Liu Shijun was from Pengcheng. He was especially filial; after his mother passed away, he fainted several times, only to regain consciousness. He fasted for seven days, remained by his mother's grave, dug the grave himself and planted pine and cypress trees. Even foxes and wolves appeared to be touched by his devotion and brought him food. After the founding emperor ascended the throne, he specifically honored Liu's family.
Lang Fanggui was from Huainan. He had ambitions since childhood and lived with his cousin Lang Shuanggui. During the Kaihuang era, Lang Fanggui went out in heavy rain, and the Huai River swelled. While waiting for a boat at the ferry crossing, the boatman lost his temper and broke Lang Fanggui's arm. When he returned home, his younger brother Lang Shuanggui anxiously asked him what happened, and Lang Fanggui told his brother everything that had occurred. Lang Shuanggui was very angry, went to the ferry crossing, and killed the boatman. The ferry guards arrested Lang Shuanggui and sent him to the county yamen. After interrogation, the county magistrate believed that Lang Fanggui was the instigator and sentenced him to death, while Lang Shuanggui was an accomplice and sentenced to exile. Both brothers insisted on being the main culprits, so the county yamen could not decide and reported the case to the prefecture. Both brothers insisted on confessing, but the prefecture was also unable to reach a decision. In a surprising turn of events, both brothers contemplated jumping into the river to end their lives. The prefecture reported the situation to the court, and the emperor found the situation very strange upon hearing about it. He granted them both amnesty, honored their family, and awarded them one hundred rolls of cloth. Later, Lang Fanggui went on to become the chief scribe of the prefecture.
Zhai Pulin was from Chuqiu. He was kind and deeply devoted to his parents, famous far and wide for his filial piety. The local authorities repeatedly called on him to take up an official position, but he resolutely declined, preferring to farm and care for his parents. People in the village called him "Mr. Chuqiu." Later, when his parents fell ill, he personally attended to them for seventy days without changing clothes. In the early days of Daye, both of his parents passed away, which left Zhai Pulin heartbroken, almost losing his mind. He lived next to his parents' graves, digging the grave and constructing the tomb himself; even in the bitter winter, he wore only a thin linen garment. He had a small black dog at home, who stayed by his side at the grave. Whenever Zhai Pulin cried in sorrow, the dog would whine along with him, which amazed everyone who saw it. Two magpie nests had been built in the cypress tree by the grave, and the magpies often flew into his small house, very tame and completely unafraid of him. During the Daye period, when the local officials conducted their inspections, they reported on Zhai Pulin's exemplary filial piety, and the emperor appointed him as the magistrate of Xiaoyang County.
Li De Rao, from Bairen County, Zhao County. His grandfather, Li Che, was the Right Chancellor of the Ministry of Officialdom during the Wei Dynasty; his father, Li Chun, served as the Prefect of Jiezhou during the Kaihuang period of the Sui Dynasty. Li De Rao was intelligent and studious from a young age, kind-hearted, and highly respected by his family. In his youth, he became a court official, working in the Ministry of Personnel, handling official documents. Later, he was promoted to the role of Imperial Censor, performing his duties with integrity, even daring to correct the mistakes of high-ranking officials' relatives. In the third year of Daye, he was further promoted to the office of the Sikong, frequently traveling to inspect various regions, righting wrongs and praising those who showed filial piety and kindness. Although his official rank was modest, his noble character was highly praised at the time. He was surrounded by the most talented individuals of his era. He was especially filial to his parents; when they fell ill, he neither ate nor changed his clothes for ten days. During the mourning period after their passing, he did not consume water for five days, grieving so deeply that he vomited several liters of blood. On the day of the funeral, amidst heavy snow in midwinter, he walked barefoot for over forty miles in rough mourning clothes, crying out in despair until he nearly fainted. More than a thousand attendees at the funeral were moved to tears, and miraculously, dew descended from the trees in his family's yard, with magpies nesting under the eaves of his home.
When the Minister Yang Da made a special trip to Li Derao's house to offer his condolences, he renamed the village where Li Derao lived "Xiaojing Village" and the neighborhood "Heshun Lane." Later, Li Derao was appointed as the magistrate of Jinhe County. Before he even took office, a group of bandits emerged. The bandit leaders Ge Qian, Sun Xuanya, and over ten others gathered in the Bohai area causing chaos. The court ordered them to surrender, but Ge Qian and the others were too afraid to comply. Hearing that Li Derao was honest and reliable, they sent envoys to the court stating, "If Li Derao comes, we will surrender as one." The emperor then sent Li Derao to persuade the bandits in Bohai to surrender. When Li Derao reached Guan County, he ran into other bandits who had stormed the county town, and unfortunately, Li Derao was killed.
Li Dezhuo, Li Derao's younger brother, was renowned for his unwavering commitment to his promises. As the Sui Dynasty was nearing its end, he served as a judicial clerk in Lishi County, and Governor Yang Zichong held him in high regard. After the righteous army's uprising, Yang Zichong was killed, and his body was abandoned outside the city. Li Dezhuo mourned and buried him. When he reached Jiexiu, he sought out the righteous army and requested to oversee the funeral arrangements for Yang Zichong. The general held him in high esteem, posthumously bestowing an official title upon Yang Zichong, and designated Li Dezhuo as an envoy to return to Lishi to conduct Yang Zichong's funeral with great solemnity.
Hua Qiu was from Linhe County in Jijun. He lost his father when he was young and was very filial in caring for his mother, gaining a reputation for it. His family was poor, so he could only do odd jobs to support himself. When his mother fell ill, Hua Qiu looked haggard, with messy hair and a scruffy beard, that everyone in the county felt sorry for him. After his mother passed away, he stopped grooming himself and even went bald. He built a small shed next to his mother's grave and dug and piled soil on the grave himself. When people offered to help, he would kneel down to refuse. During the Daye era, the government was collecting fox fur, and the county organized a large-scale fox hunt. A rabbit being chased by hunters ran into Hua Qiu's shed and hid under his knees. When the hunters arrived and saw this scene in the shed, they were surprised and did not catch the rabbit. From then on, the rabbit frequently stayed overnight in the shed and became very close to Hua Qiu. The people in the county praised his filial piety and reported it to the court. Emperor Yang of Sui even sent someone to visit him and bestowed honors upon his family. Later, bandits were rampant, frequently lurking near Hua Qiu's shed. They would warn each other, "Don't mess with this filial son!" Thanks to Hua Qiu, many villagers were able to save their lives.
Xu Xiaosu, also hailing from Ji County, came from a family of thousands of households, most of whom led extravagant lives. Only Xu Xiaosu lived simply and was renowned for his filial piety. He lost his father at a young age and had never seen his father’s face. When he grew up, he asked his mother for his father's appearance, then had a painter draw his father's portrait, constructed a small shrine to honor it, and regularly paid his respects to it. He served his mother with great filial piety, and for decades, his family never saw him lose his temper. When his mother grew old and fell ill, Xu Xiaosu personally took care of her, worried and caring for her for several years, drawing tears from those who witnessed it. After his mother passed away, Xu Xiaosu subsisted solely on vegetarian food and water, wearing just a thin garment in the dead of winter, growing gaunt and emaciated. He personally chose the burial plots for his grandparents and parents, resided beside the cemetery for over forty years, with unkempt hair and bare feet, and ultimately passed away in that state.
His younger brother, Xu Debei, was sharp-witted and well-versed in the Five Classics, esteemed as a Confucian scholar in the Hebei region. After Xu Debei passed away, his son Xu Chumo also resided in a makeshift shelter beside the grave. Their family had been celebrated for generations for their filial piety.
Historical records say: Historically, the promotion of respect for elders depended on the nobility and ministers. But in recent years, those who advocate filial piety, brotherhood, and love predominantly come from impoverished backgrounds. People like Yan Shi and Dao Ze, one hailing from a family of officials for generations, and the other who swore to serve the country, both met tragic ends, leaving their families in ruins. While this contradicts the edicts of ancient emperors, their benevolence and righteousness shine through their missteps.
The Lang Gui brothers risked their lives to save each other, but ultimately, they both survived; the Tian Yi couple died together, leaving behind a good reputation. De Rao won over the mountain bandits with his benevolence, and De Zhuo impressed the Xing King with his loyalty; these actions are also commendable. Niu Hui, Liu Jun, Zhai Lin, Hua Qiu, and others, some have lush gardens, while others have gentle birds and animals near their graves. Is this not because they have exemplified the highest form of filial piety, moving heaven and earth?
