Purpose of Filiality 孝經, 開宗明義章第一

Below is my humble attempt at the translation for Chapter 1 of Classic of Filiality. This rendition is based on Confucius' annotations.

Within the family, there are already two core virtues, filial love, and sibling love; they are enough as the basis to lead the world.

Confucius was at home and Zengzi was attending to him.

Confucius said: “The sage kings of the past - Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu - had governed through virtue, a kind of governance in which the ruler must conduct themselves in accordance with Heaven’s principles and moral principles of human life. This way, the ruler can enlighten and guide the world on Heaven’s behalf. If the ruler carries themselves in this way, then their citizens will live in harmony and there will be no blame and resentment between those in higher and lower social roles. Do you know what it is?”

Zengzi stood up from his seat and respectfully said: “I am not sharp. How could I fully understand such a profound principle!”

Confucius said: “The past saints had said that filiality was the root of all virtues.  Every person comes from their parents, who raise them through the joy and sorrow of parental love until they come of age and marry. That is why parents are the root of every human being and caring for our parents is how we repay their kindness. For that reason, past saints built their teachings upon this virtue. Please sit down and I will explain.”

“Everything of the body, including our hair and skin, is given to us by our parents. So we must not harm it through indulgence and reckless actions.  Instead, we should honor it by following our conscience and fostering peaceful relationships with others. That is where filial love begins.”

“Next, aspire to develop a character of moral excellence and carry out Heaven’s vision for humanity. If you live this way, you will make a name for yourself and set an example for future generations. This brings true honor to your parents and that is the full expression of filial love.”

“Filial love starts with caring for your parents and maintaining a good relationship with your siblings; then, it extends to serving the head of state with the interest of protecting your country; and finally, it results in establishing a moral character as a model for others and future generations.  This is the highest achievement for any person.”

“In the Collection of Major Odes:  When King Cheng of Zhou took the throne at age thirteen, the Duke of Zhou served as a regent for his nephew. He instilled this in the young king:  “As a ruler over many states, you must always remember the moral character and virtuous governance of your ancestors. You must also follow Yi Yin’s political ideal of virtue-based rule.  In doing so, you will fulfill your filial duty as a ruler."

What blew me away the first time I read this was Zengzi's humility. For whatever reason, that spoke volumes to me. The fact that he stood up to respond to Confucius showed the depth of his respect. Let me try to put that into words.

First, I sensed that he was intrigued by what Confucius was about to teach him. Even I was intrigued, wondering—what could be this powerful? But what really surprised me was that Zengzi stood up from his seat to respond and humbly asked to be taught. I realized that if I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t have thought to rise and humble myself like that just to learn.

Then I felt that, in his heart, he was setting the intention to receive whatever Confucius would offer. So I tried to imitate that—to see what that kind of humility felt like. And wow—it truly changed my experience. Everything I do in a day, week, or even month usually feels routine. But being ready to receive Heaven’s teachings at any moment, and being willing to accept them, made those routines feel less like habits and more like moments filled with life and wonder.