孝与中国国民性

Filial piety was the most important idea that was original and comprehensive in the traditional Chinese culture. In a certain sense,the traditional Chinese culture was a culture of filial piety.Culture determines personality.Therefore,filial piety had a great influence upon the Chinese nationality.This influence was both positive and negative.It was positive because filial piety made Chinese people form theirnationalities of kindheartedness,honesty, sincerity,loyalty,leniency,selflessness,courtesy,meekness,and peacefulness.It was negative because filial piety had some value tendencies:obeying authority,which made Chinese people form their nationality of slavishness;worshiping ancientry,which made Chinese people form their nationality of conservativeness and backwardness;one- sided obligation,which made Chinese people form their nationality of lack of consciousness of right and notstriving for the benefitfor themselves.