Filial piety, in a general sense, means children's affection and duty towards their parents. It is not easy to give a universal definition of filial piety. Simon Keller introduces three theories of "filial duty": the debt theory, the gratitude theory, and the friendship theory. He argues that all three theories are insufficient: for the debt theory, filial duty cannot be discharged once for all as debt is paid; for the gratitude theory, a heart of gratitude does not necessarily require support, while filial duty requires grown children's constant support for their aged parents; for the friendship theory, while friends are rarely lifelong and they can dispose friendship as they wish, parents and children have a.
lifetime binding and they cannot choose each other. Keller proposes a "special goods theory," saying that filial duty is based on a reciprocal relationship manifested in many aspects between children and parents.
Children should take care of the well-being of the parents as long as they are living. This well-being includes the whole being of parents physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, etc. Keller's special goods theory is well developed in terms of filial duty. Besides filial duty, parent-child affection is needed. Confucians emphasize and give great significance to filial piety in the Confucian system. While humaneness is considered as the dominating thought of Confucius and the central theme of the whole Confucian system, "the basis of jen18 is to be found in the virtue of.
filial piety and fraternal love." Filial piety is considered the root of all virtue and the basis of philosophy. Confucians believe that "moral self-cultivation begins with the recognition that biological bondage provides an authentic opportunity for personal realization." Filial piety is relational and familial. Confucian society is relationship-oriented.
The Five Relationships (五常), which were first advocated by Mencius, stand at the center of Confucian thought.
