The Study Of Confucian Self-cultivation Thoughts In Pre-Qin Dynasty

The Chinese nation has traditionally attached great importance to the individual internal moral cultivation.THE GREAT LEARNING: "From the son of Heaven to the common people are all based on self-cultivation." For that reason,it has created a moral cultivation standard which takes moral character cultivation as its core content.This paper discusses the topic in terms of pre-Qin confucian moral character cultivation and this paper can be divided into four major parts.The first part discusses the background and theoretical basis for pre-Qin confucian moral character cultivation thought.At first,this part will define the conception of moral character cultivation and make a simple elucidation on the thoughts of moral character cultivation of Confucius,Mencius and Xunzi.Secondly,this part will tease out the foundation for the pre-Qin confucian moral character cultivation ideology,great change in pre-Qin confucian society,people's awareness for self consciousness,changes in people's cognitive level and moral ideas as well as the cognition for the relation between heaven and man for these have exerted an influence on the confucian moral character cultivation ideology.Confucius combined the mental moral “benevolence” with the system moral “courtesy” to for a theoretical supporting point which is indispensable for Confucius moral character cultivation ideological system.Next,this paper expounds the subjectivity of moral character cultivation.“Benevolence depending on oneself” means that as the subject of morals,human are born kind and have a driving force to be benevolent so that they can pursue for virtue and morality in order to cultivate their moral characters.Moral character cultivation does not only mean the discussion of a theory but also mean the methods Confucius uses to cultivate moral characters.Confucius had many methods to cultivate his moral characters.This paper takes “self constraint and retrospection”,“learning more and observing etiquette” and devoting oneself to practicing as the entry points to be expounded with emphasis.At last,being the sage who was concerned about his family and even the world.The third part expounds the moral character cultivation ideology of Mencius.Mencius 's moral character cultivation ideology takes “benevolence and justice” as its main content.Mencius argues that the moral attribute is human's natural attribute which needs further development and human heart is essentially good so that human are kind in nature while the kind nature lies in the benevolent temperament.Therefore,the moral character cultivation methods proposed by Mencius come from inside and it is the cultivation and enlargement for people's “mind”,which means to cultivate the spirit of fearlessness and accumulate morality and justice and turn them into practice.The fourth part discusses the moral character cultivation ideology of Xunzi,who places emphasis on “coutesy and justice”.Xunzi deems that human nature is evil,opposing to that of Mencius.As a result,extrinsic coutesy and justice should be put on people in order to correct their evil nature.Xunzi 's ideology on moral character cultivation is the “demasking” of “mind” and educating through enlightenment.The goal of Xunzi 's moral character cultivation is to become a gentle man who is a “grown man” valuing justice above material gains.The fifth part expounds the intrinsic changes of Confucius ideas and the enlightenment of the confucius ideas on modern moral character cultivation.From Confucius to Xunzi,the moral character cultivation ideology has been continuously expended and developed.Moreover,Mencius and Xuncius also have their own emphasis while inheriting Confucius' s moral character cultivation ideology,Mencius stresses more on people's moral consciousness and his moral character cultivation ideology is developing from its intrinsic qualities while Xunzi pays more attention to the influence of external morals and laws and discipline rite on individual moral character cultivation so his ideology is developing from its outside to its inside.No matter hoe you cultivate your moral character the ultimate goal is to improve your morals so as to promote social peace and development.The morals and methods of moral character cultivation included by confucian moral character cultivation ideology remain to have reference function for people to chase after a moral life and harmonious society at the present time.