What is the significance of filial piety

It also involves consulting your elders for advice and permission, putting your needs second, and being a positive representative of your family everywhere you go. The concept of filial piety is detailed in the Classic of Filial Piety , a text believed to have been written in the s b. At this time, China was a feudal, patriarchal, clan-based society, and filial piety helped maintain social harmony. Filial piety greatly influences generations of Chinese families today, and it is evolving to value more reciprocal, emotive relationships between generations.

Filial piety is often developed as a theme in Chinese or Chinese-inspired stories. Films with filial piety themes always make me cry, so Lulu Wang's 'The Farewell' had me weeping like a child throughout. The film pushed every one of my tenderest buttons.

Confucianism Confucius Taoism feudalism virtue deference obedience. His policies helped engender the rise of an intolerant and severe nationalism that conflates piety with patriotism. Once they win, these principles get absorbed into common sense—and, of course, get betrayed left and right, like any civic piety. Certainly captain Merveilles and his people showed unusual piety. What does no qualms mean?

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Once again, the greatest expression of filial piety is when we make the most out of our lives, and thus pay tribute to our parents. In other words, true practice of filial piety should lift up both children and parents. From here, we can establish that filial piety is not only a virtue that the subordinates have to practice when dealing with authorities. It is relevant to all, irrespective of social standing.

This is because in the Confucian society, human identity is essentially defined in relational terms. A person is never an isolated individual in the universe, but always a child, a parent, a sibling, a friend, a subject or an authority figure, etc. To illustrate this reality using another image: for Confucians, life is like a sacred dance in which everyone has different parts, and in which it is only through the successful performance of each parts, that the dance is complete, and all can individually and collectively attain fulfillment.

I believe the solution lies in the dynamic process of negotiating these duties, and thus bringing them to the most harmonious fulfilment possible under these circumstances.

From the five chapters mentioned above, chapter two, three, and six reveal the largely exhortative nature of the text. Rather than laying out a series of commandments outlining in detail how one has to do in each circumstance, these chapters lay out the general framework for filial piety. For example, in chapter 2, the Emperor is required to serve his parents with love and respect in order to educate and transform the people, by being their role model; in chapter 3, the Feudal Lords are exhorted to avoid arrogance and to cultivate moderation in order to preserve their noble standing and their wealth; and in chapter 6, the common people, who, at that time, were largely peasants, are called to be attuned to the rhythm of heaven and astutely observe the nature of the land, in order to be able to provide for their parents.

We see here that by expressing filial piety as desirable attributes such as love, respect, humility, moderation, and the ability to sustain a good living, etc. Moreover, when no specific instructions are laid out; it is up to the person to judge what concrete actions best express filial piety, i. With that said, we must not overlook chapter four and five of the text, which seem to support rigid conformation to traditional rules of propriety and submission to superiors.

In chapter 4, the high officers are required not to wear any articles of dressing, and not to speak and act in ways that are not sanctioned by the customs of the former kings. Again, in chapter 5, the lower officials are asked to serve their ruler with loyalty, and to serve the superior with obedience.

How can we reconcile these two chapters with the three mentioned above? Here, we need to realize that Confucius, the originator of the Confucian school of thought, idealizes the rule of propriety not as an end in itself, but as a means of building up human characters and harmonizing the principles of the world. Love should thus be the atmosphere in which filial piety be inculcated in the younger generation. It is this love and reverence, i.

The service which a filial son doe to his parents is as follows: In his general conduct to them, he manifests the utmost reverence. In his nourishing of them, his endeavor is to give them the utmost pleasure. When they are ill, he feels the greatest anxiety. In mourning for them, he exhibits the utmost grief. In sacrificing to them, he displays the utmost solemnity. On the contrary, if one is prideful, insubordinate, and quarrelsome, then even though he provides sumptuous food for his parents, he is not considered filial see chap.

In other words, it is not enough to perform external filial acts without having the proper inner disposition. Besides treating the parents with love and dignity, filial piety also involves treating others with reverence and dignity, especially those whom society tends to consider less important. Of old when the enlightened kings used filial piety to bring proper order to the empire, they would not presume to neglect the ministers of the smallest state, how much less would the dukes, earls, and other members of the high nobility do so?

When the ones in greater authority set an example of respecting and caring for the least, it inspires others to do the same. The ancient kings, being aware of their authority, chose to exert influence by personal example. The former kings saw that their teachings were able to transform people. Thus setting their own example of magnanimity before the people, none of the people would neglect their parents; demonstrating excellence and appropriateness in their own actions, the people were inspired to conduct themselves accordingly; setting their own example of respect and reverence before the people, the people did not contend among themselves, … showing the people what he deemed acceptable and unacceptable, the people understood what was proscribed.

In fact, to teach by example is deemed more effective than by words. Exemplary persons in their teaching on filial piety do not travel daily from one family to the next to meet with each of them individually. Their teaching of filial piety is their way of showing respect for every father in the empire… chap. Moreover, the most significant discussion on obedience in the text is actually an admonition against blind obedience. What words are these! Anciently, if the Son of Heaven had seven ministers who would remonstrate with him, although he had not right methods of government, he would not lose his possession of the kingdom.

If the prince of a state has five such ministers, though his measures might be equally wrong, he would not lose his state. Therefore when a case of unrighteous conduct is concerned, a son must by no means keep from remonstrating with his father. Here, Confucius accepts that human beings, no matter how great they may be, are not perfect, and thus can err.

Therefore, true filial piety is to help one another, including the person in authority to better live out their role in the most appropriate manner. This is not optional; rather, it is obligatory. Exemplary persons when serving those above at court reflect on how they can give their utmost loyalty to them, and on retiring reflect on how to resolve the excesses of their superiors. They are fully compliant in carrying out what is commendable in the instructions of those above and take steps to remedy what cannot be condoned.

It is in this way that those above and below are able to appreciate each other. First of all, for Confucians, filial piety is a central value for all, irrespective of social standing and should be practiced by all. One never outgrows the duty to be filial because at any point in life one inhabits roles in society that puts one in a position of authority to some, and the position of subordinate to others.

As any other human value, to become filial is a learnt process, a process best supported by a affective and loving familial context, where filial love of parents can be truly internalized and not imposed.

Moreover, the best way to transmit filial piety is when the person in a higher position lives it and practices it with integrity. Having looked at the Confucian understanding of filial piety, I will move on to investigate the relevant similarities with Christian understanding of obedience. After that, I will also briefly discuss the understanding of freedom in the thinking of Bernard Lonergan, a prominent Catholic thinker and theologian in the twentieth century, in order to establish the link between freedom and obedience.

First of all, in the Gospel of Luke, we have the singular account of the event of the boy Jesus being lost and found in the temple. From this account, we can conclude two points. Here, the choice as to which authority is made after one deliberates on the value of obedience. Second, to learn obedience is a dynamic and ongoing process as one learns to discern and appropriate values that are important. From the public life of Jesus, we can pick out the tension that Jesus has regarding to obedience to the Jewish Laws as handed on by the religious leaders.

According to J. These religious leaders require the people to obey strict and meticulous laws and traditions governing all aspects of the Jewish life.