important qualities of a son

important qualities of a son
In Chinese culture, a person who is filial and obedient to his parents is
regarded as a good son. Confucianism, an ideology that had great
effect on the Chinese society, stresses the importance of harmonious
interpersonal relations between family members, particularly that
between parents and children. Judgment on a man is often based on
his attitude toward his parents. Confucian classics contain many
principles regarding the "right" conducts people should have to handle
the relation with their parents. For instance, people in the past were
required to pay respects to their parents everyday in the morning.
Children should follow whatever orders or instructions their parents
issued. A person who was most respectful to his parents was highly
praised and often set up as a model in the society. The ancient Chinese
thought that there was a connection between the relations within the
family and political institutions of the country. They extended the
formula of administering a family to social and political affairs. In
other words, the Chinese people ran the country on the principles
based on family life. The emperor was respected by his subjects as a
father was by his children. An official faithful to his lord was often
compared to a son filial to his father. However, China has undergone
great changes over the past century. Influenced of western thoughts,
the Chinese people have revised and transformed many traditional
ideologies and their way of thinking. Parents have no longer had
absolute authority over their children. Now young people may stand
on an equal relation with their parents and they stress more personal
freedom and independence. But the traditional ideology remains to be
very influential, a good son who is respectful to and takes cares of his
parents is considered by others as one of high moral character.