“长幼”是儒家思想中的基本伦理关系之一,区分“长”与“幼”的目的在于明确尊卑先后的秩序,从而建立“长幼有序”的社会。因此对于“长幼”伦理概念的关注集中于“有序”一点。论及“长”与“幼”之间的互动关系,儒家学者又往往侧重于“幼”对“长”的敬、顺,即“悌”。因而“长幼有序”在一定程度上是针对于“幼”的行为规范。从儒家学者对“长幼”关系的学理阐释,到社会生活中对长幼尊卑制度的提倡,为等级制度赋予了合理性价值和意义。 One of the basic ethical relations in Confucianism is “long and young”. The purpose of distinguishing between “long” and “young” is to define the order of precedence and to establish “long and orderly” society. Therefore, the concern for ethical concepts of “elder children” concentrates on “orderly” points. On the interaction between “Chang ” and “Young ”, Confucian scholars tend to focus more on the “” Thus “long order” is to a certain extent the code of conduct for “young”. From the Confucian scholar’s interpretation of the relationship between the “elders and infants” to the advocacy of the elders and elders system in the social life, the rationality and value of the hierarchy are given.