Filial piety
Filial piety is a significant cultural and ethical principle primarily rooted in Confucianism and other Eastern religions, emphasizing the duties and respect that children owe to their parents and ancestors. Traditionally, this concept places the parent-child relationship at the core of social responsibility, with obligations such as obedience, honor, and financial support considered paramount. These demands can be challenging to fulfill in modern contexts, where geographical and economic changes often hinder individuals from meeting their familial responsibilities.
Historically, filial piety has transcended mere family ties, influencing social norms and even legal frameworks in various countries, including China, Japan, and Korea. In recent years, some governments and businesses have sought to reinforce these obligations through laws and policies aimed at encouraging regular contact and support for elderly parents. However, such measures have sparked debate regarding their appropriateness and the complexities of family dynamics.
Contemporary interpretations of filial piety are also evolving, with concepts like reciprocal filial piety gaining traction, which emphasizes mutual respect and care rather than blind obligation. This shift recognizes the need for balance in parent-child relationships, reflecting changing societal norms and the challenges faced by modern families.
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Filial piety
Filial piety is a concept in Confucianism and other Eastern religions. It emphasizes the attitudes and obligations a person is expected to have toward parents and ancestors, whether they are alive or deceased. According to the traditional interpretation of filial piety, these obligations are considered to be of the highest importance and supersede all other relationships and obligations.
The virtue of filial piety is significant enough that laws have been passed in an attempt to reinforce its requirements. In addition, some companies have taken steps to promote its practice among their employees. These actions have led to controversy over the role those outside the family unit should play in enforcing or encouraging cultural norms.
Background
The word filial comes from the Latin word filus, meaning “son” or “daughter.” The word piety comes from the Latin word pietus, meaning “dutifulness” or "devotion to a duty or responsibility." The word is often used in connection with religious obligations.
The concept of filial piety is based on the teachings of the renowned Chinese teacher and philosopher Confucius. It is considered the most important virtue because the parent-child relationship is seen as the primary relationship in society. Although the focus is often on the obligations a child has to a parent or elder, the root of the concept is the obligations a parent has toward the child. Parents give life to the child, and then they raise, nurture, and educate the child. They provide for all the child’s needs when the child is totally vulnerable and unable to care for themselves. As a result, the child has incurred a debt to the parents that requires the child to care for the parents forever, even after their death.
Although filial piety originated as the central virtue of Confucianism, it has become part of a number of Eastern religions. It began in China but has spread to other countries with a large number of followers of these religions. For centuries, the concept was so widespread that it was not merely a religious or family practice but part of the fabric of cultures in Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries.
Overview
The requirements of filial piety are both simple and very difficult. On the surface, they require all children to obey, honor, and show respect and loyalty to their parents. They must also provide for the parents’ financial needs.
Meeting these requirements involves a substantial amount of lifelong effort, however. Children are expected to do whatever it takes to visit their parents on certain holidays. This can be almost impossible for some who work jobs that limit their vacation time, or who have to travel long distances.
Children are also expected to give complete deference to their parents. This means accepting the parents’ will over their own in matters of employment, marriage, and living arrangements. Under traditional filial piety, children are expected to choose their parents’ well-being and will over that of other family members, even siblings, spouses, and their own children. Many Chinese folk stories tell of children who have sacrificed their own well-being for that of their parents, or endured significant hardship to benefit the parents. The characters in these stories are held up as paragons of virtue.
Adult children are also expected to see to the financial needs of their parents. The obligation includes the requirement to make sure the parent has a proper burial and to honor the parents and other ancestors, such as grandparents, even after death. The obligation of filial piety does not end until the children themselves die.
While the idea of filial piety has remained essential to many Eastern societies, some have noted that the requirements associated with it are practiced less frequently. The change from agricultural to industrial lifestyles means more children are living farther away from their parents and the final resting places of their ancestors. Job requirements and lack of resources to travel or to provide financially for aging relatives make meeting the obligations of filial piety a greater strain on present generations than they have been for past generations.
In response to this, some government entities and even businesses have taken steps to encourage or even force adherence to the obligations of filial piety. For instance, the Chinese government passed the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly law in 2013. It requires those who live away from their elderly relatives to visit or send greetings “frequently.” The law did not define frequently, nor did it set a penalty for violating it.
Other efforts are aimed at more practical help than visits or greetings. The Chinese county of Luoning in Henan province created a special fund for all of its sixteen thousand residents over the age of seventy in its villages. It mandated a payment of at least 100 yuan (about $13 USD) per month from each child of these residents, and added a subsidy of about 50 yuan (about $7 USD) provided by government funds and private donations. This was enforced by posting a list of the elderly residents and their children, along with the amounts each child had provided to support their family members. The intent was to shame the children into honoring their filial piety obligations.
At least one Chinese company also took steps to enforce filial piety. In 2015, a Chinese beauty supply chain began taking the first 10 percent of the paychecks of single employees and the first 5 percent of the paychecks of married employees and sending it directly to the employees’ parents. The company took other steps as well, such as requiring attendance at classes that emphasized filial piety obligations.
These moves have been controversial. Some have questioned whether it is right for governments and employers to enforce what are essentially private obligations. Others have noted that family relationships are complicated and not all parents may be worthy of such respect and care. Still others have said that the decay of filial piety is a problem that affects all of society and welcome any steps to encourage children to honor their family obligations.
In some modern societies, newer generations are reframing the concept of filial piety to incorporate a mutual respect called reciprocal filial piety. While the emphasis remains on respect and care for older adult parents, more professional care options began being utilized in the late 2010s and into the 2020s. Experts define this type of filial piety in the dual filial piety model, which includes mutually beneficial (reciprocal) and blind obligation (authoritarian) filial piety. While reciprocal filial piety has been shown to positively impact mental health and foster positive relationships, authoritarian styles of filial piety may cause depression and excessive stress.
Bibliography
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