家族血缘关系在中国文化中的作用

"亚细亚生产方式"的特殊性质,使得华夏先民在进入文明社会的过程中完好地保存了氏族社会遗传下来的家族血缘关系。这种关系在后来的中国文化中,至少起到了三个方面的作用:在政治制度上,"国"即为放大了的"家","君君臣臣"即为放大了的"父父子子",这种状况容易巩固超稳定的封建社会秩序,但却很难建立起有利于民主政体的公民社会;在行为准则上,"仁爱"代替了"博爱","礼教"代替了"法权",这种状况容易形成社会成员的自我约束力和社会群体的自我凝聚力,但却很难建立起有利于商品生产的契约关系;在信仰方式上,"人人关系"代替了"人神关系","宗法文化"代替了"宗教文化",这种状况容易造成复杂的人际纠葛,但却很难陷入非理性的宗教迷狂。

The Role of Kinship in Chinese Culture

Because of the special nature of "Asian productive mode," the ancient Chinese people, while moving toward civilized society, had preserved well the kinship passed down from the clan society. This kinship has played three roles in the Chinese culture. Politically, "country" meant the amplified "family" and the relationship between the emperor and the ministers was in fact the amplified relationship between father and sons. This situation, though beneficial to the stability of feudal social order, was detrimental to the establishment of a civil society of democratic polity. Behaviorally, "merciful kindness" replaced "fraternity," and "feudal manners" took place of "legal power". This state, though conducive to self-discipline and social cohesion, was not good for a lease relation of commodity production. Religiously, "the relationship between men and men" predominated over "the relationship between men and God," and "clan culture" replaced "religious culture." Though this had led to complicated human relations, it would not bring about fanatic religious enthusiasm.