The Old Text Classic of Filial Piety

孔安国Mar 2026

3.7

Word count: 16K words
Chapters: 24

Summary

The Classic of Filial Piety is one of the Thirteen Classics of Confucianism. Scholars generally hold that it was compiled between the late Spring and Autumn period and the early-to-mid Warring States period by the seventy disciples of Confucius, though some attribute its compilation to the followers of Zengzi.

The current received edition consists of eighteen chapters and runs to fewer than two thousand characters. In the form of a dialogue between Confucius and Zeng Shen, it systematically expounds the thought of filial piety. Its core idea is that "filial piety is the root of virtue"; it divides filial piety into five grades suited to different social strata and further proposes "transferring filial piety to loyalty," linking family ethics with social governance.

It sets out concrete norms for practicing filial piety and also contains the idea of remonstrance against blind obedience, making it China's first classic to systematically discuss filial piety. It has had a profound influence on traditional Chinese ethics and social customs and is an important document for the study of Confucian thought and ancient ethical culture.

The Old Text Classic of Filial Piety is an important ancient transmission of the Classic of Filial Piety, known together with the New Text Classic of Filial Piety as the two major transmissions. Tradition holds that it was transmitted by Kong Anguo and completed in the pre-Qin period. Its wording differs from the New Text in more than four hundred places, but the core meaning is the same.

Editor's review

The Old Text Classic of Filial Piety and the New Text Classic of Filial Piety are known as the two major transmissions, and tradition holds that the former was transmitted by Kong Anguo. Its wording differs from the New Text in more than four hundred places, yet the core meaning is the same, which gives it unique value for textual comparison in the study of the Classic of Filial Piety. The point of reading this book is not to look for a view of filial piety utterly different from the New Text, but to observe how wording divergences arose in different transmissions of the same classic and what bearing these differences have on understanding the text and on judging the choices of commentators. For readers already familiar with the New Text Classic of Filial Piety, this book offers an entry into classical-scholarship questions by way of the transmission system; for readers concerned with the transmission of pre-Qin documents and the problem of old texts, it is also material for comparative reading. Reading it side by side with the New Text is recommended: first grasp the shared meaning, then examine the wording differences in detail, and avoid misreading transmission differences as doctrinal opposition.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who have read the New Text Classic of Filial Piety and wish to learn about the other transmission
Enthusiasts of classical scholarship studying the transmission of the Classic of Filial Piety and the old-text/new-text problem
Students of literature and history interested in textual differences and transmission traditions in pre-Qin documents
Teachers and researchers who need to compare the old and new texts and examine similarities and differences in wording

Not a good fit for

Beginners encountering the Classic of Filial Piety for the first time who have not yet read the received New Text
Readers who want a single definitive edition and prefer not to deal with transmission differences
Casual readers without a foundation in classical Chinese who need modern translation and annotation

Reading tips

Read the eighteen chapters of the New Text Classic of Filial Piety first, then read this book, marking wording differences chapter by chapter and summarizing their types.
Prepare a two-column comparison table, with the New Text on the left and the Old Text on the right, focusing on variant readings that affect the understanding of meaning.
Do not rush to judge which is superior; first understand the background behind the transmission differences, then consult commentators' opinions.
After finishing, select the three passages with the greatest differences and write brief comments explaining how the differences affect understanding of those chapters.

版权信息
孔安国序
开宗明谊章
天子章
诸侯章
卿大夫章
士章
庶人章
孝平章
三才章
孝治章
圣治章
父母生绩章
孝优劣章
纪孝行章
五刑章
广要道章
广至德章
应感章
广扬名章
闺门章
谏争章
事君章
丧亲章

FAQ

What are the main differences between the Old Text Classic of Filial Piety and the New Text Classic of Filial Piety?

The two share the same core meaning, but their wording differs in more than four hundred places, involving characters, sentences, chapter divisions, and other levels. These differences make the Old Text Classic of Filial Piety important material for studying the transmission system of the Classic of Filial Piety. Reading should focus on comparison: first grasp the shared meaning, then examine the wording divergences in detail, and it is best not to equate the differences directly with doctrinal opposition.

Can I read this book directly if I have not read the Classic of Filial Piety?

Not really recommended. The value of this book lies largely in comparison with the New Text Classic of Filial Piety; without having read the received New Text, it is hard to tell which features are transmission differences and which belong to the text itself. It is best to read the eighteen chapters of the New Text through first, then proceed to the comparative reading of this book.

What does it mean that tradition holds it was transmitted by Kong Anguo?

Sources state that the Old Text Classic of Filial Piety is traditionally attributed to transmission by Kong Anguo and was completed in the pre-Qin period, and that it is known together with the New Text Classic of Filial Piety as the two major transmissions. In reading, "tradition holds" should be understood as a traditional account; the focus should be on the wording of the transmission itself and its value for comparative reading, without overextending the question of authorship.

What preparation is needed to read this book?

It is recommended to prepare the original text of the New Text Classic of Filial Piety, a pen, and a comparison table. While reading, mark wording differences chapter by chapter, summarize their types, and select several variant readings that affect the understanding of meaning for brief comments. In this way, transmission differences can be turned into discussable classical-scholarship questions rather than remaining at the level of character-by-character comparison.

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About the author

孔安国 Author

Kong Anguo was a Confucian scholar of the Han dynasty. Publicly available information about his life and career is limited, and neither his dates nor his nationality are clearly recorded. Four works are currently listed under his name, including Shangshu Zhengyi, Xiaojing Zhu, Guwen Xiaojing, and an edition of Kongzi Jiayu and Lunyu with commentaries bound together in one set. These works show that his focus was on the Confucian classics, especially the annotation and exposition of the Shangshu and the Xiaojing, placing him in the tradition of classical scholarship that emphasizes textual explanation and the elucidation of meaning. His style is likely characterized by rigorous citation and clear exposition of classical doctrine, with some attention to allusions and literary appreciation, which is why his works are often classified under culture, Eastern philosophy, and literary appreciation. Kong Anguo's influence in the transmission of classical learning is chiefly reflected in these annotated and expository works.