The Classic of Filial Piety

Summary

For over two thousand years, this books has been the foundation of Chinese family life.

Based on a series of conversations with Confucius, and supplemented by a series of story examples by an Emperor in the 11th Century, it is essential to understanding the nature and order of Chinese society. It speaks of how one should behave towards a senior such as one’s parents, elder brother or ruler, and the obligations that follow in the opposite direction. Written in 400BC, the Xiaojang is legendarily a dialogue between Confucius and Zeng Zi, a disciple who was well known for his filial piety.
Since that time, it has been an essential tool of Chinese civilisation, often being the first book that Chinese children are given when they are able to read it. For Confucius and his disciples, family life is the foundation and cornerstone of society, and recognising the value and impact of family harmony on both the local and greater environments is crucial to stability and prosperity.
SOME OPINIONS OF THE PRESS
The Athenaeum.--"We wish that there were more of them; they are dreamy, lifelike, and fascinating."
Pall Mall Gazette.--"No translation of this important work has been made since the beginning of the eighteenth century."
Manchester Courier.--"Worthy of close study by all who would penetrate to the depth of Eastern thought and feeling."
The Scotsman.--" should not fail to please readers of the more studious sort."
Southport Guardian.--"will find considerable favour with all Students of Eastern Literature and Eastern Philosophy."
Bristol Mercury.--"We commend these little books to all who imagine that there is no knowledge worth having outside Europe and America."
Field.--"Such books are valuable aids to the understanding of a far-off age and people, and have a great interest for the student of literature."