魏晉是一個政權轉移頻仍、老莊與佛教思想勃興，讀書人對傳統的孔子儒學思相產生質疑、論辯與批判的時代。本文係選取當時爭論較劇烈，且甚富代表性的「孝道」問題，試圖經由以下三點進行研究： （1）陳述當時與「孝道」有關的重要命題，分析其內容，比較其異同，並藉以說明其思想內涵與發展線索。如「仁孝先後論」、「忠孝可否兩全論」、「生孝死孝論」、「孝道本於自論」、「沙門孝道論」五者，即是本文討論的焦點。 （2）探討孝道觀念所以有此內容，並作如此發展的內外在（主客觀）原因。此將集中於探討專制政權、傳統禮教、道家哲學、與外來的佛教思想之間的種種矛盾與互動的關係。 （3）藉著這些矛盾與互動關係的研究，希望能為魏晉名教觀念與文化思潮的轉變，尋找其歷史意義與思相特徵；並以此為案例，試圖為中國離亂社會中的帝王政治與文化變遷問題，提供一個反省檢討的機會。

　　　　　The Wei-Chin Period was an ear of rapid and often violent shifts of power within the imperial rulership of Chian. The sudden flourishing of the Taoist philosophies of Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu, along with the emergence of Buddhism, gave rise to doubt, argumentation, and criticism among scholars concerning the validity of Confucian principle supposedly promoted and represented by the imperial rulership. In this paper I will examine the controversial and representative issue of filial piety, covering three main areas: (1) An introduction and analysis of the principle of filial piety and related issues under discussion during the Wei-Chin Period. I will focus on issues sush as: "Civil service and filial piety: a question of priority," "Can the requirements of loyalty to the emperor and filial piety be fulfilled simulataneously？”, and “Buddhist monks and filial piety.” I will present a chronological comparison and analysis of these issues for the purpose of obtaining insight into their development. (2) An exploration of the internal and external causes of such development. I will concentrate on the exploration of the contradictory and reciproal relationships between the imperial rulership, traditional Confucian ethics, Taoism, and Buddhism. (3) By examining the aforementioned contradictions and reciprocations, I hope to define the shift in attitude towards Confucian etiquette which occurred among scholars during the Wei-Chin Period. In addition, I will use this case study to examine the relationship between the imperial rulership and cultural change in traditional Chinese society.