Abstract:

As a pioneer in the study of Chinese social history, Tao Xisheng was influenced by Henry Maine and Hu Peihui. He was the first to connect the study of the system of mourning apparel with social sciences, using his "One-foundationism "theory to point out that the "family" in Chinese society was constituted by the dual principles of qinqin (affection for kin) and zunzun (respect for superiors). He argued that the zunzun principle had shaped the unique nature of the "family" in Chinese society, making it not simply a blood relationship, and it was the key to understanding the "family" in Chinese society. Unlike contemporary scholars who explore the ethical spirit of the "family" through the system of mourning apparel, Tao's research originated from modern critiques of the family. His early social-historical study of the system of mourning apparel approached the subject through the lens of power rather than moral values. In his later years, Tao reflected deeply on this and emphasized the "relativism" nature of the zunzun principle.Tao's intellectual evolution from constructing and then rejecting a systematic theory that interpreted the zunzun principle through paternal authority, significantly exposed the theoretical difficulties since the late Qing dynasty by excessively relying on power domination, especially the uncritical use of paternal authority to understand the "family" in Chinese society. Tao's early interpretation of paternal authority was based on a static society. However, in his later years, despite affirming traditional family values, he did not recreate a new pastoral-idyllic static societal scene. Instead, he revealed the subtle tension and dynamic balance between the values and dominative dimensions of the "family." This dynamic perspective suggests to contemporary researchers the inherent openness of the "family" in traditional Chinese society. It also offers valuable insights for understanding the spiritual underpinnings of the family in present-day Chinese society.

Key words: One-foundationism, mourning apparel, Tao Xisheng, family