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How is filial piety described in the Analects?
In the Analects, there are many chapters of Confucius' conversation:
Zi You asked about filial piety. Zi said: "The filial piety of today is to be able to raise. As for dogs and horses, all of them can be nourished; if they are not honored, how can they be distinguished?" (Chapter 7 of For the Government) (The student Zi You asked what is filial piety, and Confucius said, "The so-called filial piety nowadays only means being able to feed one's parents. As for dogs and horses, one feeds them just the same; without honor, what difference is there between feeding one's parents and feeding dogs and horses?") The analogy in this passage is very vivid; people also feed horses and cows for use as servants, and pet dogs and cats; if you treat your aging parents by just giving them a mouthful of food and lacking respect, care, and love, it is not as good as the pets you have! Never pay a hundred dollars a month, two hundred dollars alimony is considered filial piety. Confucius emphasized the word "respect", which means respect, seriousness and solemnity, and the first thing to do is to respect your parents.
How exactly should we perform filial piety, Confucius had many discussions:
Zi Xia asked about filial piety. Zi said: "The color is difficult. When there is something, the disciple serves his labor; when there is wine and food, Mr. Zhuanzhu, was it ever thought of as filial piety? (There is a question mark here.)" (Chapter 8 of For the Government) (Zixia asked about filial piety. Confucius said, "What is difficult is the attitude displayed. When there is something to be done, the one who is a disciple does it; when there is good food and drink, the one who is older eats it first; can it be called filial piety to treat one's parents in this way alone? (There is a question mark here.)") The Son said, "One must not be ignorant of the years of one's parents. One is to rejoice, the other to fear. (Li Ren, Chapter 21) (Confucius said: the age of one's parents cannot be kept out of one's mind. On the one hand, one rejoices at their high life, and on the other hand, one fears because of their high life.) Meng Wu Bo asked about filial piety. Zi said, "Parents only worry about their illness." (For the Government, Chapter 6) (Meng Wubo asked about filial piety. Confucius said, "To parents, worry about their illnesses.") Zi said, "When your parents are present, do not travel far. (Li Ren, Chapter 19) (Confucius said, "When your parents are alive, do not go far away; if you must go far away, be sure to tell where you are going.") In the first of the above four paragraphs, Confucius raises the question of "colorful difficulties", i.e., the question of attitude. Confucius believed that "if something happens, the disciple will serve him; if there is wine or food, the gentleman will serve it", which is what one should do to one's teachers and elders, and that it is not just a matter of carrying back the gas tank for one's parents or buying two boxes of cakes to send them to them as filial piety, but also a matter of heartfelt love, care and respect. The following paragraphs, are also emphasize this real psychological feelings, either happy or sad, lies in the deep care, such as caring for their parents' health, try not to let their parents worry about themselves, and so on. The third paragraph, "Parents only worry about their illnesses," has been interpreted in two ways since ancient times. In addition to the translation above, some ancient commentaries have interpreted it as parents worrying about their son's illnesses, which is also common. Parents are worried about their son, what should the son do? (There is a question mark here.) He should try not to let his parents worry about him, and he should be more filial to them.
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