Confucianism - Filial Piety in Chinese Religion Essay -- Philosophy Es

Filial Piety in Chinese Religion Filial piety was an integral part of Chinese culture and therefore was embraced by three of China's main religions: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. Among the three, Confucianism, with its well documented social hierarchy, supported the ideals of filial piety the most. Buddhism and Daoism also supported filial piety in some of their texts, but had monastic systems that prevented monks and nuns from being filial children. The term filial piety refers to the extreme respect that Chinese children are supposed to show their parents. It involves many different things including taking care of the parents, burying them properly after death, bringing honor to the family, and having a male heir to carry on the family name (Brians 1). Practicing these ideals is a very important part of Chinese culture. Therefore, one would expect that filial piety would be incorporated into the major religions of China as it has been. The ideal of respecting and behaving properly towards one's parents fits perfectly with Confucianism's ideal of respecting and behaving properly towards all elders. Confucius himself addressed the subject in the Analects: When your father is alive observe his intentions. When he is deceased, model yourself on the memory of his behavior. If in three years after his death you have not deviated from your father's ways, then you may be considered a filial child. ("Confucian Teachings" 20). According to Confucius, respect to one's father while he is alive is a given -- something that even animals do. But, to be a filial child, one must respect his parents even after their death. Confucius goes on to cite further specific examples of what a filial son should do for his parents. Am... ...oist monk can not be a filial son. Works Cited Brians, Paul. "Examples of Filial Piety." 1998. Washington State Univ. 23 Feb 2003. Brians, Paul. "Examples of Filial Piety." 1998. Washington State Univ. 23 Feb 2003. <http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_1/filial.html> Hallisey, Charles. "Auspicious Things." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 237-251. "Book of Rewards and Punishments." Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook. Ed. Patricia Buckley Ebrey. New York: The Free Press, 1993. 142-145. "Confucian Teachings." Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook. Ed. Patricia Buckley Ebrey. New York: The Free Press, 1993. 17-26. "Precepts of the Perfect Truth Daoist Sect." Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook. Ed. Patricia Buckley Ebrey. New York: The Free Press, 1993. 146-150.