In the primitive patriarchal era, filial piety had three levels: first, "when you are alive, do things with propriety"; second, "when you die, be buried with propriety"; third, in the long years after death , descendants and descendants "sacrifice them with propriety." And then came to the conclusion that "there are three types of unfilial piety" should be: not respecting filial piety during life, the first is unfilial; not having a proper burial after death, the second is unfilial; having no descendants and no sacrifice, the third is unfilial!
When listening to books and talking about ancient times, I often hear the saying "There are three types of unfilial piety, and the greatest is not having descendants." This sentence comes from the chapter "Mencius: Li Lou". The original text is: Mencius said: "There are three types of unfilial piety. The greatest is not having an issue. Shun married without complaining, which was considered to have no offspring. A gentleman thought that he would still complain." Mencius did not explain. What exactly are these "three"s?
Although Mencius did not express it explicitly, Zhao Qi, a Confucian scholar of the Han Dynasty, gave at least what he thought was a reasonable answer when commenting on this chapter. Zhao Qi's note below says: "There are three types of unfilial piety in regard to etiquette. They are those who are unfilial and obedient, and those who trap relatives are unjust. The first is unfilial; the family is poor and the elderly are not well-off. Being an official is the second unfilial duty; not marrying and having no children, and not being able to worship ancestors are the third unfilial duty."
Explained in vernacular: blindly obeying, failing to persuade your parents when they see their faults, causing them to fall into unrighteousness. Among them, this is the first kind of unfilial piety; the family is poor and the parents are old, but oneself does not work as an official to take a salary to support his parents, this is the second kind of unfilial piety; not marrying a wife and having children, cutting off future generations, this is the third kind of unfilial piety.
These three types of unfilial piety are in line with Confucius’ thoughts:
1. “To obey one’s will is unjust and unjust to get involved in a relationship, which is unfilial.” It means to obey blindly and see that your parents are at fault. Not persuading is a kind of unfilial piety.
The Book of Filial Piety, Chapter 15 of Admonishment, Zengzi said: "If a husband is kind and respectful, and makes his parents well known, he will obey orders. May I ask if a son obeys his father's orders, can he be called filial?" Confucius said: " What is the word for peace? What is the word for peace? In the past, the emperor had seven quarrels with each other, but he did not lose his kingdom. Even if a person is unrighteous, he will not lose his family. If a scholar quarrels with his friends, he will not be separated from his command and reputation; if his father quarrels with his son, he will not fall into injustice. There is no need to fight with the king, so if it is unjust, then fight. How can you be filial by obeying your father's orders?"
Zeng Shen, a disciple of Confucius, asked Confucius: "Children blindly obey the orders of their parents. Can this be called filial piety?" Confucius replied: "What are you talking about! What are you talking about! When parents are unjust, they should point it out tactfully. If parents are wrong and blindly obey their father's orders, how can it be called filial piety?"
From the dialogue between Confucius and his disciple Zeng Shen in the "Book of Filial Piety", we can see that Zhao Qi's analysis of Mencius' unfilial piety is consistent with Confucius' thoughts.
2. "If you are from a poor family and your parents are old, you do not become an official, which is the second kind of unfilial piety." Your family is poor and your parents are old, but you do not become an official and receive a salary to support your parents. This is the second kind of unfilial piety. .
"The Book of Filial Piety" Chapter Six of the Common People: Use the ways of heaven, divide the benefits of the earth, and use your body and soul to support your parents. This is the filial piety of the common people. Therefore, from the emperor to the common people, filial piety has no beginning or end, and those who are in trouble are not there yet.
In ancient times, students studied hard in the cold window in order to one day be an official in the court, but why did Zhao Qi say that he would not become a high official? This should be related to Confucius' strong advocacy of "being poor and enjoying the good life". But even so, you have to do it in order to serve your parents. Confucius also said that no matter what happens, the emperor and the common people should fulfill their filial piety.
3. "If you don't marry and have children, you will cut off ancestor worship, which is the third kind of unfilial piety." If you don't marry and have children, you will cut off future generations. This is the third kind of unfilial piety.
As for the third article, many people think it is a yoke placed on people by feudal society. Just imagine, if everyone didn't get married and have children, could this society continue? We do not rule out that in ancient times, because of the low level of productivity, the country needed more people to work and fight wars. But this unintentionally conforms to the laws of nature. Confucius was very proficient in the "Book of Changes". People are more familiar with the three saints, and the world is more familiar with the three ancients. The Book of Changes is a book that reveals the natural laws of the universe. Confucius praised the "Book of Changes" and wrote a "Book of Changes" for the "Book of Changes", which became a must-read book for later generations to read the "Book of Changes". Marriage and having children is a natural law, and anything contrary to nature should not be tolerated. Because of this, Mencius may have said that it is great to have no descendants.