Filial Piety: The Ancient Tradition of Respect

Paper Summary:

This is a brief essay on filial piety in three ancient societies: China, Babylon and Greece. Filial piety is the civil act of showing respect towards elders and parents by children. The essay touches on the teachings of Confucius and Hammurabi.

From the Paper:

"In Ancient China, parents were expected to be very respected and honored by their children. A very famous Chinese scholar, named Confucius believed, and taught, that children were to serve and nourish their parents when they were alive, and sacrifice to them when they died. Children were expected to lead a good, moral life and to be a credit to their parents, and never dishonor or disgrace them. Confucius also said that China could become a civil and organized society if people respected the five basic relationships in life between; ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, older brother and younger brother, and friend and friend. Confucius also stressed filial piety. Young girls and women were also expected to "cow tow" in Ancient China. Cow towing was a series of bows in the presence of a superior, male, or elder, that would show respect."

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