The Five Virtues

Also called the Five Elements, these are the five virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith, which are considered to be the eternal and unchanging way in Confucianism. They are also referred to as the Five Relationships and Five Teachings, but after Dong Zhongshu of the Western Han Dynasty advocated these five virtues as the "Five Constant Ways" that kings should cultivate, they became representative of Confucian ethics along with the Five Relationships. Prior to this, Confucius (Kongqiu) preached benevolence as the highest virtue that encompasses various virtues, and Mencius (Meng Ke) emphasized benevolence and righteousness, and further advocated the four virtues and four ends that include propriety and wisdom, developing the theory of human nature being good, but Dong Zhongshu added faith to these based on the idea of ​​the Five Elements. In Chinese Buddhism, the Five Precepts are also called the Five Constant Virtues, and it is said that following these is great filial piety, with the precept not to kill being benevolence, the precept not to steal being righteousness, the precept not to commit adultery being etiquette, the precept not to drink alcohol being wisdom, and the precept not to lie being faith.

[The World of the Ordinary]

"Chinese Culture Series 2: An Introduction to Thought" edited by Tadashi Akatsuka et al. (1968, Taishukan Shoten) " "Confucian Thought" by Seiichi Uno (1984, Kodansha Academic Library)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

五行(ごこう)ともいい、儒教において恒常不変の道とされる、仁義礼智(ち)信の五つの徳。別に五倫・五教などをさすことがあるが、前漢の董仲舒(とうちゅうじょ)が王者の修めるべき「五常の道」としてこの五徳を唱えてから、五倫とともに儒教倫理説を代表するものとなった。これより先、孔子(こうし)（孔丘）は、諸徳を包摂する最高の徳として仁を説き、孟子(もうし)（孟軻(もうか)）は仁義を強調し、さらに礼智をあわせた四徳四端を唱えて性善説を展開したが、董仲舒は五行(ごぎょう)思想に基づいてこれに信を加えたのである。なお、中国仏教では、五戒をこれに配して五常ともよび、不殺生戒は仁、不偸盗(ふちゅうとう)戒は義、不邪婬(ふじゃいん)戒は礼、不飲酒戒は智、不妄語(ふもうご)戒は信とし、これを実行することが大孝であると説いている。

［廣常人世］

『赤塚忠他編『中国文化叢書2　思想概論』（1968・大修館書店）』▽『宇野精一著『儒教思想』（1984・講談社学術文庫）』

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