An Ethical Perspective on the "Path to Adulthood" in Pre-Qin Confucianism
先秦儒家“成人之道”的伦理管窥
Wu Zhaomei, Jiang Wensi
吴兆梅 江文思
Abstract: The ethical thought of the Pre-Qin Confucian school on the "path to adulthood" is fundamentally concerned with the realization of the ideal personality through moral cultivation. Confucius introduced the concept that "nature is similar, but habits diverge," emphasizing the internal cultivation of "benevolence" and its social practice, positioning the "gentleman" as the value target for becoming an adult. Mencius inherited and expanded Confucius's thoughts, proposing the theory of "innate goodness of human nature," advocating the moral ideal of the "great man," and focusing on moral consciousness and perseverance. Xunzi, based on the "theory of innate badness of human nature," argued for the transformation of human nature through postnatal education and cultivation to achieve the state of a "sage." Although the three thinkers had differing views on the inherent goodness or badness of human nature, they all agreed on the centrality of moral practice in the process of becoming an adult. They demonstrated the close connection between becoming an adult and achieving benevolence from the value pursuit of "virtue," "morality," and "benevolence," providing theoretical guidance for the moral cultivation and personality improvement of modern individuals, which holds significant practical relevance and contemporary value.
摘要：先秦儒家关于“成人之道”的伦理思想，核心在于通过道德修养实现理想人格。孔子提出“性相近，习相远”，强调“仁”的内在修养与社会实践，将“君子”作为成人的价值目标。孟子继承并发展孔子思想，提出“性善论”，主张“大丈夫”的道德理想，着重道德自觉与坚守。荀子则基于“性恶论”，主张通过后天教育与修养转化人性，以达“圣人”境界。三位思想家虽对人性善恶见解各异，但均认同道德实践在成人过程中的核心地位。他们从“德性”“德行”与“仁”的价值追求中，展现了成人与成仁的紧密联系，为现代人的道德修养与人格完善提供了理论指导，具有重要的现实意义与时代价值。
Key words: pre-Qin confucianism; path to adulthood; moral practice; human nature goodness and badness; virtue cultivation
关键词：先秦儒家；成人之道；道德实践；人性善恶；德性修养
中图分类号：B222
文献标识码：A
文章编号：2832-0317（2024）04-0003-6
DOI：10.12424/HA.2024.073
本文链接：https://www.oc-press.com/HA-202404-003.html
