Amplification of the Important Doctrine

The Book of Filial Duty, by Ivan Chen, [1908], at sacred-texts.com

CHAPTER XII

AMPLIFICATION OF THE "IMPORTANT DOCTRINE"

Confucius said: "The best way to teach the people to love their sovereign is for the sovereign

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first to love his own parents; to teach them to be polite to each other is for the sovereign himself first to be polite to all his elders; and to improve bad manners and customs is for him first to pay attention to the composition of the music played in the country.

"What is etiquette? It is simply due respect to one's elders. If I respect the parents, the son will be pleased; if I respect the elder brothers, the younger ones will be pleased; and if I respect the sovereign, all the ministers will be pleased. I respect only one person, but I please thousands upon thousands. Those to whom the respect is paid are few, and those whom I please are many. This is what is called "an important doctrine."