University of Virginia Library

Chapter XXV.

FILIAL PIETY AND FILIAL SUPPORT.

(a) The Literati: He who supports his parents
best does not do so necessarily with fat viands, and he
who clothes his parents best does not do so necessarily
with rich embroideries. The consummation of filial
piety lies in dedicating everything one has to the service
of his parents: thus the commonest man with his sheer
labor and industry may still have ample means to fulfill
the rites, and the poorest man whose food is pulse and
water his only drink can still adequately express his
reverence. The filial piety of the present day, said
Confucius, merely means to feed one's parents . . . . . . but
without reverence wherein lies the difference?[64] The
highest filial piety consists, therefore, in nourishing one's
parents' ambition, next comes nourishing their passing
whims, and then only nourishing their bodies.[65] The
value of filial piety lies in the form, not in being bent
upon mere providing. If everything is in accordance
with form and hearts are in harmony, one can be counted
as filial even though provisions are not complete. The
eastern neighbor slaughtering a cow, says the Book of
Changes, is not the equal of the western neighbor
performing the sacrifice.[66] Thus though rich and prominent
one may be, if he is without propriety he is not
the equal of one who is filial and brotherly, though poor
and humble. Within the inner apartments, fulfill filial
piety to the end; without them, fulfill brotherly love; in
journeying with friends, fulfill trust. These three things
are the consummation of Hsiao [OMITTED]. The founding of a
home or a patrimony does not mean mere accumulation of
wealth; discharging one's filial duties in serving one's
parents does not mean merely supplying them with fresh
foods. All depends, on the other hand, on following their
smile or frown, conforming to their wishes and fulfilling
all the rules of propriety and justice.

(b) The Cancellarius: At the age of eighty a man
is called a t'ieh, at the age of seventy he is a mao. A

septuagenarian[67] does not feel full without meat nor warm
without silk. Sweet and rare food for their palates, a
pious son would say therefore, clothes warm and light
jor their bodies![68] Tsêng Tzŭ must have had wine and
meat to support Tsêng Hsi.[69] Without his cap properly
adjusted Kung-hsi Ch'ih himself would be unable to
discharge properly his duty of sustaining his parents,
but without rich and savory fare, be he Tsêng Tzŭ or
Min Tzŭ, one cannot fulfill to the end this duty. Form is
not an empty cloak: there must be substance before it is
made into the father-son relationship. Rather be
superfluous in provision and deficient in etiquette than
abundant in etiquette and deficient in provision. I cannot
see any value, however perfect be the execution of rites,
in meticulously washing the cup in order to fill it with
mere water, and ascend and descend steps ceremoniously
only to present coarse and unhulled rice.

(c) The Literati: Not without wines and meat was
the Chou Emperor Hsiang's mother; her food and clothes
were certainly incomparable to those of a Tsêng Hsi.
Yet that Emperor earned the notorious reputation of
being unfilial, for he was unable to serve his mother
properly. The Superior Man puts value on the form of
performing filial duty, but the mean man is only bent on
provisions. Now if you beckon to one with a `Hi, come
hither' and throw him the food, be he a mere beggar, he
would not take it.[70] Though the food be delicious, the
Superior Man[71] would not partake of it if the rules
of propriety are disregarded: thus no guest would take
part in the sacrifice, if the host neglects to prepare the
offering personally. This proves that Form is the thing
that counts, the food offering is of slight consequence.

(d) The Cancellarius: Among filial sons there are
no greater than those who put to the disposal of their
parents the entire Empire or a whole state; next come
those who sustain their parents with their salary; then
those who nourish them by the fruit of their labor.

Thus, king, duke and ruler of men stand highest in the
list; next to them, ministers and officials. Now let us
examine how it is done in one or another family. There
are worthy sons among those on the road to power over
this world who supply their elders with high halls and
spacious chambers, comfortable carriages and big horses,
light and warm clothing, and sweet and tasty food.
There are others who clothe them in coarse stuff and
leather caps, leave them to dwell in beggar's alleys,
provide them for the day, but not for the morrow, with
the coarsest grains and vegetables for food, with a chance
to see meat but on the fall and winter sacrifices.[72] They
upset their aged parents' stomachs, stuffing them with
salads, as if they were truck gardens. Now, when a
son feeds his parents with the coarse foods that a beggar
would not take, though he wished to do it with all
ceremony, there would be no virtue whatever therein.

(e) The Literati: He who steals his position
possessing no ability to occupy it and he who accepts
salary having no achievement to his credit, though he
possess wealth and honor, can only offer to his parents
the aliments of a Chih or a Ch'iao. Though his high
terraces might command a distant view and his dinner
table might be laid out to cover one hundred square feet,
he still cannot be termed filial. One's aged parents'
stomachs are not bags for the loot of thieves, why then
always try to fill them with things obtained through
disregard of principle? Now if you take unproperly-won
things and positions, calamity will follow wherever
enters ill-gotten gain. The very lives of your parents
are liable to be engulfed in your calamities, how could
they hope then to eat meat at the fall and winter sacrifice?
Tsêng Shên and Min Tzu had the reputation of filial sons
though they never had aliments of ministers or chancellors;
while Emperor Hsiang of Chou with all the wealth
of the Empire at his disposal became notorious for being
unable to serve properly his parents. Therefore, it is not
filial piety to offer rich nourishment with scant ceremony
and though one may thus deplete all his stores in order

to feed his parents, it still will not be filial piety.

(f) The Cancellarius:[73] Those that stand highest
in the performance of filial duty wait upon their parents'
countenance; next come those who give them security;
then those who are careful to preserve their lives.[74]
Formerly Ch'ên Yü turned against the Han and was
beheaded on the banks of the Chih and Wu Pei by his
seditious activities caused the extermination of all his
family. More recently, Chu-fu Yen was executed for
non-conformity and Lü Pu-shu met death and disgrace
through playing too freely with his tongue. All these
men were so careless in their conduct that the penalties
they suffered extended to their innocent parents. It can
be easily seen from their example that empty form is of
no profit to one. As culture and substance go hand in
hand, so etiquette and nourishment should both be
dispensed at the same time, only then can one be termed
filial. Filial piety lies in material things, not in meritorious
appearance. Preservation of life depends on
circumspection, not in running wild with words.

(g) The Literati: He is the most unfilial of all
who speaks without sincerity, makes promises but does
not keep them, shows no courage in the face of difficulties,
and no loyalty in serving his prince. Said Mencius:
The officers of to-day, the ministers of to-day are all
criminals[75] for they all conformed to the prince's whims
and connived at his evil acts. Now, you sir, are one
devoid of loyalty and faith, bringing confusion into the
administration with your artful speeches and seeking to
obtain favor with your proposals of a sycophant. Indeed,
such as you are not to be tolerated in this world. Unwavering
in holding to the unity of principle is the scholar,
says the Spring and Autumn, unmindful of anything
outside his loyalty to the Right.[76] He should concentrate
all his efforts on nothing but the performance of his
official duties. Thus, it is a crime to speak high, while

one's position is lowly, and it is impudence to talk out of
turn. The Imperial edict directed the high ministers to
take part in this debate and you take time for waging
your empty verbal battles.