Virtue in Western Zhou Dynasty and Benevolence of Confucius:An Inquiry into the Characteristics of Extended Blood Relationship in Chinese Traditional Culture

The rulers of Zhou established a patriarchal hierarchical order which included dukes with same or different surnames based on the core of Zhou clan after overthrowing the Yin Dynasty,taking the Emperor of Zhou Dynasty as the great master of the earth.This order reflected the founding of the clan alliance regime in political system and represented the creation of the extended blood relationship culture in ideology.The extended blood relationship culture mainly embodied in a patriarchal value called virtue that was created by the rulers of Zhou Dynasty.Virtue was a basic patriarchal value of the citizens of Zhou Dynasty,and benevolence was the central idea of Confucius.The author makes a detailed exploration of historical evolution of virtue and the connotation of benevolence,revealing the inheriting relation between them.