Meaning of the character Hsiâo. 1. The Chinese character
pronounced Hsiâo, which we translate by 'Filial Piety,' and
which may also perform the part of an adjective, 'filial,' of a
verb, 'to be filial,' or of an adverb, 'filially,' is one of the
composite characters whose meaning is suggested by the meanings
of their constituent parts combined together. It is made up of
two others,--One signifying 'an old man' or 'old age,' and
beneath it the character signifying 'a son.' It thus, according
to the Shwo Wăn, the oldest Chinese dictionary (A.D. 100),
presents to the eye 'a son bearing up an old man,' that is, a
child supporting his parent. Hsiâo also enters as their
phonetical element into at least twenty other characters, so
that it must be put down as of very early formation. The
character King has been explained in the Introduction to the Shû
King, p. 2; and the title, Hsiâo King, means 'the Classic of
Filial Piety.' Was the treatise called the Hsiâo King by
Confucius? 2. Many Chinese critics contend that th