A Son’s Virtue Restores Harmony to a Family (Part I of II)

Min Ziqian was a famous Confucian scholar and considered an exemplar of filial piety. This story tells of an incident in Ziqian’s youth in which he demonstrated his filial piety and in doing so helped bring harmony to his family. It has been passed down through the generations in China.

Min Deren speaks to his son Ziqian, who is shivering from the cold. Zhiching Chen/The Epoch Times

On an icy winter night Min Deren was ready to take his two older sons to the East Village. They were going to listen to his friends discuss poems that impart wisdom and knowledge. His youngest son, an infant, stayed home with his mother.

The lessons began even as they set out from home across a frozen field. Min Deren said, “Sons, engrave your dad’s words in your mind. To be a good person in the world one should always keep in mind one basic discipline: loving and caring for others.