张君劢 (19) - 孟子良知说与当代英国直觉主义之比较.pdfVIP

17 6 THE TSING HUA JOURNAL OF CHINESE STUDIES school developed the code of Five Cardinal Virtues, namely, benevolence j( en), righteousness (i), decency {li),intelligence {chih), and trustworthiness (hsiri), and these are considered the fundamental virtues. Chinese ethics also propounds a theory of personal obligations.It speaks of five kinds of human relations which are :first,the relation between parents and children :the parents have the obliga tion to love their children;the children have the obligation offilial piety. Second, the relation between the older and the younger brothers:their obligation is mutual brotherly Jove. Third,the relation between husband and wife :their obligation is mutualrespect. Fourth,the relation between friends :their obligation is sincerity towards each other. Fifth,the relation between a king and his subjects. The king has the obligation to govern according to the rules of decency ;the subjects have the obligation ofloyalty. Further, Chinese ethics has for its objective that the members of a society should live together harmoniously. This objective entails four points as listed in the Great Learning : One, self-cultivation ;two,family order;three, good government; and four, peace in the world. I should like to point outthat Chinese ethicaltheory,in placing emphasis on rightness or moral obligation, does not do so to the neglect ofthe beneficial con sequences derived from moral actions. This fundamental principle of obligations taught by the sages may be called a categorical imperative. Although this principle is traditional and is taught to the people as their personal cultivation, the sages also made it a task to teach thatthe sense of obligation should be felt consciously in ones own self. Judgments made in regard to these obligations must be made by ones own conscience. Confucius taughtthis principle but he was silent as to how the principle can be known . It was Mencius who stressed the imm