Practicing The Classic of Filial Piety

Today, let’s talk about The Classic of Filial Piety (Xiaojing), the earliest Confucian text to be officially named a "classic". The authorship of Xiaojing remains debated. According to the Book of Han: Treatise on Literature, it is a record of Confucius teaching the principles of filial piety to his disciple Zengzi. Zheng Xuan's Six Arts Commentary suggests that Confucius wrote the text to unify the teachings of the Six Classics and clarify their fundamental essence. Both accounts attribute the work to Confucius. However, Sima Qian, in the Records of the Grand Historian, claims it was authored by Zengzi. 

The Han Dynasty placed great emphasis on filial piety. Besides emperors Liu Bang and Liu Xiu (founders of the Han and Eastern Han dynasties), every Han emperor’s posthumous title began with the character Xiao (filial), reflecting the dynasty’s deep reverence for this virtue. During Emperor Wen’s reign, Xiaojing was elevated to the same status as The Analects and Mencius, becoming part of the official curriculum. This highlights the royal family's commitment to promoting filial piety. 

Highly valued since the Warring States period, Xiaojing inspired commentary and interpretation from around 500 scholars over the centuries. It became a foundational text for the Confucian principle of "governing the world through filial piety" and a must-read for scholars cultivating virtue and guiding their conduct. The profound influence of this work is evident. Ban Gu, in the Book of Han: Treatise on Literature, described filial piety as "the way of Heaven, the principle of Earth, and the practice of humanity. It addresses the grandest truths, hence the title, The Classic of Filial Piety."