The Phenomenon of Filial Piety and Parental Kindness: Studies of the Openness of Confucian Tradition (Conversation by Writing)

Editor’s Note: The revival of Confucianism does not simply mean restoring ancient ways but need to activate and release the vitality of its core issues. On the one hand, through the round after round interpretations, the traditional position or argument itself remains to be clarified. For example, interpreters often throw emphasis on filial piety (xiao) of children, and then kindness (ci) of parents should be of less significance? Although the mainstream of Confucianism in the Song and Ming Dynasties regards filial piety and kindness as concrete virtue items which are of less fundamentality than benevolence (ren)”, must there be no theoretical possibility that filial piety and kindness became the basis of benevolence? On the other hand, it is inevitable to raise new questions when deeply clarifying the tradition. For instance, if filial piety and kindness has an ontological position, how should it be possible that the social concept may shape the parent-child affection as is often happening? What philosophy will eventually flow from this kind of thinking singing high praise of family relationship? How to express this philosophy of Chinese style? How to comment and respond the western philosophy from the perspective of this Chinese thinking? We hope this set of papers will provide a model insinuating deep vitality to contemporary Confucian studies.