The Chapter on Remonstrance

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

4.3

Word count: 257 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Chapter 15, "Advising and Remonstrating," comes from The Classic of Filial Piety, a work of ancient Chinese Confucian ethics. This chapter explains the duties of a son and a subject: if a father or ruler acts contrary to what is right, a son or subject should speak out directly and fulfill the duty of remonstrance—only then is it true filial piety and loyalty.

Editor's review

The 'Reproof and Remonstrance' chapter comes from Chapter 15 of the Classic of Filial Piety and discusses the way a son should remonstrate with his father and a minister with his ruler. The source states that if a father, elder brother, or ruler acts contrary to what is right, the son or minister should advise frankly and fulfill the duty of remonstrance—only this counts as true filial piety and loyalty. The value of this chapter lies in linking 'obedience' with 'remonstrance': filial piety and loyalty are not unconditional submission, but the courage to speak out in the face of what is right. For today's readers of traditional ethical texts, it offers an entry point for reflecting on the relationship between authority and responsibility, and is also suitable for discussing real-life situations such as family communication and offering advice in the workplace. The text is short and should be read slowly and savored, understood in the context of the Classic of Filial Piety as a whole, and 'remonstrance' should not be simply equated with confrontation or resistance. Suitable for desk reading by enthusiasts of traditional culture, moral educators, and readers concerned with ethical issues.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Traditional-culture readers interested in the Classic of Filial Piety and Confucian ethics
Teachers and parents engaged in moral or family education
Workplace readers who need to think about the relationship between loyalty, advice, and responsibility
Members of classics recitation groups or reading clubs

Not a good fit for

Professional scholars seeking lengthy academic textual research and edition studies
Beginning readers looking only for a classical-Chinese and vernacular side-by-side reader
Readers wholly averse to traditional ethical texts

Reading tips

First read the chapter's original text and annotations to clarify what 'remonstrance' specifically refers to in the Classic of Filial Piety.
Read it alongside the preceding and following chapters to understand the balance between filial piety and loyalty, obedience and remonstrance.
After reading, write a short commentary connecting it to a real experience of giving advice, to test your understanding.
Read and discuss it with family members or colleagues, exchanging views on 'when one should speak frankly.'

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
谏诤章第十五

FAQ

What is the core viewpoint of the 'Reproof and Remonstrance' chapter?

According to the source, this chapter explains the way of the son and the minister: when a father or ruler acts contrary to what is right, the son or minister should advise frankly and fulfill the duty of remonstrance—this is true filial piety and loyalty. The core is to unify 'obedience' with 'remonstrance,' rather than unconditional submission.

Is this chapter suitable for children to read?

Yes, but guidance is needed. This chapter discusses the measure and responsibility of remonstrance, which children need concrete situations to understand. Parents or teachers can explain it with examples from family communication to help children understand that 'speaking frankly' does not mean talking back, but is a reminder offered out of goodwill.

Do I need to read the entire Classic of Filial Piety before reading this chapter?

Not necessarily. This chapter is relatively independent, and reading it first still allows you to grasp the main idea; but if you can look at the preceding and following chapters, it is easier to understand the place of 'filial piety' and 'remonstrance' in the whole book. If time is limited, at least skim the table of contents and the beginnings of adjacent chapters.

Is 'remonstrance' in the book the same as offering opinions today?

There are similarities, but they cannot be simply equated. The source emphasizes that advice is based on what is right, and the object is a father or ruler, carrying a traditional ethical context. Read today, one can draw on its spirit of 'speaking up when one sees wrong,' while paying attention to occasion, manner, and measure, and avoiding mechanical application.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.