Zhai Pulin was from Chuqiu. He was kind and well-known for his filial piety. Despite multiple summons to serve as an official, he resolutely declined, devoting himself to farming and caring for his parents. The villagers affectionately referred to him as "Mr. Chuqiu." Later, when his parents became ill, he personally took care of them, changing their clothes from wet to dry, and at seventy, he still dressed them himself. During the reign of the Sui Dynasty, his parents passed away in quick succession, leaving Zhai Pulin heartbroken and nearly overwhelmed. He set up a small shelter beside their graves, personally tended to the graves, and even in the harsh winter, he wore only a thin linen garment. His black dog stayed by his side at the graveside, and whenever Zhai Pulin wept, the dog would join him in howling, which amazed those who witnessed it. Two magpie nests were built in the cypress tree outside his home, and the magpies would often enter his home, gentle and unafraid. During the reign of the Sui Dynasty, the local inspector noted his filial piety, reported it to the emperor, and Zhai Pulin was appointed as the magistrate of Xiaoyang County.
This tale highlights Zhai Pulin's remarkable filial piety. He not only cared for his parents wholeheartedly, but even after they passed, he showed profound grief and longing. Furthermore, even his dog and the magpies seemed to sense his sorrow, which further underscores the touching nature of his devotion. Ultimately, he was appointed to an official position due to his filial piety, which could be seen as a reward for his good deeds.
Li Derao was a native of Bo, Zhaojun. His ancestor Li Che served as the Right Minister of the Ministry of Rites in the Wei Kingdom, and his father Li Chun served as the Prefect of Jiezhou during the Kaihuang period. Li Derao was intelligent and studious from a young age, kind-hearted, and highly respected by his family. He became a Junior Editor at a young age, where he worked in the Ministry of the Interior, handling official documents. Later, he was promoted to the position of Imperial Censor, upholding justice and enforcing the law, even having the courage to correct the mistakes of high-ranking officials' relatives. In the third year of Daye, he was promoted to the position of Attendant to the Imperial Secretariat, frequently conducting inspections in various regions, vindicating the wronged and praising those who showed filial piety and brotherly love. Although his official position was not very high, his moral character earned him great respect from the people of his time, and his associates were all talented and respected individuals. He was especially filial to his parents; when they were ill, he went without food for days and went without changing his clothes for ten days. After his parents passed away, he did not drink water for five days; overcome with grief, he coughed up several liters of blood. On the day of the burial, in the midst of a heavy winter snowstorm, he walked over forty miles barefoot in coarse mourning clothes, crying out in despair until he nearly fainted. More than a thousand mourners at the funeral shed tears, and miraculously, dew descended from the trees in his family's courtyard, and magpies nested under the eaves of his house.
When Minister Yang Da inspected Hebei, he made a special visit to Li Derao's home to offer his condolences and renamed the village where Li Derao resided as "Xiaojing Village" and the township to "Heshun Township." Later, Li Derao was appointed magistrate of Jinhe County. Before he took office, he faced a surge of bandit activity. The bandit leader Ge Qian, Sun Xuanya, and over ten other bandit leaders gathered with a large number of troops in the Bohai area. The court ordered them to surrender, but Ge Qian and his men were too afraid to comply. They heard that Li Derao was honest and reliable, so they sent someone to inform the court, saying, "If Li Derao is sent, we will surrender together." The emperor then sent Li Derao to persuade the bandits in Bohai to surrender. When Li Derao arrived at Guanshi, he encountered other bandits attacking the county town. Tragically, Li Derao met his demise.
His brother Li Deliao was known for his integrity and reliability. In the later years of the Daye period, he served as a judicial officer in Lishi County, and the prefect Yang Zichong highly valued him. After the rebel army's uprising, Yang Zichong was killed, and his body was discarded outside the city. Li Deliao mourned deeply and arranged for Yang Zichong's burial. When he arrived in Jiexiu, he sought out the rebel army and requested permission to take charge of the funeral arrangements for Yang Zichong. The general greatly appreciated him, posthumously appointed Yang Zichong to an official position, and appointed Li Deliao as an envoy to go to Lishi to handle Yang Zichong's funeral in a grand manner.
Hua Qiu was from Linhe County, Jijun. He lost his father at a young age and had been very filial to his mother, which earned him a local reputation. His family was poor, so he could only do odd jobs to support his family. When his mother fell ill, Hua Qiu appeared worn and distressed, with messy hair and beard, evoking sympathy from everyone in the county. After his mother passed away, he stopped grooming himself, and his hair fell out. He constructed a small shelter beside his mother's grave and personally piled up the tomb with baskets of soil. When people tried to help him, he immediately knelt down to decline.
During the Daye era, the court issued an order to collect fox pelts, and large-scale hunts were conducted in the counties and prefectures. A rabbit, chased by hunters, darted into Hua Qiu's shed, hiding beneath his knees. When the hunters arrived and saw this, they found it odd and chose to spare the rabbit. From then on, the rabbit frequently spent the night in the shed and grew very close to Hua Qiu. County officials praised Hua Qiu's filial piety highly and reported his deeds to the higher authorities. Emperor Yang of Sui even sent people to visit him and inscribed a commendation on his family's door. Later, banditry was rampant, often appearing near Hua Qiu's shed. They warned each other, "Don’t mess with this filial son!" Thanks to Hua Qiu, many local villagers were able to save their lives.
Xu Xiaosu was also from Ji County. His family was one of thousands of households, most of whom lived in luxury, but Xu Xiaosu was renowned for his frugality and devotion to his parents. From a young age, he demonstrated a strong sense of responsibility, and whenever family disputes arose, everyone turned to him for resolution. Those he criticized always admitted their mistakes and repented. Xu Xiaosu lost his father at a young age and had never seen his father's face. When he grew up, he asked his mother about his father's appearance, then he commissioned a painter to create a portrait of his father and built a small shrine to honor it, and regularly paid his respects. He was deeply devoted to his mother, 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 daily needs, working day and night, which saddened everyone who witnessed it. After his mother passed away, Xu Xiaosu adopted a vegetarian lifestyle, even wearing just a single layer of clothing in the dead of winter, growing so thin that his bones were visible. He personally built tombs for his grandparents and parents, living next to their graves for over forty years, with disheveled hair and barefoot, and eventually died there.
His younger brother Xu Debei, clever and quick-witted, knowledgeable in the Five Classics, was regarded as a Confucian scholar in the Heshuo region. After Xu Debei passed away, his son Xu Chumo set up a shelter beside his tomb and lived there. Their family has been renowned for their filial piety for generations.
Historical records say: In the past, the promotion of filial piety often relied on kings and nobles, but in recent centuries, the values of filial piety and brotherly respect have increasingly been seen in the thatched cottages of common folk. People like Yan Shi and Dao Ze, some came from families of high-ranking officials, while others swore to be loyal to the country, but ultimately met tragic ends. Although this goes against the rules set by the ancient kings, it also reflects their benevolence and righteousness.
The Lang brothers, in order to save their younger brother, the elder brother nearly lost his life while saving his younger brother; Tian Yi and his wife sacrificed their lives for the country, earning them a lasting legacy. De Rao's kindness swayed the mountain bandits, and De Zhai's righteous actions moved the king; all of these acts are truly commendable! Some families have exceptionally lush gardens, and the animals and birds around their graves are especially gentle. Isn't this due to their sincere filial piety and brotherly love that they have touched the heavens, earth, and gods?! "Lush plants and beautiful trees thrive in the courtyard, and the animals and birds are tame around the tomb," that's the meaning behind it.
