Thematic cluster: Understanding Chinese culture through key concepts
Consequences of the conflation of xiao and filial piety in English
This article examines the development over time of the English expression “filial piety” in order to document how, at least partly
in response to pressure from an equivalence that is established with the Chinese term xiao (孝) in the seventeenth
century, the term takes on new and increasingly negative connotations in English. As an important concept in Chinese philosophy,
xiao occurs in many important early texts, including the Confucian Analects and, although
the way the term is interpreted varies over time, remains central to many debates about Chinese culture right to this day. As the
link between filial piety and xiao strengthens through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, “filial piety”
thus unsurprisingly becomes identified as one of a small group of key terms that were increasingly thought to explain all
differences between the British and the Chinese. This article examines how the term “filial piety” evolves from a
natural and universal impulse due to its connection with Christianity, with China initially
as a particularly good example of this universal from whom everyone can learn, through various increasingly negative shifts due to
the perceived conflict between filial piety and romantic love, as well as its increasing association with the Chinese, who by the
end of the nineteenth century were seen as held back by the extreme nature of their practices. Today, filial piety as a term is
seen as mainly or entirely local and specific to China, and by extension, something potentially holding it back from
modernity.
Article outline
- Introduction
- Earliest use of “filial” and “filial piety” in English
- Filial piety and China in English
- The long eighteenth century
- Translations of filial exemplars from Chinese
- The modern era
- Conclusion
- Notes
-
References
References
Early examples of “filial” cited in the text of my paper (by first date of publication)
More, Thomas, Sir, Saint
1533 The second parte of the co[n]futacion of Tyndals answere in whyche is also confuted the chyrche that Tyndale deuyseth.
And the chyrche also that frere Barns deuyseth. London: Wyllyam Rastell.
Hardyng, John
1543 The chronicle of Ihon Hardyng in metre, fro[m] the first begynnyng of Engla[n]de, vnto ye reigne of Edwarde ye fourth
where he made an end of his chronicle. And from yt time is added with a co[n]tinuacion of the storie in prose to this our
tyme, now first emprinted, gathered out of diuerse and sondrie autours of moste certain knowelage [et] substanciall
credit, yt either in latin orels in our mother toungue haue writen of ye affaires of Englande., Londini: In officina
Richardi Graftoni, Mense Ianuarii. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum.
Hall, Edward
1548 The vnion of the two noble and illustre famelies of Lancastre [and] Yorke, beeyng long in continual discension for the
croune of this noble realme with all the actes done in bothe the tymes of the princes, bothe of the one linage and of the
other, beginnyng at the tyme of kyng Henry the fowerth, the first aucthor of this deuision, and so successiuely proceadyng
to the reigne of the high and prudent prince kyng Henry the eight, the vndubitate flower and very heire of both the sayd
linages. [Londini: In officina Richardi Graftoni typis impress.].
Seneca, Lucius Annaeus
1581 Seneca his tenne tragedies, translated into Englysh. London: Thomas Marsh.
Barrow, Henry
1591 A brief discouerie of the false church. [Dort?: S.n.]
Gibbon, Charles
1591 A vvork vvorth the reading VVherein is contayned, fiue profitable and pithy questions, very expedient, aswell for
parents to perceiue howe to bestowe their children in marriage, and to dispose their goods at their death: as for all
other persons to receiue great profit by the rest of the matters herein expressed. London: Imprinted by Thomas Orwin.
Morton, Thomas
, of Berwick
1596 A treatise of the threefolde state of man wherein is handled, 1 His created holinesse in his innocencie. 2 His
sinfulnesse since the fall of Adam. 3 His renewed holinesse in his regeneration. London: [By R. Robinson] for Robert Dexter and Raph Iackeson.
Early examples of “filial piety” in works published between 1590 and 1699 cited in the text of my paper (by first date of
publication)
Sidney, Philip Sir
1590 The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia. London: Printed by Iohn Windet for William Ponsonbie. [second edition, same publisher 1593]
Hall, Joseph
1608 Pharisaisme and Christianity compared and set forth in a sermon at Pauls Crosse, May 1. 1608. By
I. H. Vpon Matth. 51.20. London: Printed by Melchisedech Bradwood for Samuel Macham.
Coryate, Thomas
1618 Mr Thomas Coriat to his friends in England sendeth greeting from Agra the capitall city of the dominion of the great
Mogoll in the Easterne India, the last of October, 1616. Thy trauels and thy glory to ennamell, with fame we mount thee on
the lofty cammell. London: Printed by I. B[eale].
J. B.
1616 English Expositor Teaching the Interpretation of the Hardest Words Used in Our Language. London: Printed by Iohn Legatt.
I. C.
1619 The euer-burning lamps of pietie and deuotion Kindled by many excellent and heauenly prayers, deuided into the
seuerall dayes of the weeke, and other occasions: To auoide which weake man hath continuall cause to retire into himselfe,
and humbly confer with Almightie God. By I.C. London: Printed by George Purslowe for Richard Hawkins, and are to bee sold at his shop in Chancery-Lane neere Serieants Inne.
Bolton, Edmund
1624 Nero Caesar, or Monarchie Depraved. An historicall worke. Printed by
T[homas] S[nodham and
Bernard Alsop] for
Thomas Walkley.
Heywood, Thomas
1624 Gynaikeion: or, Nine bookes of various history. Concerninge women inscribed by ye names of ye nine Muses. London: Printed by Adam Islip.
Burton, Henry
1626 A plea to an appeale trauersed dialogue wise. By H.B. London: By W. I[ones].
Taylor, John
1630 All the vvorkes of Iohn Taylor the water-poet Beeing sixty and three in number. Collected into one volume by the
author: vvith sundry new additions corrected, reuised, and newly imprinted, 1630. London: Printed by I[ohn] B[eale, Elizabeth Allde, Bernard Alsop, and Thomas Fawcet] for Iames Boler.
Shirley, James
1633 The bird in a cage A comedie. As it hath beene presented at the Phoenix in Drury-Lane. The author Iames Shirley, servant to Her Majesty. London: Printed by B. Alsop. and T. Fawcet. for William Cooke.
Shirley, James
1640 A pastorall called the Arcadia Acted by her Majesties Servants at the Phaenix in Drury Lane. Written by
Iames Shirly Gent. London: Printed by J[ohn] D[awson] for Iohn Williams, and F. Eglesfeild.
Heywood, Thomas
1641 The life of Merlin, sirnamed Ambrosius his prophesies and predictions interpreted, and their truth made good by our
English Annalls: being a chronographicall history of all the kings, and memorable passages of this kingdome, from Brute to
the reigne of our royall soveraigne King Charles… London: Printed by J. Okes, and are to be sold by Jasper Emery.
Baker, Richard Sir
1643 A chronicle of the Kings of England, from the time of the Romans goverment [sic] unto the raigne of our soveraigne
lord, King Charles containing all passages of state or church, with all other observations proper for a chronicle /
faithfully collected out of authours ancient and moderne, & digested into a new method; by Sr. R. Baker,
Knight. London: Printed for Daniel Frere.
Pliny the Younger
1645 Pliny’s Panegyricke: a speech in Senate. Oxford: [H. Hall].
Browne, Thomas Sir
1646 Pseudodoxia epidemica, or, Enquiries into very many received tenents and commonly presumed truths by Thomas
Browne. London: Printed by T.H. for E. Dod.
Webb, John
1669 An historical essay endeavoring a probability that the language of the empire of China is the primitive language by
John Webb. London: Printed for Nath. Brook 1669.
Nieuhof, Johannes
1673 An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperor of China deliver’d
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villages, ports, rivers, &c. in their passages from Canton to Peking are ingeniously describ’d / by Mr. John
Nieuhoff …; also an epistle of Father John Adams their antagonist, concerning the whole negotiation; with an appendix of
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Le Comte, Louis
1697 Memoires and observations … made in a late journey through the Empire of China, and published in several letters.
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Bouvet, Joachim
.
The History of Cang-Hy, the Present Emperour of China. London: F. Coggan
1699.
Sample of contemporary Chinese fiction translated between 1995–2014. Works in bold contain the term “filial piety” or
“filial”
Chen, Diexian
1999 The Money Demon. Translated by
Thomas O. Beebee. Hawaii: University of Hawai’i Press.
Gu, Hua
1996 Virgin Widows. Translated by
Howard Goldblatt. Hawaii: University of Hawai’i Press.
Lu, Ping
2006 Love and Revolution. Translated by
Nancy Du. New York: Columbia University Press.
Mai, Jia
2014 Decoded. Translated by
Olivia Milburn and
Christopher Payne. London: Allen Lane Press.
Wang, Lixiong
2008 China Tidal Wave. Translated by
Anton Platero. Folkestone, Kent: Global Oriental.
Wang, Wenxing
1995 Family Catastrophe. Translated by
Susan Wan Dolling. Hawaii: University of Hawai’i Press.
Xiao, Lu
2010 Dialogue. Oxford University Press. Translated by
Archibald McKenzie. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.
Yan, Lianke
2011 Dream of Ding Village. Translated by
Cindy Carter. New York: Grove Press.
Yu, Hua
1996 The Past and the Punishments. Translated by
Andrew Jones. Hawaii: University of Hawai’i Press.
Zhu, Wen
2007 I Love Dollars. Translated by
Julia Lovell. New York: Columbia University Press.
Zhu, Lin
1998 Snake’s Pillow and Other Stories. Translated by
Richard King. Hawaii: University of Hawai’i Press.
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Anonymous
1785 A New Book for the Improvement of Young Gentlemen and Ladies. Filial Duty, recommended and enforc’d by a Variety of
instructive and entertaining Stories…. London: printed for E. Newbery.
Barrow, John
1804 Travels in China. London: T. Cadell and W. Davies.
Bridgman, Elijah Coleman
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Heaou King, or Filial Duty.”
The Chinese Repository 4 (8) (
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Chan, Alan K. L.
2004 “
Does xiao come before ren?” In
Filial piety in Chinese thought and history, ed. by
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Confucius
1908 The Book of Filial Duty. Translated by
Ivan Chen. London: J. Murray.
Cook-Lynn, Elizabeth
1999 Aurelia: A Crow Creek Trilogy. Niwot, CO: University Press of Colorado.
Cooper, James Fenimore
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1726 The history of the Devil, ancient and modern. In two parts. London: [s.n.].
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2004 “
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Filial piety in Chinese thought and history, ed. by
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1878 “
A Critique of the Chinese Notions & Practice of Filial Piety.”
The Chinese Recorder and Missionary Journal 9 (5–6) (
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1758 The Insolvent: or, Filial Piety. A Tragedy. London: W. Reeve.
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1921 Chinese Family and Commercial Law. Shanghai: Kelly and Walsh.
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2004 “
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Filial piety in Chinese thought and history, ed. by
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Sor-hoon Tan, 215–225. London: RoutledgeCurzon.
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1742 Clarissa. 71 vols. London: Printed for E. Newbery.
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Cited by
Cited by 2 other publications
He, Longtao
2021.
A Historical Trajectory of Filial Piety. In
Care Work, Migrant Peasant Families and Discourse of Filial Piety in China,
► pp. 27 ff.
He, Longtao
2021.
Findings: The Burden of Care for Migrant Peasant Workers and Filial Piety’s Mediating Roles. In
Care Work, Migrant Peasant Families and Discourse of Filial Piety in China,
► pp. 153 ff.
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 11 november 2021. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers.
Any errors therein should be reported to them.