Analects 4.21 · Li Ren
“You must always know your parents’ age: it is at once a cause for joy and a cause for concern.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
父母之年 不可不知也 一則以喜 一則以懼 (fù mǔ zhī nián, bù kě bù zhī yě, yī zé yǐ xǐ, yī zé yǐ jù) means “You must always know your parents’ age: it is at once a cause for joy and a cause for concern.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 4 (Li Ren), Chapter 21.
父母之年 不可不知也 一則以喜 一則以懼
- Pinyin
- fù mǔ zhī nián, bù kě bù zhī yě, yī zé yǐ xǐ, yī zé yǐ jù
- Translation
- You must always know your parents’ age: it is at once a cause for joy and a cause for concern.
- Source
- Analects, Book 4 (Li Ren), Chapter 21
What does this passage mean?
In this passage from the Li Ren chapter, Confucius says that we must always know our parents' ages. 一則以喜 means that on one hand we rejoice because they have lived long, while 一則以懼 means that on the other we fear because they are growing old. This coexistence of joy and fear arises from profound love for one's parents. In Confucius's age, before the development of modern medicine, a parent's decline brought an especially urgent premonition of parting.
How can we apply it today?
How many people remember their parents' exact ages? In busy daily life, many forget a parent's birthday or fail to look after their health. Each year added to a parent's age also means less time remaining together. The ability to feel joy and fear at once is itself the beginning of filial devotion. The easiest practice is to call your parents today.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Do I know my parents' exact ages?
- ·Have I considered how much time I may have left with them?
- ·Do I feel this heart in which joy and fear coexist?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 父 | fù | father | 4 | 父 (father) |
| 母 | mǔ | mother | 5 | 毋 (do not) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 年 | nián | year | 6 | 干 (dry) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 可 | kě | right | 5 | 口 (mouth) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 知 | zhī | know | 8 | 矢 (arrow) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
| 一 | yī | one | 1 | 一 (one) |
| 則 | zé | then; immediately | 9 | 刀 (knife) |
| 以 | yǐ | by means of | 5 | 人 (person) |
| 喜 | xǐ | joyful | 12 | 口 (mouth) |
| 一 | yī | one | 1 | 一 (one) |
| 則 | zé | then; immediately | 9 | 刀 (knife) |
| 以 | yǐ | by means of | 5 | 人 (person) |
| 懼 | jù | fear | 22 | 心 (heart) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “You must always know your parents’ age: it…” mean?
父母之年 不可不知也 一則以喜 一則以懼 (fù mǔ zhī nián, bù kě bù zhī yě, yī zé yǐ xǐ, yī zé yǐ jù) means “You must always know your parents’ age: it is at once a cause for joy and a cause for concern.” It comes from the Analects, Book 4 (Li Ren), Chapter 21.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 4.21: Book 4 (Li Ren), Chapter 21.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
How many people remember their parents' exact ages?In busy daily life, many forget a parent's birthday or fail to look after their health.