Are the Confucian Teachings Still Relevant?孔孟思想还有用吗？

孔孟思想还有用吗？

Are the Confucian Teachings Still Relevant?

In this age when information technology is developing at breakneck speed, the economy is going global and research in life sciences has also taken off, do the thoughts of Confucius and Mencius still have a place in society?

The answer is yes. In terms of value, the core teachings of the two great minds are neither bounded by time nor space.

It is impossible to go into all the key thoughts of Confucius and Mencius here.

I shall just touch on Confucius' simplest explanation of his concept of“仁” or "ren"－(this has been translated as benevolence, love, kindness and humanity, etc) and Mencius' notion that "Man's nature is good at birth".

It was said that Fan Chi, a student of Confucius, once asked the master what "ren" meant. Confucius' reply: "It means to love other people."

Mencius, on the other hand, argued that "Man's nature is good at birth" because compassion is common to mankind. Everyone is capable of conduct in line with "ren", those who are not would cease to be members of humankind.

Now, let us ask ourselves a simple question: "Could the benefit of such thoughts possibly be limited by time and space?"

Confucius advocated the importance to love other people. Is it not apparent that this idea is valuable and useful in helping people to live a life filled with happiness and warmth?

Could this idea be relevant and useful only in ancient times and have lost its relevance and value in the 21st century?

Could it be applicable only to people in the East and not people in the West?

The answer to both questions is of course "No". And we can draw some useful conclusions from here.

Since it is true that love is necessary for happiness and warmth in life, this makes the need for people to love and care for one another an idea that is valuable and practical.

Since it is true that love is necessary for happiness and warmth in life, not only in ancient times, but also in today's society, this makes the need for people to love and care for one another an idea that transcends time.

Since it is true that love is necessary for happiness and warmth in life, not only for people in the East, but also in the West, this makes the need for people to love and care for one another an idea that has no boundaries.

Mencius encouraged the expression of compassion, humanity and human dignity to make for a truly "human" society.

Again, we need only to ask ourselves a simple question: "Are values such as compassion, humanity and human dignity not valuable and beneficial?"

And by the same token, these values are as much relevant in the past as they are today. They also apply to both people in the East and in the West. In short, they are timeless and beyond the constraint of space.

By and large, core teachings of the two venerable sages have stood the test of time, and they will probably always have a role in human society.

We have indeed progressed into a new era, but so long as we are still keen in our pursuit to lead a truly "human" life and live in a truly "human" society, the thoughts of Confucius and Mencius will always be relevant and useful.

孔子和孟子都是世界级的思想家，他们的思想进入现今资讯科技高速发展，经济走向全球化，生命工程也已起步的新世纪时代，究竟还有没有用？

我想答案仍然可以说是“有用”的。因为他们的思想，从价值的角度看，很多要点都是不受时间和空间限制的。

这里不能把孔子和孟子思想的所有要点，都加以叙述。就姑且只以孔子对他的所谓“仁”的一个最简单的解释，和孟子认为人性是善的一个最为人所知的指证，作例子来说说罢。

有一次孔子的学生樊迟问孔子什么是“仁”，孔子回答说“仁”就是“能够爱人”。孟子指证人性是善的时候说人都有“恻隐之心”，因而都有“仁”的行为。否则，就不是人。

我们试想想看，孔、孟这种思想的用处，有时间和空间的限制吗？孔子大力鼓励人要好好的去爱人。这种思想，对营造人类生活的幸福、温馨等等，难道还不是有价值的、有用的吗？

难道这只是在古代才有价值、才有用，在进入21世纪的现代就没有价值、没有用了吗？难道只是对东方地域的人，才有价值、才有用，对西方地域的人就没有价值、没有用了吗？

这些问题的答案都不应是“没用”，而相反是“有用”的。这样，则：一、既然肯定人类生活的幸福、温馨，是需要的，是须要有爱来营造，要人能爱人才行的，那么，人要好好的去爱人，便成为是营造幸福、温馨的人类生活的有价值的、有用的思想了。

二、既然肯定不只是古代人，纵令是现代人要有幸福、温馨的生活，也是要有爱来营造，要人能爱人才行的，那么，人要好好的去爱人，便成为不受时间限制，时代不同而还是一样有用的思想了。

三、既然肯定不只是东方地域的人，纵令是西方地域的人要有幸福、温馨的生活，也是要有爱来营造，要人能爱人才行的，那么，人要好好的去爱人，便也成为不受空间限制，地域不同而还是一样有用的思想了。

孟子极力激励人要大发恻隐之心，做仁爱的行为，表现成有人格的人，以便能构成一个真正是“人”的社会。

我们又试想想看，孟子的这种思想——人要有人格，能恻隐、能仁爱，构成真是“人”的社会——不也是有价值的、有用的吗？不也是不只在古代，纵令在现代，要人有人格，要构成真是“人”的社会，也须要有而一样是有价值的，有用的吗？

不也是不只对东方地域的人，纵令是对西方地域的人，要人有人格，要构成真是“人”的社会，也须要有而一样是有价值的、有用的吗？

所以，这些问题的答案，也都是在肯定孟子的这种思想是“有用”的。它是不受时、空的限制，是不论古今、不分东西的有用于任何时、空的。

孔子和孟子的很多思想要点，大抵就都是这样的极具不朽的价值而永恒有用的。

如今，人类的新世纪虽然来临了，然而，人如果还要追求真正是“人”的生活、是“人”的社会的确实获致与享有，则孔、孟的思想恐怕仍无例外，还是继续有用的罢！