THE BOOK OF FILIAL DUTY

WISDOM OF THE EAST THE BOOK OF FILIAL DUTY TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE OF THE HSIAO CHING BY IVAN CHÊN FIRST SECRETARY TO THE CHINESE LEGATION WITH THE TWENTY-FOUR EXAMPLES FROM THE CHINESE

LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET 1908

PRINTED BY HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD., LONDON AND AYLESBURY.

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EDITORIAL NOTE

The object of the Editors of this series is a very definite one. They desire above all things that, in their humble way, these books shall be the ambassadors of goodwill and understanding between East and West—the old world of Thought and the new of Action. In this endeavour, and in their own sphere, they are but followers of the highest example in the land. They are confident that a deeper knowledge of the great ideals and lofty philosophy of Oriental thought may help to a revival of that true spirit of Charity which neither despises nor fears the nations of another creed and colour. Finally, in thanking press and public for the very cordial reception given to the “Wisdom of the East” Series, they wish to state that no pains have been spared to secure the best specialists for the treatment of the various subjects at hand.

L. CRANMER-BYNG. S. A. KAPADIA.

Northbrook Society, 185 Piccadilly, W.

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INTRODUCTION

I. The Origin of the Book

The Hsiao Ching, or Book of Filial Duty, is generally held to be the work of an unknown pupil of Tsêng Ts‘an, the disciple of Confucius, to whom is attributed the famous Confucian classic known as The Greater Learning. Certainly it can be traced back as far as 400 B.C., within a century from the death of Confucius. The preservation of the text in its present form is due to the Emperor Ming Huang (A.D. 685-762), one of the most fascinating characters in Chinese history, who had it engraved, together with eleven other of the Confucian writings, on tablets of stone and set up in his capital of Chang-an. He afterwards added a commentary of his own, which is still extant, and has proved invaluable to all commentators of a later period. The Book of Filial Duty is often found in China bound up with another treatise called the Hsiao Hsüeh, or Teaching for the Young, of which the[Pg 8] following is a specimen: “The way to become a student is with meekness and humility, receiving with confidence every word spoken by the master. The pupil, when he sees men of

virtue, should try to follow in their steps; when he hears wise sayings, he should try to conform to them. He must not harbour evil designs, but always act honourably. Whether at home or abroad, he must have a fixed abode, and resort with those who are well disposed, regulating his demeanour with care, and curbing the passions.”

Few books have enjoyed greater popularity amongst all classes in China than The Book of Filial Duty. It may be called The Book of Emperors, from the fact that so many Emperors, both before and after Ming Huang, have commentated upon it. Equally it is The Book of Youth, being the first treatise of importance placed in the hands of children, after the horn books of elementary instruction. The reason for its survival after so many centuries is not hard to seek. Family life has always been, from time immemorial, the foundation-stone of the Chinese Empire, and filial piety is the foundation-stone of family life. Nor does this duty of son to father merely extend to the living. The living head of the family pays due reverence to the countless ancestors who have preceded him. A witty Chinese writer once remarked that in the West family life only began after death—in[Pg 9] the family vault. Here, at any rate, after years of separation and divided interests, the members met to enjoy a common oblivion. I cannot but think that there is some exaggeration

in this; yet not even the greatest apologist of Western methods will venture to deny that the Chinese and indeed most Oriental ideals of family life are superior to his own. Whilst living, only the calls of Empire, or the demands of their profession, may keep relations apart; but the interests of the family are always greater than the interests of the individual, and no exile is without hope of return to the home of his fathers. The dead will not be forgotten, for it will be the duty of their sons to offer sacrifice to their shades. The death-days of two generations of parents are kept sacred with solemn festival, and the nameless and unnumbered dead have their special days of ceremony and remembrance in the spring and autumn. Every house has its family shrine, every village its hall of ancestors. Thus the filial piety of the survivors honours those who have gone.

As regards the living, respect is the great essential of daily intercourse. The subject respects his emperor, the son his father, the wife her husband, and the younger brother his elder brother. But respect is not only for those older than ourselves, or of superior station. The wisdom of Confucius is nowhere more clearly[Pg 10] shown than in his utterance concerning the respect to be paid to youth: “A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present? If he reach the age of forty or fifty, and has not made himself heard of, then he will indeed not be worthy of respect.”

Maxima debetur pueris reverentia!

The Chinese national spirit is a spirit of continuity; the spirit of the Confucian philosophy is a spirit of harmony with the environment of daily life. “Confucius,” says Tzŭ-ssŭ, “possessed, as if by hereditary transmission, the virtues of Yao and Shun [Emperors of the Golden Age], and modelled himself on Wên and Wu [first King of the Chou dynasty, 1133 B.C.] as his exemplars. Above all, he kept in unison with the seasons of the sky; below, he conformed to the water and the land.

“We may liken him unto the sky and earth in respect of the universality with which they uphold and sustain things, the universality with which they overspread and enfold things. We may liken him unto the four seasons in respect of their varied march; unto the sun and moon in respect of their alternate shining.

“All things are kept in train together without their injuring one another; their ways go on together without interfering one with another: the smaller forces in river streams, the greater[Pg 11] forces in ample transformations. It is this that makes the sky and earth so great.”[1]

The first environment of the human soul is that of the family. Before we can become good subjects, before we can aspire to study nature and mould ourselves upon the laws of heaven and earth, we must first of all learn to become good sons, to complete the unity of family life. All things will be added in their due course. To the Chinese mind the successful policy in life is a policy of adjustment. This policy runs from highest to lowest, and back again from lowest to highest. The Emperor adjusts himself to the requirements of his great Ministers, they in their turn to the provincial governors, they in their turn to the local magistrates, and so on down the scale of social order. So this policy of adjustment works equally upwards from the youngest son of the meanest family to the Emperor himself, who adjusts his methods to those employed by his August Father. As The Book of Odes says:

It is for this reason that The Book of Filial[Pg 12] Duty commences with a chapter on “Filial Piety in the Son of Heaven.” The Emperor is, the Emperor always has been, the father of the greatest family on earth—the Chinese nation.

II. The Twenty-four Examples of Filial Duty

Instead of the Hsiao Hsüeh, or Teaching for the Young, which is usually grouped with The Book of Filial Duty, I have chosen The Twenty-four Examples of Filial Duty by way of illustration to the Hsiao Ching. They are naïve and terse, and yet not without their simple charm. Even where they lend themselves to exaggeration, as in the story of the old gentleman who dressed himself in gay garments and frisked in front of his very venerable parents, they are not meaningless nor devoid of humanity. The lesson to be drawn is that our duty towards our parents is the first obligation in life, and that we should go, if necessary, to all lengths to fulfil it. Nothing is known of the authorship of these stories, or the time in which they are written. Each story is accompanied by its commentary, and probably the stories themselves originated during the Ming dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644), the commentaries belonging mostly to the latter years of that dynasty. The period dealt with in these tales is a very wide one, and ranges from the time of the great

Emperor Shun (circa 2300 B.C.) down to the Sung[Pg 13] dynasty (A.D. 900-1200). There have been many editions of The Twenty-four Examples in Chinese, mostly embellished with quaint and original woodcuts, of which the figure on the cover of the present volume, kindly supplied by Mrs. Lionel Giles, is an example.

III. Filial Duty and Parental Love

In conclusion, I hope none of my readers will imagine, from these examples and the treatise that precedes them, that Chinese family life is cold and repellent, and devoid of mutual love. The moment a tiny life enters the circle it is guarded by the triple walls of kinship. In the children our parents return to us; in the children we survive. All through Chinese history the exile longs for return to wife and children. All through Chinese literature you will find allusion to the love of little ones which has been the heritage of the Chinese from time unknown. The Book of Odes, quoted in Mr. Ku Hung-ming’s eloquent translation of the Chung Yung, or Conduct of Life, for this Series, says:

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With the Chinese the natural joys of life have always been the most sought after. Home, family, friendship, landscape, and flowers—these are the pleasures which they delight in. The religion of Confucius is the religion of daily life. On the side of the parent there is responsibility; on the side of the child, obedience, but not a blind one. Of the responsibility of parents there is no question. Confucius himself laid down the law when he sentenced a father, who had brought an accusation against his son, to be imprisoned with him. On being remonstrated with, he made this memorable reply: “Am I to punish for a breach of filial piety one who has never been taught to be filially minded? Is not he who neglects to teach his son his duties equally guilty with the son who fails in them? Crime is not inherent in human nature, and therefore the father in the family and the government in the State are responsible for the crimes committed against filial piety and the public laws.”

On the other hand, the obedient son must be able to discriminate and not follow blindly, when the father is at fault. In the Li Chi, or Book of Rites, it is written: “When his parents are in error, the son must remonstrate with them with respect and gently. If they do not receive his reproof, he must strive more and more to be dutiful and respectful towards them till they are pleased, and then he must again point out their fault.”

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The Chinese give respect to the living, and also reverence the dead. It is from the past that they have tried to learn, and the past is a pathway which the feet of spirits have trodden and made luminous. And, moreover, no man can escape from his ancestors, even if he go to the uttermost parts of the earth and dwell among strangers. Over the heads of the family the politician, ancient and modern, looks to the State. But China, from the shelter and security of her myriad bulwarks, has watched the sun of many empires rise and set.

NOTE

In preparing this little book for the press, I am indebted to Mr. Lionel Giles and Mr. L. Cranmer-Byng for their kind assistance. Mr. Giles has revised the English spelling of Chinese names according to the system almost universally adopted by sinologues to-day; while Mr. Cranmer-Byng has made himself responsible for the Introduction. As regards The Twenty-four Examples of Filial Duty, due acknowledgment must be made to Vol. VI. of The Chinese Repository, which contains the only complete translation of these stories, and has been extensively drawn upon for the present work.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Translated by John Carey Hall in Chinese Civilisation, by Pierre Laffitte.

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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.

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“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.’”

CHAPTER II

THE FILIAL DUTY OF AN EMPEROR

In order to prevent the people from treating their parents with cruelty, the Emperor first sets an example to them by showing a dear love to his mother; and in order to teach them not to treat their parents with rudeness, he first treats his parents with respect. Having loved and respected his own parents, his good conduct will influence the minds of his people, and his good example will be followed by them.

So it is written in the Fu Hsing[3]: “When the Emperor has done a good act, millions will be benefited.”

FOOTNOTES:

[2] A section of the Canon of Poetry.

[3] The 27th of the books of Chou in the Canon of History.

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CHAPTER III

THE FILIAL DUTY OF FEUDAL PRINCES

Any man will be secure in his position, however high it may be, if he does not behave himself in a haughty manner; and will be ever able to keep his wealth if he is frugal and careful in his expenses.

When he is able to secure himself in his high position, he can, of course, remain unimpaired in his dignity; and where he can keep his wealth, he will always remain rich. Having placed himself in a position of honour, and secured the possession of his wealth, he will be able to protect his country and further the welfare of his people. This is the filial duty of a feudal Prince.

In the Shih Ching it is thus written: “Be careful as though you were standing upon the brink of a high precipice or treading on thin ice.”

CHAPTER IV

THE FILIAL DUTY OF HIGH OFFICERS

If we do not put on such dress as our good Emperors of old would forbid, if we do not speak such words as they would forbid, and if we do not behave ourselves in such a way as they would forbid, then we shall be always right in what we say and what we do. If so, then nobody[Pg 19] will be able to find fault with our words or with our deeds, and therefore we shall be able to keep our family from being visited with any serious misfortune, and to offer sacrifices to our ancestors for ever. This is the filial duty of a high officer.

In the Shih Ching it is thus written: “Be diligent every minute to attend upon the one person” (meaning the Emperor).

CHAPTER V

THE FILIAL DUTY OF THE LITERARY CLASS

From the manner in which we should treat our father we learn how to treat our mother. The love toward them is the same. From the manner in which we should treat our father we also learn how to serve our August Master. The respect shown to them is the same. To our mother we show love, to our August Master respect, while to our father, both love and respect. If we can serve our August Master with such feelings as we have toward our father, then loyalty is shown; and if we treat venerable persons with respect, then harmony will reign in the circle of our life. Not failing to treat the August Master with loyalty and the venerable with respect, we shall be able to make ourselves secure in our high position and to offer sacrifices to our ancestors for ever.

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This is the filial duty of the Literati. So in the Shih Ching it is written: “Do not do anything in the course of a day which will reflect dishonour upon your ancestors.”

CHAPTER VI

THE FILIAL DUTY OF COMMON PEOPLE

To do the necessary in every season (such as growing crops in spring and reaping harvest in autumn), to do the utmost to make lands as fertile as possible, and to be frugal in their expense, in order to keep their parents in comfort, is the filial duty of the common people.

From the Emperor downwards to the common people, every one has the same duty imposed upon him, and there is no instance in which we can find that a man cannot fulfil this duty.

CHAPTER VII

THE “THREE POWERS”[4]

On hearing what Confucius said about filial duty, Tsêng Tzŭ remarked: “How great is the use of filial duty!” Here Confucius continued: “Filial duty is the constant doctrine of Heaven, the natural righteousness of Earth, and the practical duty of man. Every member of the community ought to observe it with the greatest[Pg 21] care. We do what is dictated by Heaven and what is good for the general public in order to organise the community. On this account our education is widespread, though it is not compulsory, and our government is sound, though it is not rigorous. The effect of education upon the minds of the people was well known to the good Emperors of old. They made every person love his parents by loving their own parents first. They induced every person to cultivate his virtue by expounding the advantages of virtue to him. They behaved themselves respectfully and humbly, so that the people might not quarrel with one another. They trained the people with ceremonial observances, and educated them with music so that they might live in harmony. They

told the people what things they liked or disliked to see done, so that they might understand what they were forbidden to do.

In the Shih Ching it is thus written: “The dignified statesman is always the subject of the attention of the people.”

FOOTNOTES:

[4] I.e. Heaven, Earth, and Man.