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中華傳統(tǒng)美德——孝

Traditional Chinese Virtue：Filial Piety

子曰

Confucius said

“先王有至德要道

“The ancient sage-kings had the most exalted virtue

以順天下

and understood the essential Path

民用和睦

The people applied this Path and

上下無怨

lived in harmony and without complaints

汝知之乎？

Did you know this?”

曾子避席曰

Zengzi stood up and said

參不敏

“I am not intelligent.

何足以知之？

How could I possibly know this?”

子曰

Confucius said

夫孝

“This is filial piety

德之本也

which is the foundation of virtue

教之所由生也

and the origin of civilizing

復(fù)坐 吾語汝

You sit back, and let me tell you about it

身體發(fā)膚 受之父母

Your body, hair and skin are a gift from your parents

不敢毀傷

and you do not dare to harm them

孝之始也

That is the beginning of filial piety.”

這是《孝經(jīng)》中

This is a dialogue between Zengzi and Confucius

曾子與孔子的一段對話

in the?Classic of Filial Piety, or Xiao Ching in Chinese

正如孔子所云

Just as Confucius put it

“孝為德之本”

that "filial piety is the foundation of virtue"

“孝”在中華傳統(tǒng)美德中

it is the traditional virtue of the Chinese nation

占有極其重要的地位

and occupies an important position in the traditional Chinese virtue system

中國傳統(tǒng)孝道

About traditional Chinese filial piety

主要體現(xiàn)在

there are six main ways that

以下六個方面

we can show our Xiao for our parents

第一 敬親

First, honor our parents

這是傳統(tǒng)孝道之精髓

which is the essence of Xiao

要孝敬父母

It’s not enough for a filial person to only

提供飲食遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不夠

provide parent with food and drink

還要做到

While doing this we should be

和氣 愉色 婉容

with a soft tone, pleasant mood and cheerful look

也就是對父母要發(fā)自內(nèi)心地愛

or rather, we should love them from the bottom of our heart

第二 奉養(yǎng)

Secondly, Support our parents

這是中國傳統(tǒng)孝道的

which is the material basis

物質(zhì)基礎(chǔ)

of traditional Chinese filial piety

“生則養(yǎng)”

“Support who gave birth to you"

這是孝敬父母的最低綱領(lǐng)

which is the minimum requirement of filial piety

即就是要優(yōu)先考慮年邁父母的物質(zhì)需求

and give top priority to elderly parents’ material needs

第三 侍病

Thirdly, attend to sick parents

盡可能和父母在一起

If we have spent enough time together

了解他們的飲食習(xí)慣

we will know what food our parents like

和日常需求

or things they may be needing

父母生病

We can also care for them

盡量床前照顧

when they are sick

至少也應(yīng)打個電話或回家看望

or at least call or visit them to let them know

讓他們知道你還惦記著他們

they are being thought of

第四 立身

Fourthly, have a successful career

兒女事業(yè)有成

Parents will feel happy, honored and proud

父母自然會高興 光榮 自豪

when their children make achievements in their career

子女游手好閑

Therefore, doing nothing all day

平庸無為

and being mediocre all the life

是對父母的不孝

are unfilial to Parents.

第五 諫諍

Fifthly, admonish our parents

在父母有不義的時候

When parents are unjust

不僅不能順從

we should not be obedient.

而應(yīng)諫諍父母

Instead, we should admonish them

使其改正不義

to correct their injustice

這樣可以防止父母陷于不義

so as to prevent them from falling into injustice.

第六 善終

Lastly, give our parents a proper funeral

父母的生養(yǎng)

We were born and brought up by parents

是我們一輩子無法償清的債

so we owe a lot to them

雖然現(xiàn)代葬禮的隆重程度

However simpler than ancient funeral rituals

遠(yuǎn)不如古代

the modified modern ones are

但它仍然是我們思念至親的一種方式

it is still a way to show that we miss and love them.

我們來看看“孝”字

The Chinese character 孝

一位老人倚靠在孩子身上

is an image of an old leaning over a kid

它一方面顯示了老人的樣子

which on the one hand reveals the weakness

頭發(fā)稀疏

of the dependent old

牙齒脫落

especially seen in the absence of

需要依靠

his most teeth and hair

另一方面也顯示出兩代人之間

and on the other hand presents

的緊密傳承關(guān)系

how the last generation is closely connected with the next generation

長者在上

and how the past experiences

經(jīng)驗豐富

accumulated by the old

晚輩在下

in the more important upper position

虛心接受

is extended into the future

這就是中華民族的美德

This is exactly what the virtue of Chinese nation is

也正是我們弘揚(yáng)中國傳統(tǒng)文化的原因

and why we are carrying forward it.