是孝的必然要求,但忠又有其独立的情感基础,忠与孝在一定情况下可能产生张力。儒家礼制通过对亲亲与尊尊、爱与敬等内在情感的安置,化解二者之间的张力。但历史上如果君或臣执着于从权力出发处理政治关系,则会使政治运作堕落为脱离自然人性的利益博弈,给人心风俗带来极大伤害,进而导致政治秩序的变质乃至崩溃。

【关键词】忠孝 / 君臣 / 父子 / 政治秩序 / 伦理

【全文链接】http://src.ruc.edu.cn/CN/Y2024/V12/I4/236


The Balance between Loyalty and Filial Piety: A Study of the Ethical Basis of Traditional Chinese Politics

Abstract: The structure of traditional Chinese politics originates from ethical relationships. Ethics emanating from human nature, which serve as guidance and regulation for specific political practices, constitute the internal basis of traditional political order. The relationship between father and son is the essence of kinship ethics, and the relationship between monarch and subject is the core of political ethics. According to the Confucian understanding of human nature, filial piety (xiao) is the fundamental display of benevolence (ren), while loyalty (zhong) is, to a large extent, the requirement of filial piety. However, loyalty has its own emotional basis independent of filial piety. The way a son treats his father differs from the way a subject treats his monarch, so there might be tension between filial piety and loyalty in certain circumstances. Confucian rites dissolve the tension by properly dealing with inner emotions such as affection for kin(qinqin), respect for the honorable (zunzun), love, and piety. However, in history, when a monarch or a senior official is obsessed with power, the political operation will degenerate into a game of interests that is against human nature, thus often leading to the spoiling and even the collapse of political order.

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