Why we need to talk about filial piety, which is still important in modern times

The ethical concept of filial piety is an important spiritual gene for the survival of the Chinese nation and one of the value kernels of Chinese culture. It is impossible to cut off history from the development of any nation. As an important part of traditional Chinese culture, filial piety culture certainly has things that need to be criticized and discarded, such as "the father is the order of the son" and "filial piety is three times as important as having no descendants", but its positive aspects are still important for the construction of spiritual civilization and the construction of our society today. The value is still important for the construction of spiritual civilization and society today.

Filial piety, as a kind of affection, implies the responsibility of parents to raise their minor children and the obligation of children to support their elderly parents. This relationship of responsibility and obligation is neither a contractual relationship nor an exchange of equivalence in any sense, but a natural product of affection and an unshirkable moral responsibility and obligation.

Promoting individual care for others and society. In the view of traditional filial piety culture, the selfless love of parents for their children helps to cultivate the children's love for their parents and other relatives, which in turn is extrapolated to the love for other members of the community and even for the nation and the motherland. This is what Mencius said, "As we are old, so are we old; as we are young, so are we young". Therefore, filial piety for one's parents is the basis of all education.

Modern society is the so-called "society of strangers," and the traditional situation of neighbors helping neighbors has changed dramatically. In this new situation, we can reasonably draw on and carry forward the spirit of "great filial piety" in traditional society from near and far, from oneself to others.

Expanded Information:

"Filial Piety "The historical role of filial piety:

1. Cultivation of the body;

Individually, filial piety is the basis for cultivation of the body. By practicing filial piety, each person's morality can be perfected. Otherwise, if one loses filial piety, one loses the minimum virtue of being a human being. Therefore, Confucianism has always been based on the cultivation of the body. Today, it is still of great practical significance to advocate filial piety and use it as an important element in cultivating the moral cultivation of the next generation.

2. Integration of the family;

From the family, practicing filial piety can order the elders and children, standardize the order of human relationships, and promote family harmony. The family is the cell of society; if the family is stable, society is stable; if the family is unstable, society is unstable. Therefore, Confucianism attaches great importance to the role of the family and emphasizes the use of filial piety to regulate the family. In the new era, it is emphasized that it is equally important for children to respect and support their elderly parents.

3. Serving the country and honoring one's work;

Filial piety promotes the idea of loyalty to the ruler and advocates serving the country and honoring one's work. In the feudal era, the king and the state sometimes meant the same thing. Accordingly, Confucianism believes that the practice of filial piety, you must honor your parents at home, in the external affairs of the Secretary of State, up to the supreme ruler of the country. Although it has the dregs of foolish loyalty to the ruler of the country, the idea of serving the country and patriotism and dedication embedded in it is positive and progressive.

4. Cohesion of society;

Confucianism arose in troubled times. The idea of filial piety can regulate the behavior of society, establish some systems of etiquette and regulate interpersonal relations, thus cohesion of society to achieve the unification of the world, from chaos to rule. Objectively speaking, the idea of filial piety provided the ideology for the feudal society to maintain its social stability and played a positive role in the unification of China.

5. Shaping culture;

Chinese culture is profound and profound, originating from the hundred schools of thought, and there have been changes through the ages, but the idea and tradition of filial piety have always dominated the direction of the development of Chinese culture for thousands of years. The fundamental reason why Chinese culture has been able to assimilate countless foreign cultures lies in the culture of filial piety. The fundamental reason why Chinese culture has endured and become the only ancient civilization in the ancient world that has survived to the present day also lies in the culture of filial piety.

People's Daily: The Relevance of Traditional Filial Piety Culture

Baidu Encyclopedia - Filial Piety Culture