| Da Yi Zun Wen is a family instruction written by Fang Dongshu in his later years,a Neo-Confucianist in the Qing Dynasty.The book included three volumes and some supplementary rules.The content of Da Yi Zun Wen is rich and detailed,involving Fang’s ideological propositions of self-cultivation,treating people and handling affairs,family harmony and pragmatical methods.Most of these thoughts originated from Fang’s personal experiences.So Da Yi Zun Wen was the integration of valuable experience left for future generations by Fang.Based on the background of the Qing Dynasty,family inheritance and Fang’s personal experiences and ideas,this paper systematically explores the ideological features of Da Yi Zun Wen,so as to know the specific manifestation of Confucian ethics in the process of secularization on family instruction.The way of self-cultivation and the principle of treating people and handling affairs were all important thoughts of Da Yi Zun Wen.Fang Dongshu hoped his descendants to improve their moral conduct by them.The ways of self-cultivation included the contents of taking the gentleman personality as the standard,taking etiquette norms as the criterion,knowing shame and determination as well as improving wisdom by reading.The principle of treating people and handling affairs included for Fang’s descendants specifically three aspect.First,descendants should be prudent to make friends.Secondly,they should be honest,kind and loyal men.Finally,they should respect the destiny.Fang thought that cultivating one’s morality should not only improve morality inside,but also increase realistic wisdom in a real life.In terms of the thought of family governance,Da Yi Zun Wen had taken the traditional Confucian ethics as the core.Fang Dongshu paid attention to the descendants’ education.The educational ways of Da Yi Zun Wen included early education,benevolence education,elders’ education.Since then,children learned early childhood and made achievements as adults.Da Yi Zun Wen also attached importance to female education by feudal ethics,brother harmony,maintain the superiority of men,and make money to hold a home and live in a frugality way.The pragmatical thoughts fully reflectd Fang Dongshu’s proposal as a NeoConfucianist in the Qing Dynasty.Fang hoped future generations to actively pay attention to the current affairs,make policy for ensuring the people life stable and recommend talents for the country.These all reflected Fang’s profound perception of the social situation at that time.The ideological features of Da Yi Zun Wen were reflected in advocating virtue and propriety,the pursuit of the character of sages,and taking Confucianism as the core.Certainly,due to the restriction of the era and class,Da Yi Zun Wen also contained dross,such as the maintenance of women rank less than men,the depreciation of female personality.The integrity and the features of Times reflected in family instruction and Confucianism should be viewed historically and dialectically. |
