Filial Piety
The Asian Value Filial piety is undoubtedly a familiar term to you. It refers to the way we are expected to treat and respect our parents. Do you know how this term came about, and how we as children, may live out this precious Asian value?
THE ROOTS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF FILIAL PIETY
In Confucian philosophy, filial piety is known as the virtue of respect for one’s parents and ancestors. The term is also applied to general obedience and is used in religious titles in Christian Churches, like “filial priest”. Filial piety is central to Confucian role ethics.
In more general terms, to practise filial piety means to be good to your parents, to take care of them, as well as to behave respectfully so as to ‘bring a good name’ to your parents and even your ancestors. In the area of work and school, to exercise filial piety means to earn an honest means to support your parents well. Essentially, the act of filial piety encompasses the expression of love for family, respecting and supporting family members, being courteous at home, offering and accepting wise advice to and from parents, and being there for them at sickness and death. For the more traditional Buddhists, it also involves bearing male heirs to continue the family lineage and carrying out sacrifices for parents and ancestors after their death.
THE LAW
While most children remain filial to their parents, there are instances when some children abandon their parents once they are able to support themselves. Thus to safeguard the interest of elderly parents in Singapore, the Maintenance of Parents Bill was passed in Parliament on 2 November 1995.
THE PRACTICE OF FILIAL PIETY
The practice of filial piety is a key virtue in Chinese culture, and even though China has a diversity of religious beliefs, filial piety is common to almost all of them. As such, one’s respect for the family is probably the only act that is common to almost all Chinese people. In many Asian countries, including Singapore, filial piety is not just a Chinese value. In fact, you would find that majority of Singaporeans – whether ethnic Chinese or not – believe in the value of filial piety. It is therefore not uncommon to find children in a Malay or Indian family being respectful towards their parents, or elderly parents in these homes being well cared for by their adult children.