Published on 2024.03.20

Filial Piety and Benevolence

The original meaning of "benevolence" is established and reflected in the relationship between two people. This relationship is typical and exists in our daily life. It is based on the coexisting relationship between two people interacting and influencing each other. The Analects of Confucius stated that "Filial piety is the basis of benevolence," and it is also the primary form of showing benevolence. The target of showing benevolence involves one's closest parents, as well as his or her parents' previous generations. Then, "filial piety", as the foundation of "benevolence", emphasises that it originates from the most primitive experience and behaviour of people, and we need to understand both "filial piety" and "benevolence". This relationship can be further explained through the initial stage when humans are born.

If I ask all of you, in your life experience, who is the person to have the most intimate and inseparable relationship with you at first? Without any doubt, this person should be your biological mother. Before birth, you were grown inside your mother's womb, breathing, eating, and living with her for about ten months. In this coexistence relationship between the mother and children, from the perspective of a mother, she is active, paying, and giving, while the children are passive, accepting, and receiving. It is not equal between the mother and her children from the beginning; the mother's giving is selfless, but as the children grow up, they can reflect on themselves. He or she will inevitably think of how to repay their mother for nurturing and giving gratuitous support to them. This most primitive experience and psychological reaction between people is the prototype and model for the emergence of the consciousness of "filial piety".

The Oedipus complex, proposed by Sigmund Freud, a Western psychologist in the modern world during the 19th century, negatively interprets the relationship between mother and children. It tends to emphasise the adverse effects on the human subconscious and fails to recognise the existence of "filial piety" consciousness. But no matter what, in our growing experience, the coexistence of the relationship between mother and children cannot be forgotten or erased at will. Even if you and your mother become estranged for some reason after you grow up, or the relationship between you and your mother deteriorates, the idea of "filial piety" derived from the relationship between mother and children will not disappear. It may be suppressed or diminished, but repaying your parents' kindness will still exist and linger throughout one's life.

From the original coexistence relationship between the mother and the unborn children, followed by the infancy stage after the children are born, to the father's involvement in taking care and nurturing the children, the father and his children have a new experience in their coexistence relationship and interaction. This experience is extended to the siblings and others outside the family. Furthermore, from these primordial coexistence relationships among humans as the beginning and the foundation, people are experiencing and realise the proper and appropriate interrelationship between two individuals and extends to others. This is what "benevolence" expresses: the ideal status of people to coexist in the world. A benevolent person loves the fellows, and "benevolence" has to reflect the living values of an individual through caring, loving and respecting others because it is built on this primitive relationship of coexistence as a foundation. "Filial piety" is the most convenient and easiest way to understand "benevolence" because everyone has had this most intimate and direct experience.

Although humans live on the same planet, different groups have histories and cultures. The so-called "everybody feels the same about this" means everybody would have similar views. The practice of "filial piety" in China, Japan and South Korea, which are influenced by Chinese Confucian culture, may have some differences. Still, it undoubtedly plays a particular role in maintaining society and families. On the contrary, European and American countries in the West, influenced by the Greek and Hebrew cultures, are not concerned much about "filial piety". As for the Islamic and Indian civilisations, "filial piety" is even less critical. But is "filial piety" a regional or universal value?

As we all know, "benevolence" is the cornerstone of the Confucian culture. It is widely recognised today and has specific and universal significance. From the perspective of the relationship between filial piety and benevolence, "filial piety" is a sufficient condition to bring out "benevolence", and filial piety is a universal experience that originates from human growth. Therefore, it can be seen that "filial piety" has cross-cultural significance and is not just a value held by Chinese people.

Dr. Chow Kwok Leung

Dr. Chow Kwok Leung is an assistant professor in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Hong Kong Shue Yan University.
He is currently the deputy head of the Chinese Teaching Division and the coordinator of the Classics and Thought stream.
Dr. Chow obtained his Doctor of Philosophy degree at the New Asia Institute of Advanced Chinese Studies.
He previously served as a lecturer concurrently at Lingnan University, the Hong Kong Institute of Education, and the University of Macau.
He has published multiple articles in peer-reviewed journals, including Legein Monthly and Bafang.
His representative work, "The principle of formation and the principle of existence - A comparative study of the principles and moral forms of Dai Zhen, Zhu Zi, and Mencius", was published in 2013. His research interest spans Contemporary Neo-Confucianism, Chinese Philosophy, Yi Jing, and Contemporary Western Literary Theories.


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