This book is the last words of Confucius, written in Qin and Han Dynasties. From the Western Han Dynasty to the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, there were hundreds of commentators. At present, the more popular versions are Li Longji's Annotation of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty and Xing Bing's Annotation of Song Dynasty. The book is divided into 18 chapters.
The Book of Filial Piety takes filial piety as the core, which embodies Confucian ethics. It is affirmed that "filial piety" is the norm set by heaven, and that "filial piety, discipline, righteousness and human travel" is also true. It is pointed out that filial piety is the foundation of all virtues, "one person's trip is greater than filial piety", the monarch governs the country with filial piety, and the minister governs the family with filial piety.
The Book of Filial Piety connects filial piety with loyalty for the first time, and holds that loyalty is the development and expansion of filial piety, and summarizes its social functions, and holds that filial piety can reach the gods and penetrate all over the world. The requirements and methods of filial piety are also stipulated in detail.
It advocates that "filial piety" runs through all human behaviors, and that "parents dare not harm the body and skin", which is the beginning of filial piety; "Standing on the street, leaving a name for future generations to show parents" is the end of filial piety. It links the maintenance of patriarchal clan hierarchy with serving the monarch, and holds that "filial piety" should be "starting from being the closest relative, becoming the monarch, and finally becoming self-reliant".