The Chinese character for filial piety is very simple, with a high platform at the top and a son at the bottom. The oracle bone inscriptions of this character are even more graphic. Look closely at the picture below: does it look like a child walking with an old man on his arm? It can also be interpreted like this: the old man is on top, the child is on the bottom. It means that the parents have to take care of the child at the top when the child is small, and when the parents are old, the son has to carry the old man at the bottom. A person who has an old man on top and a young man on the bottom is supposed to do his filial duty to the top, and this is filial piety.
"Filial piety" oracle bone is very graphic
Elderly people take care of their children
The younger generation helps the old man
The inheritance of Chinese civilization for 5,000 years can not be separated from the word "filial piety", and through the analysis of the word filial piety, we can see its connotations. By analyzing the character filial piety, we can see its connotation. Therefore, the structure of Chinese characters has its own rationale. The original meaning of this character is that we should do our best to support our parents. At the same time, it means that the descendants should also exercise their filial piety according to certain customs after the death of their honored ones.
Filial piety is more than just a word.
Examples of Chinese characters with "孝" as a radical: 教, 哮.
Because the Chinese character filial piety had a special place in ancient culture, there are many Chinese characters that use it as a radical. For example, the Chinese character "教": a filial piety on the left, and a 攵(文) on the right. It means to pass down filial piety as a culture, which is the teaching of education. Another example is the Chinese character for growl: a mouth on the left, a filial piety on the right, and a person who shouts at the elderly and children is a disgraceful behavior.
The Chinese characters for "teach" and "growl"
On the narrow and broad concepts of the character for "filial piety".
The word "filial piety" is understood in a narrow sense as the devotion and respect for one's parents. In the broader sense of filial piety, we talk about six filial piety in ancient times, so what are the six filial piety? The Zuo Zhuan (左传) says: "The ruler is righteous, the minister is obedient, the father is kind, the son is filial, the brother is loving, and the brother is respectful. It means: as a ruler, you should be benevolent to the people; as a minister, you should do your duty; as a father, you should be kind to your children; as a son, you should know how to be filial to your parents; as an elder brother, you should love your younger siblings; and as a younger sibling, you should respect your elder brother.
Filial piety and respect for parents, Chinese virtues
Happy old man
"Filial piety" is a traditional Chinese virtue and a historical and cultural heritage.
Why is "filial piety" a Chinese virtue and a cultural inheritance from generation to generation? The Book of Filial Piety says, "From the Son of Heaven to the common people, filial piety has no end, and those who suffer from it are not yet there." The meaning is: from the ancient kings to the common people, everyone has the obligation to fulfill filial piety, and there is no end to the realm of filial piety. And the Book of Rites recorded: filial piety, animal also. To be obedient to the Way and not to be rebellious is to be an animal. The word "animal" here does not mean an animal, but means to support. The general meaning is to serve and support their parents, obedience to parents, and not to do things against the ethics.