家风是一家或一族世代相传的道德准则、处事方法和精神风貌，是一个家庭的精神内核。良好的家风对一个家族发展至关重要。浙江浦江郑宅镇的郑义门就是一个很好的典范。

　　郑氏家族以廉俭孝义治家闻名于世，洪武十八年（1385年），明太祖朱元璋亲赐“江南第一家”。长达168则的传世家训《郑氏规范》，更是被誉为中国传统家训的重要里程碑。其事载入《宋史》《元史》《明史》。

注重教育，郑氏义门屡受旌表

　　浙江省金华市浦江县郑宅镇是郑氏家族世代繁衍的集中地，郑氏的传世故事在当地有口皆碑。

　　据史书记载，郑义门合族而居十五世，历宋、元、明三朝。明代嘉靖《浦江志略》称，“合族聚食而雍睦恭谨，不殊乎父子兄弟之至亲，宋元国朝屡旌其门。”

　　不仅如此，郑氏家族还注重对子弟的教育培养，自宋朝开始，郑义门培育的政治精英与知识精英在地方上甚至在全国范围名声显赫的大有人在，宋、元、明三朝正史中列名的就有21人。现存于“郑氏宗祠”中的众多匾额如“孝义家”“麟凤世家”“代有完人”“立德不朽”“世笃忠贞”，标志着历代统治者对郑义门的褒奖。

　　郑义门在宋、元、明三朝得到诸多褒奖，明代犹盛。明洪武十八年（1385）七月，家长郑濂赴南京觐见皇上。朱元璋问郑“治家之方”，郑对曰：“谨守祖宗成法”并呈《郑氏规范》。朱元璋叹道：“人家有法守之，尚能长久，况国乎！”他对郑说：“你今后每岁朝见，可与颜、曾、思、孟子孙来朝者同班行礼。”洪武二十三年，朱元璋又亲书“孝义家”三个大字以赐。

　　郑义门子弟还多有被破格提拔委以重任的。洪武二十六年，朱元璋特召郑义门子弟三十岁以上者赴京听用，最终选中郑济，授其“左春坊左庶子”一职，实际为皇太孙伴读，职责是将“家庭孝义雍睦之道，日夜讲说于太孙之前”。洪武三十年，又亲授布衣郑沂为礼部尚书。朱元璋将粮长出身的郑沂一举推为显官，利用郑氏的治家准则来推行理国之道，这种情况在整个封建社会的历史中也是少见的。

　　经过历代统治者的不断表彰，尤其是朱元璋赐封郑义门为“江南第一家”之后，郑氏家族日益步入它的鼎盛时期，俨然是一个规模宏大、组织严密、掌执明确、结构得体的大家族，参与政治的热情也更加高涨。据《郑氏历朝仕宦题名》载，宋代郑氏家族仅有两人从政，到元代已有14人，明初被委以重任者有47人之多，其中有礼部尚书郑沂、内藏库提点郑洪、翰林院待诏郑洽等。

　　168则规范，朱元璋借以治国

　　走在古色古香的郑宅镇小街巷，很容易触摸到与郑氏家族有关的生活细节，小镇上一副楹联、一块碑文、一座亭子都留存着历史的浓郁痕迹，郑氏宗祠门前两旁的“耕”“读”“忠信孝悌”“礼义廉耻”10个大字，经过儒家的“孝义”理念的长期浸润，逐渐演化为长达168则的《郑氏规范》，涵盖治家、教子、修身、处世等方方面面，形成了环环相扣、完整的家族管理体系，也成为族人历世承袭的行事“密码”，使郑氏家族在处理与社会的关系时游刃有余。

　　郑义门第一世先祖郑绮、郑緼兄弟开创了“以孝治家”家风，并逐渐形成了“行之一身，则一身正；行之一家，则一家顺；行之一郡，则一郡理；行之四海，则四海翕然称化”的治家格言。郑绮在临终前还留下遗嘱：“吾子孙有不孝不悌、不共财聚食者，天实殛罚之。”这为郑氏家族合食共居及规范的制定确立了“行动框架”。

　　郑义门第五世主持家政的郑德璋提出“以法齐家”的思想，并初步制订“治家准则”，为郑氏家族长久合居奠定了更为坚实的基础。其子郑文融又在此基础上制定了《郑氏家范五十八则》，家长正身率下，家中呈现内外雍肃、秩序井然的局面。“虽家庭中，凛如公府，子弟小有过，颁白者犹鞭之”“子孙从化，驯行孝谨，不识廛市嬉戏事”“食货田赋之属，各有所司，无敢私”。

　　至第八世郑涛时，在之前规范条文的基础上加以删益，修订为168则。当时宋濂作为郑义门的精神文化导师，参与了《郑氏规范》的审订。此后，这部《郑氏规范》就一直相沿使用。

　　《规范》极为广博，有学者把《规范》168则按内容分为十类，包含神主、家长、掌事、仪礼、仕规、睦邻、长幼、修身、俭谨等范畴，几乎涉及古代大家族生活的方方面面。《规范》兼具训导与法规的功能，可操作性强。无怪乎朱元璋在宋濂推荐下看到《规范》后如获至宝，令有司借鉴郑氏治家之道，用于明初国家礼仪、律法、政策的制定。

　　家规为尺，孝义传家九百年

　　从《规范》的内容看，基于儒家文化传统的“孝”和“义”，正是这部治家规范的核心。

　　《规范》之所谓“孝”，乃是一种尊祖敬宗、孝顺父母的纵向情感。广而言之，凡能恪守正道、勤于事业、奉行先祖遗训等行为皆属于“孝”的范围。所谓“义”，则包括奉公守法、坚持正义、办事合理和维系平辈之间友好关系的横向情感。《规范》云：“吾家既以孝义表门，所习所行，无非积善之事。子孙皆当体此，不得妄肆威福，图胁人财，侵凌人产，以为祖宗积德之累，违者以不孝论。”“积善”是为他人作贡献，当然是“义”；而“积善”又继承了祖宗的“植德”之心，所以又是“孝”。这就是说，“积善”实际上体现了“孝”和“义”双重意义。这种广义的“孝义”思想，贯穿于全部的郑氏家规之中。

　　郑义门对于年轻子弟，从小就进行孝义教育。《规范》明确提出：“子孙为学，须以孝义切切为务；若一向偏滞辞章，深所不取。此实守家第一事，不可不慎。”“十六岁入大学，聘致明师训饬，必以孝悌忠信为主，期抵于道。”可见，郑义门教育子孙，要求从小就树立起以孝义为本、辞章为末的理念。这是治家修道、立身处世的首要之务。

　　郑义门对于“孝义”二字，并非只写在家规中或挂在口头上的装点门面之辞，而是能切切实实付诸实践，因而形成了一种名副其实的孝义家风。有关郑义门孝义事迹的传说很多，兹举有史籍可考者数例以见一斑。

　　义门首倡同居者郑绮就是一位著名的孝子。据《宋史》载，郑绮之父郑照，蒙冤系狱当治死罪。郑绮上疏郡守，请以身代。郡守感而察之，冤情得以大白。又其母张氏患风挛长期卧床，郑绮像看护婴儿般照顾母亲，母亲如厕必抱就之，长达三十年不懈。

　　关于“义”，首先表现为兄弟之间的友爱关系。家族史上有多次“兄弟争死”的事迹很让人感动。郑绮五世孙郑德圭，与弟德璋孝友甚笃。德璋被仇家陷以死罪，要逮至扬州。德圭知道后，毅然代弟行。德璋闻讯，急忙一路追赶，追上后两人争欲就死，德圭佯作应允以缓弟之行，却于深夜潜往扬州。及德璋追至，德圭已死于狱中。德璋恸哭欲绝，负柩归葬，守墓两年。

　　郑义门“义”的精神，还从族内推广到族外，这就是把“积善”付诸实践的种种义举。

　　早在北宋靖康年间，天灾人祸，饥民流离失所者甚众。郑绮之祖郑淮卖田千余亩救济贫民，直接导致家道中落。后来，人称其所居之地为“仁义里”。元代至元年间，民多饥乏。郑德璋开仓与乡里共食，全活甚众。

　　上述种种，足可表明郑义门那种尊祖敬宗、孝顺父母、兄弟同心、乡邻亲睦以及乐善好施的孝义家风。

　　仕德严厉，173人为官清廉

　　郑义门的孝义家风还体现在对家族成员品行方面的规定上。比如，《规范》中对于男性不同身份的族人有“隐德”“仕德”“耕德”的要求。关于“仕德”有如下规定：

　　“子孙器识可以出仕者，颇资勉之。既仕，须奉公勤政，毋蹈贪黩，以忝家法。任满交代，不可过于留恋；亦不宜恃贵自尊，以骄宗族。仍用一遵《家范》，违者，以不孝论。”

　　“子孙倘有出仕者，当早夜切切以报国为务。抚恤下民，实如慈母之保赤子。有申理者，哀矜恳恻，务得其情，毋行苛虐。又不可一毫妄取于民。若在任衣食不能给者，公堂资而勉之；若廪禄有余，亦当纳之公堂，不可私于妻孥，竞为华丽之饰，以起不平之心。违者，天实临之。”

　　“子孙出仕有以赃墨闻者，生则于《谱图》上削去其名，死则不许入祠堂。”

　　《规范》说得很明白，不管你做多大的官，也仍然是郑家的子孙，仍然要受郑氏家规的管束。把“仕德”的要求也纳入到“孝义”的体系当中，如果“恃贵自尊，以骄宗族”是要以“不孝”论处的。如有贪腐者，不仅不再认他为郑氏子孙，而且“削去其名”，至死都不能原谅。应当说，这在封建社会是相当严厉的。

　　郑氏家族遵循的这种仕德，的确保证了子孙宦迹清明、仕途平安。从宋朝至清朝，郑氏家族共有173人出仕，最高位至礼部尚书，没有一人因贪墨被罢官。

　　应该说，《郑氏规范》及“郑义门”现象是中国传统社会的产物，是特定时代在家族领域和家庭关系上的具体体现，具有浓厚的家族宗法色彩。

　　时至今日，其间的封建糟粕无疑是要摒弃的。但是，家庭在整个社会结构中的重要地位没有变，“国之本在家”“家齐而后国治”的道理也没有变。

　　郑氏家族数百年来一以贯之，把一个家庭的家规发展成整个家族的规范，在培养家庭成员良好德行、塑造民族文化心理、维护社会和谐稳定等方面，都起到了积极的作用，有着深远的历史意义和重大的现实意义。

The Zheng-surnamed clan based in Zhengzhai Town, Pujiang County in Jinhua, which is a key city in central Zhejiang Province, is a wonderful symbolization of how family tradition can be passed down from one generation to another and can influence the character-building of the community and beyond. Cao Juren (1900-1972), a celebrated journalist and writer born in Pujiang, pointed out that the legacy of the Zheng’s clan was a most glorious chapter in the history of Pujiang.

It is written in history that the Zheng clan lived together in a large compound for fifteen generations through the hundreds of years of the Song (960-1279), the Yuan (1279-1368) and the Ming (1368-1644) dynasties.

The clan’s spiritual pillar that remained strong and effective throughout generations and held the clan together is its Family Code, created in written form by Zheng Dezhang, the head of the feudal household’s fifth generation in Pujiang, and continuously enriched and revised based on experiments and implementations to the letter in everyday life. Such an introspective self-disciplinary process also made the clan’s Family Code a paragon in terms of parental instruction in the ancient China.

Zheng Qi and Zheng Yun, representing the first generation of the clan in Pujiang, made filial piety the number one priority in family management, and promoted virtues such as diligence and brotherly love for all other family members. "Anyone failing in the execution of filial piety and undermining the family unity shall be kicked out and severely punished," Zheng Qi warned in his will.

A formal Regulations of Zheng’s Clan that includes 58 rules and regulations was put together by Zheng Wenrong, the son of Zheng Dezhang, who proposed to "rule the family by law". The Regulations was further amended by Zheng Wenrong’s two sons.

In the earlier years of the Ming, Zheng Tao, a member of the clan’s 8th generation, added a detailed reward and punishment scheme to the regulations, bringing the number of rules to as many as 168. As the mentor to the family, Song Lian (1310-1381), a political adviser to the Ming dynasty founder, also contributed to the finalization of the clan’s Family Rules and Regulations by incorporating Confucian thoughts into the family code.

The final version’s 168 regulations and rules cover 10 categories including parental instruction, moral character self-cultivation, etiquette details gauging the relation between siblings and with neighbors, and female members’ self-regulatory issues. With almost all aspects of family life covered and all details specified clearly for precise execution, the book won the heart of Zhu Yuanzhang (1328-1398), the founder of the Ming, who ordered the Ministry of Rites to refer to the book for the making of a national scheme. The recognition from Zhu Yuanzhang also led to the heyday of the Zheng clan.

"Xiao" (孝, filial piety) and "Yi" (义, righteousness) are the core of the clan’s Family Regulations and Rules. The two core principles can also be construed as a "communal" concept that encourages family unity and loyalty. For example, Zheng Qi risked his life to save his father who was wronged and sentenced to death, and took care of his bed-ridden mother for 30 years without any complaint.

The sibling love between Zheng Degui and Zheng Dezhang was also a tearjerker, illustrating how the fraternal love between the two could be so strong that it became a life-and-death bond that could not separate the two till death did them apart.

The family’s communal spirit also produced many philanthropists throughout the generations. In the Jingkang years of the Northern Song (960-1127), Zheng Huai sold some family property to help the poor and homeless. During the famine in the Zhiyuan years of the Yuan Dynasty, Zheng Dezhang opened the family granary to neighbors without hesitation, and saved the life of many.

The Family Rules and Regulations clearly specifies that no one in the family can be exempted from punishment, regardless of one’s social status or official ranking, and those who do not behave themselves in their official posts will be kicked out of the family and will never be forgiven morally. The name of the offender will also be erased from the family book. Such punishment is among the harshest in the feudal China, and ensured the "cleanness" of the family’s reputation.

What stands out from The Family Rules and Regulations is that the document specifies guidelines for members of the clan to follow when serving as government officials. The guidelines worked effectively and the members of the clan were able to stay away from negligence and corruption.

It is true that such a feudal-style family management scheme has become outdated in modern China, but it is also true that the long line of dedicated, self-disciplinary and philanthropic individuals who lived by lofty thoughts set a brilliant example indicating how one could benefit from self-discipline and hardworking. The clan’s example sowed noble seeds in town. And it is therefore true that the clan’s determination in character building will certainly benefit more individuals and communities in Pujiang.