慎终追远章

Original text

曾子曰：“慎终追远，民德归厚矣。”

Translation

Tseng Tzu said, "Holding last honors gravely and showing retrospection for remote ancestors, the mores will gradually turn over to an unsophisticated situation."

Annotation from research

The ultimate concern is a unique part of the social philosophy. The Confucians are not strict atheists. But the direct reason for Confucian funerals and sacrificial rites is not to have contact with God, but to have contact with the ones who passed away. Chinese tradition does not contain a belief of resurrection, not as the Christians. The offspring, in Chinese’s opinion, is an extension of the parents, and the death is viewed as natural hand-over between generations. So the resurrection becomes unnecessary. But on the other hand, the inheritance from the parents and even remote ancestors is turned to a duty instead of an option for Chinese. The relationship among the livings is sophisticated, hard to deal with. But the contact between the livings and the ancestor passed away is always simple and full of care. The Confucians believe if everyone holds a serious recognition of the responsibilities entrusted from the ancestors, the whole society will finally go in peace since one does not only stand for himself or herself but also carrying something from their ancestors. And if the similar sympathy is applied to the strangers, more forgiveness will be given, and the society itself will result in a situation with more benevolence.