Abstract: As to what can be counted as “filial piety”, Confucius once explained to his students, “it means that you attend to your parents in the for
m of etiquette when they are living; it also means that you bury them in the form of etiquette and hold ceremonies for them in the form of etiquette when they are dead.” Confucius’s idea of “filial piety” takes the shape of “etiquette”. Derived from Confucius’s thinking of “etiquette and filial piety” is a relatively complete system of moral maxims that are rich in contents. In view of its moral significance, this thinking of Confucius’s is well worth careful and further study.

Key words: Confucius;etiquette and filial piety, significance