Confucianism - Filial Piety in Chinese Religion Essay

Filial Piety in Chinese Religion Filial piety was an integral part of Chinese culture and therefore was embraced by three of Chinas main religions: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. Among the three, Confucianism, with its well documented social hierarchy, supported the ideals of filial piety the most. Buddhism and Daoism also supported filial piety in some of their texts, but had monastic systems that prevented monks and nuns from being filial children. The term filial piety refers to the extreme respect that Chinese children are supposed to show their parents. It involves many different things including taking care of the parents, burying them properly after death, bringing honor to the family, and having a male heir to carry†¦show more content†¦These things were not all that was required of a filial child. Rather, they were an just a few rules that Confucius disciples felt were important enough to be included in the Analects. The concept of filial piety was exhibited in other Confucian texts as well, such as the Book of Rewards and Punishments. Although this text was technically a popular religious text, rather than a Confucian one, it highlighted many Confucian ideals, such as filial piety. It describes good, virtuous people seeking immortality as those who exhibit loyalty to their ruler, filial piety to their parents, true friendship to their older brothers (143). Contrarily, those who are evil insult their ruler and their parents behind their backs (143). According to this text, it is impossible to be a good, virtuous person without showing respect for ones parents. The inclusion of filial piety in this popular religious work also helps to show how widespread the belief in filial piety was in China. Although it received a great deal of support and promotion from Confucianism, filial piety was not limited to Confucians -- it was a widespread part of Chinese culture. Filial piety is also mentioned in Buddhist texts. In the Mangalasutta, it is said that the love of the parents can never be compensated even if one were to carry ones parents on the shoulder without putting them down for a hundred or aShow MoreRelatedA Short History Of Confucianism And Confucianism1196 Words   |  5 PagesProfessor Dimick 23 November 2014 A Short History of Confucianism Confucianism is a way of life propagated by the Chinese philosopher Confucius in the 6th–5th century BCE, and it has been followed by the Chinese for more than 2000 years. Although Confucianism as changed over time, at its core, it is still places the same emphasis on the substance of learning, the source of values, and the social code of the Chinese. 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