Filial Duty
Filial Duty, Chapter 1: The Meaning of Filial Duty
Confucius explains the fundamental meaning and universal principle of filial duty to his disciple Zengzi.
Translation
CHAPTER I
THE MEANING OF FILIAL DUTY
Once upon a time Confucius was sitting in his study, having his
disciple Tsêng Ts‘an to attend upon him. He asked Tsêng Ts‘an: “Do
you know by what virtue and power the good Emperors of old made the
world peaceful, the people to live in harmony with one another, and
the inferior contented under the control of their superiors?” To this
Tsêng Ts‘an, rising from his seat, replied: “I do not know this, for
I am not clever.” Then said Confucius: “The duty of children to their
parents is the fountain whence all other virtues spring, and also the
starting-point from which we ought to begin our education. Now take
your seat, and I will explain this. Our body and hair and skin are all
derived from our parents, and therefore we have no right to injure any
of them in the least. This is the first duty of a child.
“To live an upright life and to spread the great doctrines of humanity
must win good reputation after death, and reflect great honour upon our
parents. This is the last duty of a son.
“Hence the first duty of a son is to pay a careful attention to every
want of his parents. The next is to serve his government loyally; and
the last to establish a good name for himself.
“So it is written in the Ta Ya[2]: ‘You must think of your ancestors
and continue to cultivate the virtue which you inherit from them.’”
Practical Reading
Filial duty begins with self-respect. The text teaches that your body, hair, and skin are gifts from your parents—you have no right to injure them. In practice, this means caring for your physical and mental health as a form of respect to your parents.
The threefold path—serving parents, serving the ruler, establishing your name—reminds us that personal virtue has expanding circles of influence. Start with small daily acts of care at home. Let your conduct in the wider world reflect well on your family. A good reputation is the lasting gift you give back to your parents after they are gone.