The Chinese Classic of Family Reverence: A Philosophical Translation of the Xiaojing

by Henry Rosemont Jr., Roger T. Ames

Few if any philosophical schools have championed family values as persistently as the early Confucians, and a great deal can be learned by attending to what they had to say on the subject. In the Confucian tradition, human morality and the personal realization it inspires are grounded in the cultivation of family feeling. One may even go so far as to say that, for China, family reverence was a necessary condition for developing any of the other human qualities of excellence. On the basis of the present translation of the Xiaojing (Classic of Family Reverence) and supplemental passages found in other early philosophical writings, Professors Rosemont and Ames articulate a specifically Confucian conception of "role ethics" that, in its emphasis on a relational conception of the person, is markedly different from most early and contemporary dominant Western moral theories. This Confucian role ethics takes as its inspiration the perceived necessity of family feeling as the entry point in the development of moral competence and as a guide to the religious life as well.

In the lengthy introduction, two senior scholars offer their perspective on the historical, philosophical, and religious dimensions of the Xiaojing. Together with this introduction, a lexicon of key terms presents a context for the Xiaojing and provides guidelines for interpreting the text historically in China as well as suggesting its contemporary significance for all societies. The inclusion of the Chinese text adds yet another dimension to this important study. The Chinese Classic of Family Reverence is sure to appeal to specialists of comparative and Chinese philosophy and to all readers interested in the enduring importance of the family.

Genres: Philosophy

150 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2009

Reviews

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a great work.

[Bread · Rating 4 out of 5]

contains an extensive intro discussing the background of the xiaojing & providing a spirited defence of the confucian worldview, the role of the family, & the importance of filial piety from a communitarian perspective. the xiaojing itself is quite short, but provides the confucian view of filial piety as the origin of other moral virtues & what nurtures our emotional affects of love & affection, to be extended outwards to other people & also expressed in other relationships including that of ruler & minister. interestingly, although hierarchical, its quite explicit that filial piety isnt just about obedience, & that when parents and rulers go wrong, its the obligation of the son and minister to remonstrate them & bring them back to the correct way

[Ceef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosemont and Ames offer a thought-provoking and philosophically nuanced reflection on the notion of filial piety in Confucian morality, discussing the various ways that this concept offers a corrective to individualistic and rationalistic moral theories (e.g., those offered by Kant and Mill, among others). Though I often lose my way in my own scholarship, books like this remind of why I got into this field in the first place.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dry, but adds a nice perspective outside of traditional western philosophy.