It is said that Confucius once said, "What virtue can surpass filial piety in the eyes of a sage?" Filial piety is the foundation of all good virtues and is the most important virtue in human relationships. Everyone should inherently possess filial piety; otherwise, where does one's character come from? From wholeheartedly serving one's parents to mourning them for three years and fasting for seven days, all these actions demonstrate remembrance and gratitude towards parents, as recorded in history. However, during the turbulent times of the Chen and Liang dynasties, much went unrecorded due to social unrest and moral decline, so now we can only organize based on existing information.
Yin Huai, also known by his courtesy name Changqing, hailed from Changping in Chen County. His grandfather Yin Ren served as a military officer under the King of Yuzhang in the state of Qi; his father Yin Gaoming was a military officer in the Ministry of War of the Liang Dynasty. From a young age, Yin Huai was exceptionally devoted to filial piety. After his father passed away, his mourning practices even surpassed the customary expectations, so he became famous early on. His family was impoverished, leading a frugal life, and he had five younger brothers, all quite young. Yin Huai had to take care of his elderly mother and raise his younger brothers, which was incredibly challenging, yet he approached everything with seriousness. During that period, many scholars and officials praised his exemplary character.
At the age of seventeen, he became an official responsible for routine affairs at the Liang Dynasty's Office of the Chief Minister. Yin Bu Hai was very skilled in handling political affairs and had a strong grasp of Confucian principles. Whenever he identified unreasonable legal provisions, he would submit his observations in writing, and many suggestions were adopted. In the fifth year of the Datong era, he was promoted to the position of Record Officer in Zhenxi Prefecture, and soon also served as an Attendant in the Eastern Palace. At that time, many court affairs were entrusted to the Crown Prince. Yin Bu Hai and Attendant Yu Jianwu alternated in managing memorials. Emperor Wu of Liang once said to Yu Jianwu, "You are good at literature, but handling political affairs is not your strong suit. Why not call Yin Bu Hai instead?" This reflects how much Emperor Wu of Liang valued him. Emperor Jianwen also bestowed gifts upon Yin Bu Hai's mother, Lady Cai, including brocade skirts, jackets, felt mats, and bedding because of Yin Bu Hai's filial piety. Seven years later, Yin Bu Hai was subsequently promoted to the role of Consultation Officer in Pingbei Prefecture, while still retaining his attendant duties. During the rebellion of Hou Jing, Bu Hai followed Emperor Jianwen into the palace. Later, the palace was breached, and while Emperor Jianwen was in the Ministry of State Affairs, Hou Jing, wearing armor and leading soldiers, broke into the palace to see the Emperor and also visited Emperor Jianwen. Hou Jing's soldiers, a mix of Qiang and Hu descent, rampaged through the palace, acting very rudely. The palace guards were so frightened that they hid everywhere, but only Bu Hai and Chief Clerk Xu Chi remained by Emperor Jianwen's side, unwavering. Later, Emperor Jianwen was placed under house arrest by Hou Jing, who summoned Bu Hai to join him, and Bu Hai agreed. Bu Hai then served the Emperor even more diligently. One night, Emperor Jianwen dreamt he had swallowed a lump of earth and felt very uncomfortable, so he told Bu Hai about it. Bu Hai said, "When Duke Wen of Jin was in exile, a countryman gave him a piece of soil. In the end, he returned to Jin and became the ruler. Your Majesty, might this dream signify a turning point?" Emperor Jianwen said, "If there is really a divine decree, I hope your interpretation proves to be correct."
After Emperor Yuan of Liang ascended the throne, he promoted Bu Hai to be the Secretary of the Central Secretariat, as well as the Minister of Justice and Law. Later, Bu Hai fled to the west with his family. When the city of Jiangling was breached, Bu Hai was first commanding troops in another location and missed reuniting with his mother. At that time, the weather was extremely cold, with ice and snow everywhere, and the elderly, the weak, the sick, and the disabled were piled up in the ditches. Bu Hai cried while searching for his mother on the road, looking everywhere, jumping into ditches or water whenever he saw someone, helping them up to check if they were alive, getting completely soaked, refusing to drink water, and crying continuously. It took him seven days to find his mother's body. Bu Hai held his mother's body and cried, almost losing his breath every time he cried, causing passersby to weep uncontrollably. He temporarily buried his mother in Jiangling, then went to Chang'an with Wang Pu and Yu Xin, and from then on he subsisted on a vegetarian diet and wore coarse clothing, becoming so emaciated that those who saw him felt a deep sadness. In the seventh year of Taijian, he returned from the Zhou Dynasty to the Liang Dynasty, and that year he was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture, soon rising to the position of Grand Master of Splendor. In the eighth year, he was also appointed as General of Mingwei and Prefect of Jinling. When he was serving as Prefect of Jinling, he fell ill, and the court issued a decree for him to return to the capital to recuperate. After Emperor Hou ascended the throne, he further promoted Bu Hai to the position of an official. When Bu Hai returned to the Liang Dynasty, his eldest son, Seng Shou, was detained by the Zhou Dynasty in Guanzhong. In the third year of Zhenming, when the capital was captured, Seng Shou came to fetch him, but Bu Hai passed away on the journey, at the age of eighty-five years.
My name is Ji Qing, and I am the youngest child in my family. When I was young, I set my heart on being a good person. After my father passed away, I gained a reputation for my filial piety. I love reading and am especially adept at handling government affairs. During the Liang Dynasty, I started as a military officer in the Ministry of War and performed excellently. Emperor Yuan of Liang authorized me as the General of Rongzhao and the military adviser to the Prince of Wuling. During the Cheng Sheng era, I was promoted to be the magistrate of Wukang. At that time, there were wars and famines, and the people were displaced. I traveled around to comfort and gather the displaced. Thousands sought refuge with me. Later, when the city of Jiangling fell and my mother passed away, the roads were blocked, and I couldn't return home to mourn for a long time. For four years, I cried day and night, observing funeral rites in every aspect of my life.
After the founding emperor took the throne, I was appointed as the General of Rongzhao and later transferred to be the magistrate of Lou. It was only when my fourth brother returned with my mother's coffin from Jiangling for burial that I observed mourning rituals for another three years. I personally dug the soil and planted pine and cypress trees, and I fasted for three days during every festival. When Emperor Shizu ascended the throne, I was appointed as the Left Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, but I chose to decline. Later, I became the military adviser to the Prince of Shixing, concurrently serving as the Right Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and was promoted to be the Chamberlain of the Eastern Palace. After Emperor Shizu passed away and Emperor Fei ascended the throne, Emperor Gaozong appointed me as the Grand Tutor to assist in court affairs, highly anticipated by the court and the people. I have always held my integrity in high regard and was entrusted with responsibilities in the Eastern Palace. As a result, I conspired with several others, including the Minister of Works, Zhongju, the Imperial Secretary, Liu Shizhi, and the Right Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Wang Xian, to fabricate an edict to have Emperor Gaozong leave the palace. While others hesitated, I immediately went to the palace and publicly read the edict, ordering the prince to return to his palace. After the plot was uncovered, Zhongju and the others were executed. Emperor Gaozong valued me greatly, granted me a special pardon, but removed me from my official position.
After Emperor Gaozong ascended the throne, he appointed me as a military adviser for the King of Shixing and granted me the title of General of the Zhaoyuan Command. Shortly after, I was appointed as the Minister of Works; before I took office, I was also granted the title of Cavalier Attendant and concurrently appointed as the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Soon after, I was promoted to the Cavalier Attendant of the Palace Attendants while keeping the Deputy Minister position. In the fifth year of the Taijian era, I died at fifty-six. The court issued a decree posthumously appointing me as the Chief of the Imperial Secretariat.
My third elder brother, Duyi, my fourth elder brother, Dozhan, and my fifth elder brother, Doqi, all passed away early. I am the youngest one, and I have always been filial to my second brother's wife, Lady Zhang. I never used my salary for personal expenses at home. My eldest son, Fantong, rose to the position of Official of the Ministry of Revenue.
Xie Zhen, courtesy name Yuanzheng, was a native of Yangxia in Chen County and the ninth-generation descendant of Xie An, the Grand Tutor of the Jin Dynasty. His grandfather, Xie Sui, served as the Assistant to the Imperial Secretary and Crown Prince's Attendant of the Liang Dynasty; his father, Xie Lin, served as an official and concurrently as a Cavalier Regular Attendant. Xie Zhen was intelligent and kind-hearted from a young age. His grandmother, Lady Ruan, often experienced dizziness and blurred vision, and could not eat for a day or two each time she fell ill. When Xie Zhen was seven, he also stopped eating whenever his grandmother did, which surprised their relatives. His mother, Lady Wang, taught him to read the Analects and the Classic of Filial Piety, which he was able to recite from memory. At the age of eight, he wrote a five-character poem titled *Leisure on a Spring Day*, which his uncle, the Minister Wang Jun, considered to be quite talented and said to their relatives, "This child will definitely become someone great in the future. Look at the phrase 'the wind calms, the flowers fall,' it’s truly reminiscent of Xie Huilian’s style!" From then on, he became known to many prominent figures. At the age of thirteen, he had a general understanding of the Five Classics, especially excelling in the Zuo Commentary, as well as in cursive, clerical, and seal script. When he was fourteen, his father passed away, causing him extreme grief and fainting several times. His father, Xie Lin, had been deeply sorrowful due to the death of his mother, Lady Ruan, not eating or drinking, dying from grief. Worried that Xie Zhen might meet the same fate, his uncle Xie Qia and cousin Xie Gao went to Huayan Temple to ask Master Changzhao to preach to Xie Zhen and advised him, "You must be filial to your parents. Since you have no siblings, take good care of yourself. If you let grief overwhelm you, who will look after your mother?" From then on, Xie Zhen gradually started eating some congee.
During the Taiqing Rebellion, Xie Zhen's relatives scattered and fled in all directions; he found himself trapped in Jiangling, while his cousin Xie Gao managed to escape to Panyu, and Xie Zhen's mother took vows as a nun at Xuanming Temple. After the founding emperor ascended the throne, Xie Gao returned to his hometown and served Xie Zhen's mother for nearly twenty years. In the fifth year of the Taijian era, Xie Zhen returned to the court and was appointed as a military officer in the Zhiwu Prefecture. Shortly after, he was promoted to the position of Langzhong of the Shangshu Jia Department, and then further promoted to Shilang. Later, Prince Shixiong of Shixing was appointed governor of Yangzhou; he invited Ruan Zhuo, the Shilang of the Ministry of Rites, to be his secretary and hired Xie Zhen as the registrar. Xie Zhen had no option but to accept. Shortly after, he was promoted to the position of Fulu Shisheng Jun (Registrar of the Prefectural Affairs), while also serving as the Dan Yang Cheng. Xie Zhen sensed that Prince Shixiong harbored rebellious intentions, and he and Ruan Zhuo made a conscious effort to distance themselves from him. Whenever Prince Shixiong invited them to banquets or outings, Xie Zhen always declined, claiming to be ill, and Prince Shixiong appreciated his integrity and held no grudge against him. Later, following the death of Emperor Gaozong, Prince Shixiong rebelled. Most officials in the prefecture were implicated and arrested in the aftermath, but only Xie Zhen and Ruan Zhuo emerged unscathed.
The emperor still let Xie Zhen manage the palace records, and later promoted him to be the friend of Prince Nanping. He also appointed him as the General of Zhaoyuan, in charge of the record office. Zhou Que, the chief historian of the mansion, who had just been appointed as the Minister of the Capital, asked Xie Zhen to help him draft a memorial. The emperor thought it was excellent after he read it. Once at a banquet, the emperor asked Zhou Que, "Did you write this memorial yourself?" Zhou Que replied, "This was written by Xie Zhen for me." The emperor then instructed his attendant, Shi Wenqing, to announce, "Xie Zhen is working for the prince and has not received his salary yet, so give him a reward of one hundred dan of rice!" In the third year of the Xide era, Xie Zhen resigned from his official position due to his mother's death. After some time, the emperor ordered him to return to the mansion for duty, still appointing him as the General of Zhaoyuan to manage the record office. Xie Zhen repeatedly submitted memorials requesting to resign, and the emperor responded, "I already understand your intentions. Although I know you are grieving excessively and in poor health, official positions need capable individuals to fill them, and there are times when customs can be bent. You can reluctantly return to the mansion to take up your post while still ill." Due to his overwhelming grief, Xie Zhen became emaciated and ultimately could not return to work. At this time, the Right Minister, Xu Zuo, and the Left Minister, Shen Keqing, both came to visit Xie Zhen. Seeing how emaciated he had become, Xu Zuo and the others sighed in sorrow. Xu Zuo comforted him, saying, "You are getting older; there are customs to follow, and you should take care of your health a little." Hearing this, Xie Zhen became even more sorrowful, held his breath and fainted, remaining unconscious for a long time. Xu Zuo and Shen Keqing wept inconsolably as they left. Xu Zuo said to Shen Keqing, "Indeed, a family known for its filial piety will raise filial sons." Shen Keqing said, "The Xie family has been famous for filial piety for generations, and which scholar does not admire him? I'm afraid he won't be able to recover this time. What should we do?"
Yao Cha, the Minister of Personnel from Wuxing, was close friends with Xie Zhen. When Xie Zhen was seriously ill, Yao Cha visited him and inquired about his affairs after he was gone. Xie Zhen said, "I am alone and helpless; my life has been fraught with difficulties, and I am about to become dust. My relatives, including my son Kai, have grown up, and I have entrusted everything to them, which is of little concern. I am now struggling to breathe, and my time is short, so I must say goodbye. My six-year-old son, named Jing, whose courtesy name is Yiren, I am truly worried about him, and I can only ask you to look after him." That very night, Xie Zhen passed away, and the emperor bestowed upon him a hundred bushels of rice and thirty rolls of cloth. The emperor asked Yao Cha, "Are there any other relatives of Xie Zhen?" Yao Cha replied, "Xie Zhen has a six-year-old son." The emperor immediately ordered that he be supplied with clothing and food for the foreseeable future.
At first, Zhen was gravely ill. He left a will for his nephew Kai shortly before he died, saying: "When I was young, I endured harsh punishments. At the age of fourteen, I lost the protection of my family, and at sixteen, I was involved in the Taiqing Rebellion, wandering far from my homeland for over twenty years. I wept bitterly and cried out to the heavens and the earth, and fortunately, I was able to return to my homeland, serve my parents, and guard the graves of my ancestors, and that was enough for me. Unexpectedly, the court recognized my modest talents and promoted me to an official position several times, bringing me to where I am today, but I am unable to repay the court's kindness. Now that I am seriously ill and nearing the end of my life, I must let go of everything and return to the dust, with no regrets. After my death, if I could be buried out in the wilderness and have my body handled by monks, that would be my wish, though I worry it might be too unconventional. You can surround my body with simple wooden boards, transport it in a hearse, cover it with reed mats, and bury it on a hillside. Also, I have no brothers or other descendants in my lifetime. Jing is still young and does not understand the ways of the world. You only need to stay by his side for three months, prepare a small bed for him, place some spices, and fulfill the bond of brotherhood. Don’t worry about anything else; it’s not necessary."
Zhen once served as a scholar for King Zhao during the Zhou Dynasty. This King Zhao was the favored younger brother of Emperor Wu of Zhou and treated Zhen with great respect. King Zhao heard that Zhen would always cry day and night when alone, so he secretly sent someone to find out the reason. Upon learning that Zhen's mother was elderly and far away in Jiangnan, he told Zhen, "If I am ever appointed as a vassal king in a distant land, I will definitely let you go home to take care of your mother." Several years later, King Zhao was indeed appointed as a vassal king in a distant land. Zhen took his leave, and King Zhao personally appealed to the court, saying, "Zhen is very filial, and his mother is elderly. I hope to let him go home." The Emperor admired King Zhao's compassion and granted his request, allowing Zhen to return home with the envoy Du Zihui. Most of the articles he had written before were lost due to the wars.
Sima Gao, courtesy name Wensheng, was from Wen County in Henan. His father Sima Rou was a courtier in the Jin Dynasty and a descendant of Prince Shao of Nandun and King You of Qi. Sima Rou's son, who was Sima Gao's father, once served as the Minister of Water in the Shu Department and the Prefect of Yueyang during the Liang Dynasty. He was the uncle of Emperor Wu of Liang.
Luo Gao was intelligent and kindhearted from a young age. When he was twelve years old, his father passed away, and he was consumed by grief, surpassing the normal mourning customs. He did not eat or drink for several days and almost fainted. Every time he wailed, he would faint, causing concern among his relatives that he might not withstand the loss of his father. His grandfather and father constantly comforted him, forcing him to eat some porridge, but he became extremely thin. After the mourning period was over, his relatives and friends visited him. Emperor Wu of Liang saw Luo Gao's emaciated appearance, sighed for a long time, and said to his grandfather and father, "Yesterday, I saw Luo (Luo Gao's nickname) looking so haggard; it is truly pitiful. He upholds the family's values and is a good son!" He later passed the entrance exams for the Imperial Academy and steadily advanced through the ranks.
After his father passed away, his grief deepened. He erected a small grass hut beside his father's grave to fulfill his filial duties, subsisting on just a liter of thin wheat porridge each day. The grave was in Xinlin, where the landscape was hilly and there used to be many fierce beasts roaming. Luo Hao lived there for several years, and even the jackals and wolves did not dare to come near. There were even two turtledoves nesting in his grass hut, very gentle and friendly. This story is still told in Xinlin today. During the Chengsheng era, he was appointed as a prince's son. After the city of Jiangling was breached, he complied with regulations and crossed the border, but the Liang Dynasty royal family was massacred, and the prince was buried in an unmarked grave. As a court official, Luo Hao submitted a memorial to the Zhou Dynasty requesting permission to return to Jiangling to rebury the prince. His memorial was filled with profound sorrow and sincerity. The Zhou Dynasty emperor responded with an edict stating, "In the past, when the lord father was killed, Confucius' carriage reflected the dignity of an elder; when Peng Yue was killed, Luan Bu received the courtesy of an attendant. As the prince's son, even though the capital has changed, you still hold deep feelings of respect for your former lord, which is enough to prove your loyalty and also reflects the righteousness of a subject. I hereby command Jingzhou to conduct a proper burial for the prince." In the eighth year of the Taijian era, Luo Hao returned to the Liang Dynasty from the Zhou Dynasty, and Emperor Gaozu granted him special privileges and rewards. He was appointed as the advisor for military affairs to the King of Yidu and was later promoted to Changqiu Qing of the Ande Palace, Tongzhi Sanqi Changshi, Taizhong Daifu, and Sizhou Dazhongzheng, before eventually passing away while in office. He left behind ten volumes of written works.
His son Luo Yanyi, style name Xizhong, was calm and intelligent from a young age, eager to learn. When the city of Jiangling fell, he followed his father into the capital. After his mother passed away, his mourning went beyond the norms of etiquette. When Luo Hao returned to the capital, Luo Yanyi personally carried his mother's coffin, hiding during the day and traveling at night, suffering from frostbite on his hands and feet. Upon reaching the capital, he suffered a stroke due to the cold, which left him disabled for several years before he eventually recovered. Later on, he gradually rose in rank, serving as a secretary for Prince Poyang, a friend of Prince Yuanling, and a military officer under the Minister of Works.
Zhang Zhao, style name Deming, was from Wu County in Wu Commandery. He was exceptionally filial from a young age, serving his parents with great care and always observing proper etiquette. His father Zhang Han often suffered from a thirst-related illness and had a particular fondness for fresh fish, so Zhang Zhao personally went fishing to meet his father's daily needs. His younger brother Zhang Qian, style name Xuanming, was intelligent and well-read, also extremely filial. After their father's death, the brothers wore no silk and avoided salt and vinegar, eating just a liter of bran porridge daily. Their excessive grief often made them vomit blood, and their neighbors, upon hearing their cries, would also shed tears. Before the mourning period for their father had ended, their mother Lu Shi passed away, and the brothers mourned for six long years, becoming so emaciated that even their relatives and friends barely recognized them. Due to their poverty, they couldn't afford a proper funeral for their parents, so the brothers wore coarse clothing, subsisted on simple meals, and cut themselves off from the world for over ten years. When Prince Hengyang, Bo Xin, visited Wu County for an inspection and wanted to recommend Zhang Qian for an award for filial piety, he firmly declined. Both brothers fell ill due to excessive grief, with Zhang Zhao losing sight in one eye and Zhang Qian suffering from a severe stomach ailment, dying before turning fifty, leaving no descendants behind.
During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, there was a man named Wang Zhixuan who hailed from Taiyuan, living in Shanyin County, Kuaiji, and was renowned for his filial piety. After his father died from grief over his passing, Emperor Gaozong held him in high regard and ordered that the area where Zhixuan lived, previously known as "Qingkuli," be renamed "Xiaojiali."
According to historians, the most important virtue in human relationships is filial piety, so one must repay the kindness of their parents' upbringing, serve their parents wholeheartedly and to the best of their ability, achieving the highest standards of filial piety. Filial piety—only filial piety—must be encouraged! Therefore, as stated in the "Book of Documents," it is indeed noble to "fill the space between heaven and earth"!
