Hsiao
Hsiao
Filial piety; love of parents; serving and supporting one’s parents in the best way. It is “the standard of Heaven, the principle of Earth, and the basis for the conduct of Man,” “the basis of morality and the root of culture.” “It begins with serving one’s parents, extends to the duties towards one’s sovereign, and ends in the establishment of one’s personal character.” “It is the beginning of morality, as respect for elders (ti) is the order of morality;” it is “the actuality of benevolence (jen)” as respect for elders is “the actuality of righteousness (i).” As such “it involves loving kindness to relatives, respect to associates, benevolence to friends, and good faith to acquaintances.” “True manhood, (jen) means to make filial piety the basis of manhood; righteousness (i) means to give it proper application; being true to the nature of the self (chung) means to make it the central moral ideal; moral order (li) is to put it to actual practice, and truthfulness (hsin) means to make it strong.” — W.T.C.