Filial Piety By Kenna [H02]

Filial Piety

Filial Piety & It's Effects On The East

By Kenna [H02]

Drawn from Confucian philosophy, filial piety is a virtue of respect towards your parents, elders, and ancestors. This deep form of respect goes beyond the idea of “taking care of your parents in old age” or “be kind to your elders.” These all have their roots in this idea but go many levels deeper.

As said, "So far as this writer is aware, no Western religion has endorsed the concept of filial piety to the extent that it has been embraced in Confucian thought." (Reno Gazette Journal article by Rajan Zed)

In China, specifically, filial piety is held as one of the most important morals, entailing a strong loyalty to one’s family. So strong this idea is in the society, children will do everything a parent demands, even if it is not what the child themselves wants to do. This is rooted so deeply within children of China. 

As said in the Reno Gazette Journal article by Rajan Zed:
"Filial piety "is not simple obedience but rather deference."

The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions adds, “While filial piety appears to underscore the child's obligations of love and obedience to his or her parents, it actually implies as well the parent's obligations to love and educate the child, and refers therefore to the primacy of this familial bond in personal and social life.”

Filial piety remains a central tenet of Confucianism, based on the teachings of the Chinese sage Confucius (probably 552—479 BCE). It involves taking care of and being good to one's parents, and exhibiting respect, love, courtesy, support, reverence and loyalty to them."

Read the full article here, should you wish: https://www.rgj.com/story/life/2016/03/03/faith-forum-concept-filial-piety-still-valid-today/81294620/

One thing you may think of when you think of this might be Mulan. Mulan represents this idea wonderfully. Especially in the beginning of the movie, when Mulan is getting dressed up to meet the “matchmaker” alongside this, the song plays:

"Ancestors

Hear my plea

Help me not to make a

Fool of me

And to not uproot

My family tree

Keep my father standing tall"

When in front of the matchmaker’s place, the last lyrics that are sung are:

"Please bring honor to us

(Please bring honor to us)

Please bring honor to us all"

The word “honor” is often thrown around and without people realizing, this has to do with filial piety. To be filial, a child ideally brings honor and pride upon the family, doing everything asked and being the ultimately loyal to the family above all else. To bring “dishonor” to your family is likely to have “turned your back on them” and not been “filial” or loyal to them.

However, I feel like it’s easy to look at Mulan and think, “those are ancient times.” Filial piety is still exactly like this. To better connect this to the east in modern times, a perfect example of this is a more recent movie. 

This movie is “Crazy Rich Asians”.

The main protagonist is a woman named Rachel Chu. Her mother was from China but had raised her in America. In the movie, Rachel is dating the main male lead, Nick. Nick plans on taking Rachel back home to Singapore for a wedding and when Rachel tells her mother and she warns Rachel that they are both speak and are Chinese but that they are not the same. Her mom eludes to the strong hold filial piety has there, versus how Rachel had been raised by her mother in the states. Rachel has no idea what her mother means, though, and still decides to go and meet Nick’s family. 

Questions

1. What is filial piety?
2. Where does filial piety come from? (Religion & Country)
3. In what region of the world is filial piety still extremely valued?
4. What are 2 movies that show filial piety?

Discussion Questions

• Do you agree with filial piety? To what extent?
• How much would you sacrifice for your family? If not your whole family, how about your favorite family member? Least favorite family member?
• In what ways do you think that filial piety can be good?
• In what ways do you think that filial piety can be bad?