CHAPTER VI. - FILIAL PIETY IN THE COMMON PEOPLE They follow the course of heaven in the revolving seasons; they distinguish the advantages afforded by different soils;11 they are careful of their conduct and economical in their expenditure - in order to nourish their parents: this is the filial piety of the common people. Therefore from the Son of Heaven down to the common people, there never has been one whose filial piety was without its beginning and end on whom calamity did not come. CHAPTER VII. - FILIAL PIETY IN RELATION TO THE THREE POWERS 12 The disciple Tsang said, "Immense indeed is the greatness of filial piety!" The Master replied: "Yes, filial piety is the constant method of Heaven, the righteousness of Earth, and the practical duty of Man. Heaven and earth invariably pursue the course that may be thus described, and the people take it as their pattern. The ancient kings imitated the brilliant luminaries of heaven, and acted in accordance with the varying advantages afforded by earth, so that they were in accord with all under heaven; and in consequence their teachings, without being severe, were successful, and their government, without being rigorous, secured perfect order. 11 These two sentences describe the attention of the people to the various processes of agriculture, as conditioned by the seasons and the qualities of different soils. With this chapter there ends what Chu Hsi regarded as the only portion of the Hsiao in which we can rely as having come from Confucius. So far, it is with him a continuous discourse that proceeded from the Sage. And there is, in this portion, especially when we admit Chu's expurgations, a certain sequence and progress, without logical connection, in the exhibition of the subject which we fail to find in the chapters that follow. 12 "The Three Powers" is a phrase which is first found in two of the Appendixes to the Yi King, denoting Heaven, Earth, and Man, as the three great agents or agencies in nature, or the circle of being. "The heads of clans did not dare to slight their servants 13 Sze-ma Kwang changes the character for "teachings" here into that for "filial piety." There is no external evidence for such a reading; and the texture of the whole treatise is so loose that we can not insist on internal evidence. "The ancient kings, secing how their teachings 13 could transform the people, set before them therefore an example of the most extended love, and none of the people neglected their parents; they set forth to them the nature of virtue and righteousness, and the people roused themselves to the practise of them; they went before them with reverence and yielding courtesy, and the people had no contentions; they led them on by the rules of propriety and by music, and the people were harmonious and benignant; they showed them what they loved and what they disliked, and the people understood their prohibitions. "It is said in the Book of Poetry, "Awe-inspiring are you, O Grand-Master Yin, CHAPTER VIII. - FILIAL PIETY IN GOVERNMENT The Master said, "Anciently, when the intelligent kings by means of filial piety ruled all under heaven, they did not dare to receive with disrespect the ministers of small States; how much less would they do so to the dukes, marquises, counts, and barons!" Thus it was that they got the princes of the myriad States with joyful hearts to assist them in the sacrificial services to their royal predecessors. 14 "The rulers of States did not dare to slight wifeless men and widows; how much less would they slight their officers and their people! Thus it was that they got all their people with joyful hearts to assist them in serving the rulers, their predecessors. 14 Under the Chau Dynasty there were five orders of nobility, and the States belonging to their rulers varied proportionally in size. There were besides many smaller States attached to these. The feudal lords at stated times appeared at the royal court, and one important duty which then devolved on them was to take part in the sacrificial services of the sovereign in the ancestral temple. and concubines; how much less would they slight their wives and sons! Thus it was that they got their men with joyful hearts to assist them in the service of their parents. Therefore all "In such a state of things, while alive, parents reposed in the glory of their sons; and, when sacrificed to, their disembodied spirits enjoyed their offerings.15 under heaven peace and harmony prevailed; disasters and calamities did not occur; misfortunes and rebellions did not arise. "It is said in the Book of Poetry, ""To an upright, virtuous conduct All in the four quarters of the State render obedient homage." CHAPTER IX. - THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SAGES 16 The disciple Tsang said, "I venture to ask whether in the virtue of the sages there was not something greater than filial piety." The Master replied, "Of all creatures with their different natures produced by Heaven and Earth, man is the noblest. Of all the actions of man there is none greater than filial piety. In filial piety there is nothing greater than the reverential awe of one's father. In the reverential awe shown to one's father there is nothing greater than the making him the correlate of Heaven. The duke of Chau was the man who first did this. 17 "Formerly the duke of Chau at the border altar sacrificed 15 In the Chinese Repository we read here: "Parents enjoyed tranquillity while they lived, and after their decease sacrifices were offered to their disembodied spirits." 16" The sages" here must mean the sage sovereigns of antiquity, who had at once the highest wisdom and the highest place. 17 It is difficult to say in what the innovation of the duke of Chau consisted. The editors of the "Extensive Explanation of the Hsiao" say: "According to commentators on our classic, Shun thinking only of the virtue of his ancestor did not sacrifice to him at the border altar. The sovereigns of Hsia and Yin were the first to sacrifice there to their ancestors; but they had not the ceremony of sacrificing to their fathers as the correlates of Heaven. This began with the duke of Chau." To this explanation of the text the editors demur, and consider that the noun "father" in the previous sentence should be taken, in the case of the duke of Chau, both of Hau-chi and King Wan. to Hau-chi as the correlate of Heaven, and in the Brilliant Hall he honored King Wan, and sacrificed to him as the correlate of God. 18 The consequence was that from all the States within the four seas, every prince came in the discharge of his duty to assist in those sacrifices. In the virtue of the sages what besides was there greater than filial piety? "Now the feeling of affection grows up at the parents' knees, and as the duty of nourishing those parents is exercised, the affection daily merges in awe. The sages proceeded from the feeling of awe to teach the duties of reverence, and from that of affliction to teach those of love. The teachings of the sages, without being severe, were successful, and their government, without being rigorous, was effective. What they proceeded from was the root of filial piety implanted by Heaven. "The relation and duties between father and son, thus belonging to the Heaven-conferred nature, contain in them the principle of righteousness between ruler and subject. The son derives his life from his parents, and no greater gift could possibly be transmitted; his ruler and parent in one, his father deals with him accordingly, and no generosity could be greater than this. Hence, he who does not love his parents, but loves other men, is called a rebel against virtue; and he who does not revere his parents, but reveres other men, is called a rebel against propriety. When the ruler himself thus acts contrary to the principles which should place him in accord with all men, he presents nothing for the people to imitate. He has nothing to do with what is good, but entirely and only with what is injurious to virtue. Though he may get his will, and be above others, the superior man does not give him his approval. 18 The reader of the translations from the Shih must be familiar with Hau-chi, as the ancestor to whom the kings of Chau traced their lineage, and with King Wan, as the acknowledged founder of their dynasty in connection with his son, King Wu. Was any greater honor done to Hau-chi in making him the correlate of Heaven than to King Wan in making him the correlate of God? We must say, No. As is said in the "Extensive Explanation," "The words 'Heaven' and 'God' are different, but their meaning is one and the same." "It is not so with the superior man. He speaks, having thought whether the words should be spoken; he acts, having thought whether his actions are sure to give pleasure. His virtue and righteousness are such as will be honored; what he initiates and does is fit to be imitated; his deportment is worthy of contemplation; his movements in advancing or retiring are all according to the proper rule. In this way does he present himself to the people, who both revere and love him, imitate and become like him. Thus he is able to make his teaching of virtue successful, and his government and orders to be carried into effect. "It is said in the Book of Poetry, ""The virtuous man, the princely one, CHAPTER X. - AN ORDERLY DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTS OF FILIAL PIETY The Master said, "The service which a filial son does to his parents is as follows: In his general conduct to them, he manifests the utmost reverence; in his nourishing of them, his endeavor is to give them the utmost pleasure; when they are ill, he feels the greatest anxiety; in mourning for them dead, he exhibits every demonstration of grief; in sacrificing to them, he displays the utmost solemnity. When a son is complete in these five things he may be pronounced able to serve his parents. "He who thus serves his parents, in a high situation, will be free from pride; in a low situation, will be free from insubordination; and among his equals, will not be quarrel some. In a high situation pride leads to ruin; in a low situation insubordination leads to punishment; among equals quarrelsomeness leads to the wielding of weapons. "If those three things be not put away, though a son every day contribute beef, mutton, and pork 19 to nourish his parents, he is not filial." 19 Compare with this the Confucian "Analects," II, vii. VOL. XI.-26. |