中华传统美德之孝道（汉语版）

中华传统美德——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

以顺天下

and understood the essential Path

民用和睦

The people applied this Path and

上下无怨

lived in harmony and without complaints

汝知之乎？

Did you know this?”

曾子避席曰

Zengzi stood up and said

参不敏

“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

复坐 吾语汝

You sit back, and let me tell you about it

身体发肤 受之父母

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

不敢毁伤

and you do not dare to harm them

孝之始也

That is the beginning of filial piety.”

这是《孝经》中

This is a dialogue between Zengzi and Confucius

曾子与孔子的一段对话

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

正如孔子所云

Just as Confucius put it

“孝为德之本”

that "filial piety is the foundation of virtue"

“孝”在中华传统美德中

it is the traditional virtue of the Chinese nation

占有极其重要的地位

and occupies an important position in the traditional Chinese virtue system

中国传统孝道

About traditional Chinese filial piety

主要体现在

there are six main ways that

以下六个方面

we can show our Xiao for our parents

第一 敬亲

First, honor our parents

这是传统孝道之精髓

which is the essence of Xiao

要孝敬父母

It’s not enough for a filial person to only

提供饮食远远不够

provide parent with food and drink

还要做到

While doing this we should be

和气 愉色 婉容

with a soft tone, pleasant mood and cheerful look

也就是对父母要发自内心地爱

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

第二 奉养

Secondly, Support our parents

这是中国传统孝道的

which is the material basis

物质基础

of traditional Chinese filial piety

“生则养”

“Support who gave birth to you"

这是孝敬父母的最低纲领

which is the minimum requirement of filial piety

即就是要优先考虑年迈父母的物质需求

and give top priority to elderly parents’ material needs

第三 侍病

Thirdly, attend to sick parents

尽可能和父母在一起

If we have spent enough time together

了解他们的饮食习惯

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

尽量床前照顾

when they are sick

至少也应打个电话或回家看望

or at least call or visit them to let them know

让他们知道你还惦记着他们

they are being thought of

第四 立身

Fourthly, have a successful career

儿女事业有成

Parents will feel happy, honored and proud

父母自然会高兴 光荣 自豪

when their children make achievements in their career

子女游手好闲

Therefore, doing nothing all day

平庸无为

and being mediocre all the life

是对父母的不孝

are unfilial to Parents.

第五 谏诤

Fifthly, admonish our parents

在父母有不义的时候

When parents are unjust

不仅不能顺从

we should not be obedient.

而应谏诤父母

Instead, we should admonish them

使其改正不义

to correct their injustice

这样可以防止父母陷于不义

so as to prevent them from falling into injustice.

第六 善终

Lastly, give our parents a proper funeral

父母的生养

We were born and brought up by parents

是我们一辈子无法偿清的债

so we owe a lot to them

虽然现代葬礼的隆重程度

However simpler than ancient funeral rituals

远不如古代

the modified modern ones are

但它仍然是我们思念至亲的一种方式

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

我们来看看“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

它一方面显示了老人的样子

which on the one hand reveals the weakness

头发稀疏

of the dependent old

牙齿脱落

especially seen in the absence of

需要依靠

his most teeth and hair

另一方面也显示出两代人之间

and on the other hand presents

的紧密传承关系

how the last generation is closely connected with the next generation

长者在上

and how the past experiences

经验丰富

accumulated by the old

晚辈在下

in the more important upper position

虚心接受

is extended into the future

这就是中华民族的美德

This is exactly what the virtue of Chinese nation is

也正是我们弘扬中国传统文化的原因

and why we are carrying forward it.