본문 바로가기
  • Home

The "Hyo(孝)" Thought of Ito Jinsai(伊藤仁齋)

  • Journal of Korean Hyo Studies
  • 2016, (24), pp.193-213
  • Publisher : The Korean Hyo Studies Association
  • Research Area : Humanities > Other Humanities
  • Published : December 31, 2016

Kyunghee Kim 1

1연세대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

In Confucianism, filial duty is a more fundamental and absolute virtue than any other value. Although the essence of East Asian thought of filial duty is a universal spirit that transcends time, the concrete method for practicing filial duty is changing according to the times. In the Tokugawa period (1603 ~ 1868) after the acceptance of the ruling scholarship in Japan, Jinsai suggested a new theory of filial duty departed from relying on Chinese Confucianism. In Confucianism, it is correct to say that filial duty (孝弟) is 'the foundation of doing benevolence' (爲仁之本), but it is impossible to see it as the root of benevolence (仁之本) with strict stipulation. However, Jinsai emphasizes that filial duty (孝弟) is the very essence of benevolence. It is not a highland and profound one, but a plain logic that daily uses and lives in daily life. What Jinsai revealed for the point of view of filial duty is that Tao of having one’s parent with can be obtained after honor and comfort their parents based on their love for their parents without doing against their will and grumbling. Therefore, Jinsai emphasized that the affection of the father is love, not cruel and intense. Jinsai sees doing 'having a happy look with supporting the will' as great filial duty of son than 'supporting body' that is a small filial duty. Jinsai inherits the will of Mencius and suggests that the 'Yang Gui body (養口體)' is a small filial duty while 'Yangji (養志)' is a great filial duty. This is considered to be the completion of filial duty, which is the succession of the father's dairy inheritance by taking the parent’s will to ‘achieve fame and prestige’. However, in the current Japanese philosophy, ‘in Japan, the emphasis is on the family business and the increase of family fortune is supporting the ancestor’s will’ and ‘to inherit the dynasties of the fleet by bearing the will of the parents in good faith’ of Jinsai have something in common. As a solution to the problem of the elderly in East Asia, the essence of the thought of filial duty of Jinsai still seems to be valid in modern times.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.