舜，传说中的远古帝王，五帝之一，姓姚，名重华，号有虞氏，史称虞舜。相传他的父亲瞽叟及继母、异母弟象，多次想害死他：让舜修补谷仓仓顶时，从谷仓下纵火，舜手持两个斗笠跳下逃脱；让舜掘井时，瞽叟与象却下土填井，舜掘地道逃脱。事后舜毫不嫉恨，仍对父亲恭顺，对弟弟慈爱。他的孝行感动了天帝。舜在厉山耕种，大象替他耕地，鸟代他锄草。帝尧听说舜非常孝顺，有处理政事的才干，把两个女儿娥皇和女英嫁给他；经过多年观察和考验，选定舜做他的继承人。舜登天子位后，去看望父亲，仍然恭恭敬敬，并封象为诸侯。
后人有诗赞曰：队队春耕象，纷纷耘草禽。嗣尧登宝位，孝感动 天心

One of the five ancient legendary emperors was Shun, his name was Yao Chong Hua and his title was Yu Shun. His father Gu Sou, his stepmother and his stepbrother Xiang always had plans to murder him. When Shun was asked to repair the roof of the granary, fire was set from below; luckily, he escaped with the bamboo hats in his hands. On another occasion, when Shun climbed down to dig a well, Gu Sou and Xiang poured soil into the well to bury him; and again he got away by digging an underground channel. Despite all these malicious deeds, Shun was still respectful and kind towards his family. His attitude and behavior touched the heaven. When Shun was ploughing and weeding in Li Shan, elephants and birds were sent to help him. When Emperor Yao learned that Shun was a trustworthy great man with ability, he arranged for his two daughters E Huang and Nu Ying to marry him. After years of observation, Emperor Yao eventually chose Shun to be his successor. When Shun became king, he was still respectful to his father and conferred a title of nobility to his stepbrother Xiang.

汉文帝刘恒，汉高祖第三子，为薄太后所生。高后八年（前180）即帝位。他以仁孝之名，闻于天下，侍奉母亲从不懈怠。母亲卧病三年，他常常目不交睫，衣不解带；母亲所服的汤药，他亲口尝过后才放心让母亲服用。他在位24年，重德治，兴礼仪，注意发展农业，使西汉社会稳定，人丁兴旺，经济得到恢复和发展，他与汉景帝的统治时期被誉为“文景之治”。

During the Han Dynasty, Emperor Jing was born as the third child of Emperor Wen and Empress Bo.
When he succeeded to the throne in 180 BC, he was famous for ruling the country with benevolence and filial piety. He attended his mother with great care; while she was bedridden for three years, the Emperor kept her company with little rest for himself. For any medicine that his mother had to take, he would taste it first before letting her take it. During his reign of twenty-four years, he stressed high morals, proper etiquette, agricultural development, social stability, prosperity and economic recovery as well as development. The reigns of Emperor Jing and Emperor Wen are collectively known as “the Age of Wen Jing”.

曾参，字子舆，春秋时期鲁国人，孔子的得意弟子，世称“曾子”，以孝著称。少年时家贫，常入山打柴。一天，家里来了客人，母亲不知所措，就用牙咬自己的手指。曾参忽然觉得心疼，知道母亲在呼唤自己，便背着柴迅速返回家中，跪问缘故。母亲说：“有客人忽然到来，我咬手指盼你回来。”曾参于是接见客人，以礼相待。曾参学识渊博，曾提出“吾日三省吾身”（《论语·学而》）的修养方法，相传他著述有《大学》、《孝经》等儒家经典，后世儒家尊他为“宗圣”。

During the Chun Qiu Era, one of Confucius’ favorite disciples was Zeng Shen or Zeng Zi. He came from a poor family and always had to go to the mountains to collect firewood. One day, a guest came to visit his family; his mother was unsure about how to deal with the situation and started to bite her fingers. On Zeng Zi’s side, he also started to feel a sudden pain in his heart and knew his mother was calling him. He rushed home, knelt on the floor and asked his mother what had happened. His mother said, “A guest turns up in our place, I bite my fingers hoping that you will come back immediately.” Zeng Zi proceeded to receive the guests with warm hospitality. Zeng Zi was a man with great knowledge, and advocated that one should practice introspection at least three times a day. His important writings included “University”, “Scriptures of Filial Piety” and “Lun Yu”. He was respected as a sacred person in Confucianism.

仲由，字子路、季路，春秋时期鲁国人，孔子的得意弟子，性格直率勇敢，十分孝顺。早年家中贫穷，自己常常采野菜做饭食，却从百里之外负米回家侍奉双亲。父母死后，他做了大官，奉命到楚国去，随从的车马有百乘之众，所积的粮食有万钟之多。坐在垒叠的锦褥上，吃着丰盛的筵席，他常常怀念双亲，慨叹说：“即使我想吃野菜，为父母亲去负米，哪里能够再得呢？”孔子赞扬说：“你侍奉父母，可以说是生时尽力，死后思念哪！”（《孔子家语·致思》）

Zhong You, also named Zi Lu, was one of Confucius’ favorite students in the Chun Qiu Era. He was candid, brave and filial. In his early years, the family was rather poor. He had simple meals with wild vegetables for himself, but he would carry rice on his back and walked fifty kilometers to visit his parents. After his parents’ deaths, he became a senior government officer and was ordered to take charge of a place called Chu. His wealth grew along with his new stature. When he rested on his satin sheets and had sumptuous meals, he missed his parents a lot. He often sighed, “Even if I want to eat just wild vegetables and carry rice to go visit my parents, how can that happen again?” Confucius commended him by saying, “In terms of filial piety, you did your best when they were alive; and you continued to have them in your heart even when they passed away!”

闵损，字子骞，春秋时期鲁国人，孔子的弟子，在孔门中以德行与颜渊并称。孔子曾赞扬他说：“孝哉，闵子骞！”（《论语·先进》）。他生母早死，父亲娶了后妻，又生了两个儿子。继母经常虐待他，冬天，两个弟弟穿着用棉花做的冬衣，却给他穿用芦花做的“棉衣”。一天，父亲出门，闵损牵车时因寒冷打颤，将绳子掉落地上，遭到父亲的斥责和鞭打，芦花随着打破的衣缝飞了出来，父亲方知闵损受到虐待。父亲返回家，要休逐后妻。闵损跪求父亲饶恕继母，说：“留下母亲只是我一个人受冷，休了母亲三个孩子都要挨冻。”父亲十分感动，就依了他。继母听说，悔恨知错，从此对待他如亲子。

Min Sun or commonly known as Min Zi Qian, is a follower of Confucius in the Chun Qiu Era. He had very high moral standards and was often compared to another Confucian master, Yan Yuan. Confucius used to praise him for his obedience and love for his parents. Min Sun’s mother died young, his father remarried and had two more sons. This stepmother gave him clothing made of reed catkins while saving the warm cotton for her own sons. One winter day, Min Sun went out with his father. He trembled from the cold and accidentally dropped the rope he was holding. He was then reprimanded and whipped. The catkins started to fly out from his clothes torn by the whipping. His father then realized that his wife mistreated his son and was so angry that he wanted to abandon this woman. Min Sun knelt before his father and begged for forgiveness on behalf of his stepmother, saying that “If there is mother, it is only me who is cold; if there is no mother, the three of us will be cold.” His father was deeply touched by his words and forgave his wife. On the other hand, the stepmother, with great remorse and regret, also came to treat him like her own child thereafter.

郯子，春秋时期人。父母年老，患眼疾，需饮鹿乳疗治。他便披鹿皮进入深山，钻进鹿群中，挤取鹿乳，供奉双亲。一次取乳时，看见猎人正要射杀一只麂鹿，郯子急忙掀起鹿皮现身走出，将挤取鹿乳为双亲医病的实情告知猎人，猎人敬他孝顺，以鹿乳相赠，护送他出山。

Tan Zi was born in the Chun Qiu Period. When his parents got old, they had eye disease and had to take deer’s milk for treatment. To get the milk for his parents, Tan Zi had to put on deerskin so that he could mingle in the deer group undetected. One day, when he spotted that a hunter was about to shoot a deer, Tan Zi quickly revealed himself and told him about his story. The hunter, who was moved by his love for his parents, gave him deer milk as a present and escorted him out of the mountain.

老莱子，春秋时期楚国隐士，为躲避世乱，自耕于蒙山南麓。他孝顺父母，尽拣美味供奉双亲，70岁尚不言老，常穿着五色彩衣，手持拨浪鼓如小孩子般戏耍，以博父母开怀。一次为双亲送水，进屋时跌了一跤，他怕父母伤心，索性躺在地上学小孩子哭，二老大笑。

Lao Lai Zi, a hermit in the Chun Qiu Era, retreated into Meng Shan Mountain to stay away from political turmoil and worked as a farmer. He was dutiful to his parents and always prepared the most delicious food for them. Despite his age at seventy, he always dressed in colorful clothes and held a drum in hand like that of a child, so as to delight his parents. One day, when he sent some water for his parents, he accidentally slipped at the entrance. In order not to upset them, he just sat on the floor and pretended to cry like a child. His parents ended up having a hearty laugh.

董永，相传为东汉时期千乘（今山东高青县北）人，少年丧母，因避兵乱迁居安陆（今属湖北）。其后父亲亡故，董永卖身至一富家为奴，换取丧葬费用。上工路上，于槐荫下遇一女子，自言无家可归，二人结为夫妇。女子以一月时间织成三百匹锦缎，为董永抵债赎身，返家途中，行至槐荫，女子告诉董永：自己是天帝之女，奉命帮助董永还债。言毕凌空而去。因此，槐荫改名为孝感。

Once during the Han Dynasty, there lived a man named Dong Yong, whose mother died when he was young. To stay away from the wars, he sought refuge from Qian Cheng in Shang Tong Province to An Lu of Hu Bei Province. Before long, his father also passed away. Dong Yong was so poor that he could hardly afford the burial expenses; so he ended up selling himself as a slave to a rich family. On his way to work, he met a young woman who was lost under a pagoda tree. Soon, the two got married. His wife was an expert at handicraft, and used only one month’s time to finish knitting 300 pieces of brocades. The money from selling these brocades were sufficient to pay off the debt owed to that rich family and buy back Dong Yong’s freedom. On their return home, under a pagoda tree, his wife told him that she was the daughter of a deity and was sent to help him. She then ascended and flew away into the sky. Since then, the pagoda tree was also named as Xiao Gan, meaning filial piety.

丁兰，相传为东汉时期河内（今河南黄河北）人，幼年父母双亡，他经常思念父母的养育之恩，于是用木头刻成双亲的雕像，事之如生，凡事均和木像商议，每日三餐敬过双亲后自己方才食用，出门前一定禀告，回家后一定面见，从不懈怠。久之，其妻对木像便不太恭敬了，竟好奇地用针刺木像的手指，而木像的手指居然有血流出。丁兰回家见木像眼中垂泪，问知实情，遂将妻子休弃。

Ding Lan, a man of the Dong Han Era, lost his parents when he was still young. He was always thinking about his gratitude to his parents for giving him life and bringing him up. To express his love, he carved two wooden sculptures. He treated the sculptures as if they were alive. He would discuss everything with them and pay respects to them before any meals. Before he went out, he would tell the sculptures; and once he was back, he would go greet them right away.
As time lapsed, his wife became impolite to the sculptures. Out of curiosity, she used needles to pierce the fingers of the statues; and miraculously the fingers bled. When Ding Lan came home, he found that there were tears running down the sculptures’ faces. After questioning his wife and discovering the truth, he immediately abandoned her.

江革，东汉时齐国临淄人，少年丧父，侍奉母亲极为孝顺。战乱中，江革背着母亲逃难，几次遇到匪盗，贼人欲杀死他，江革哭告：老母年迈，无人奉养，贼人见他孝顺，不忍杀他。后来，他迁居江苏下邳，做雇工供养母亲，自己贫穷赤脚，而母亲所需甚丰。明帝时被推举为孝廉，章帝时被推举为贤良方正，任五官中郎将。

Jiang Ge, a man who lived in the State of Qi in Dong Han Dynasty, was a very dutiful son to his mother. In war times, he carried his mother on his back to run away from chaos. He had come across bandits and gangsters a number of times, and when they tried to kill him, he would cry and beg, “My mother is old, and there is nobody to take care of her.” The bandits were moved, and set him free. Later, when he moved to settle down in Jiangsu, he worked hard to support his mother. He was poor, having no shoes to wear for himself but the mother had everything she needed. During the reign of Emperor Ming, he became a government official and was known for his filial piety and integrity. He was promoted again during Emperor Zhang to be a fifth-rank officer in recognition for his high standards of moral.

陆绩，三国时期吴国吴县华亭（今上海市松江）人，科学家。六岁时，随父亲陆康到九江谒见袁术，袁术拿出橘子招待，陆绩往怀里藏了两个橘子。临行时，橘子滚落地上，袁术嘲笑道：“陆郎来我家作客，走的时候还要怀藏主人的橘子吗？”陆绩回答说：“母亲喜欢吃橘子，我想拿回去送给母亲尝尝。”袁术见他小小年纪就懂得孝顺母亲，十分惊奇。陆绩成年后，博学多识，通晓天文、历算，曾作《浑天图》，注《易经》，撰写《太玄经注》。

During the San Guo Period, there lived a scientist known as Lu Ji in the state of Wu. When he was six, he accompanied his father Lu Kang to Jiu Jiang to visit a man called Yuan Shu. Upon arrival, Yuan Shu welcomed them with oranges and Lu Ji hid two of them under his clothes. When Lu Ji was leaving, his oranges fell onto the ground and Yuan Shu mocked him. The little boy said, “My mother likes eating oranges, I would like her to try them.” Yuan Shu was astonished to see a boy, at such a young age, knew how to respect and love his mother. Lu Ji later became a scholar, versed in astrology and calculation; he also authored “Hun Tian Tu” as well as explanatory notes for “Yi Jing” and “Tai Xuan Jing”.

郭巨，晋代隆虑（今河南林县）人，一说河内温县（今河南温县西南）人，原本家道殷实。父亲死后，他把家产分作两份，给了两个弟弟，自己独取母亲供养，对母极孝。后家境逐渐贫困，妻子生一男孩，郭巨担心，养这个孩子，必然影响供养母亲，遂和妻子商议：“儿子可以再有，母亲死了不能复活，不如埋掉儿子，节省些粮食供养母亲。”当他们挖坑时，在地下二尺处忽见一坛黄金，上书“天赐郭巨，官不得取，民不得夺”。夫妻得到黄金，回家孝敬母亲，并得以兼养孩子。

Guo Ju came from a wealthy family in the Jin Dynasty. When his father passed away, Guo Ju divided up the estates and wealth into two portions and gave them away to his two brothers. For himself, he chose to take care of his mother and be a dutiful son. However, as time passed, Guo was getting worse off financially. With the birth of his baby son, he was worried that the money spent on the child would deprive his mother. After discussions with his wife, he said, “We can have a child again later, but if mother dies, she won’t be alive again. So, we had better bury our child and save some food for our mother.” After they dug the ground to about 60 centimeters deep, they found a pot of gold etched with these written words: “God sent to Guo Ju, not to be taken by officials, and not to be robbed by folks”. When this couple received this treasure, they returned home to serve the mother and raise the child.

黄香，东汉江夏安陆人，九岁丧母，事父极孝。酷夏时为父亲扇凉枕席；寒冬时用身体为父亲温暖被褥。少年时即博通经典，文采飞扬，京师广泛流传“天下无双，江夏黄童”。安帝（107-125年）时任魏郡（今属河北）太守，魏郡遭受水灾，黄香尽其所有赈济灾民。著有《九宫赋》、《天子冠颂》等。

Huang Xiang, who lived in Dong Xia during the Dong Han Era, lost his mother at nine and served his father with all his love. In hot summer days, he would use a paper fan to cool his father’s pillow; and in cold winter nights, he would use his body to warm up the bedding. In his teens, he was already well versed in scriptures and possessed a great flair in writing. His talent was well acknowledged and he was described as a prodigy beyond compare. During the reign of Emperor An (107-125 AD), he was a senior official in charge of Wei. When Wei had floods, Huang Xiang would offer all his wealth to help the victims. His works included “Jiu Gong Fu” and “Tian Zi Guan Song”.

蔡顺，汉代汝南（今属河南）人，少年丧父，事母甚孝。当时正值王莽之乱，又遇饥荒，柴米昂贵，只得拾桑葚母子充饥。一天，巧遇赤眉军，义军士兵厉声问道：“为什么把红色的桑葚和黑色的桑葚分开装在两个篓子里？”蔡顺回答说：“黑色的桑葚供老母食用，红色的桑葚留给自己吃。” 
赤眉军怜悯他的孝心，送给他三斗白米，一头牛，带回去供奉他的母亲，以示敬意。

Cai Shun came from Henan Province in the Han Dynasty. He lost his father when young and took very good care of his mother. At that time, there was the outbreak of Wang Mang Uprising and famine. Days were extremely difficult and food was expensive. Cai Shun could not afford to buy rice; he could only pick mulberries for his mother as food. One day, he accidentally met the red eyebrow army; the soldiers shouted at him and asked, “ Why do you have to separate the black mulberries from the red, and put them in different containers?” Cai Shun replied, “The black ones (ripe and sweet) are reserved for my mother, the red ones are for myself.” The army was sympathetic towards his situation, and rewarded him with rice and cattle as an appreciation towards his filial piety for his mother.

姜诗，东汉四川广汉人，娶庞氏为妻。夫妻孝顺，其家距长江六七里之遥，庞氏常到江边取婆婆喜喝的长江水。婆婆爱吃鱼，夫妻就常做鱼给她吃，婆婆不愿意独自吃，他们又请来邻居老婆婆一起吃。一次因风大，庞氏取水晚归，姜诗怀疑她怠慢母亲，将她逐出家门。庞氏寄居在邻居家中，昼夜辛勤纺纱织布，将积蓄所得托邻居送回家中孝敬婆婆。其后，婆婆知道了庞氏被逐之事，令姜诗将其请回。庞氏回家这天，院中忽然喷涌出泉水，口味与长江水相同，每天还有两条鲤鱼跃出。从此，庞氏便用这些供奉婆婆，不必远走江边了。

Jiang Shi and his wife, Pang, were a couple who lived in Guang Han of Sichuan in the Han Dynasty. They set up house near his mother and was several kilometers away from the Yangtze River. Pang always go to the riverside to fetch fresh water as her mother-in-law was fond of that taste. As the mother also loved eating fish, the couple would always prepare it and invited neighbours to dine with her. On one windy day, Pang came home late from the river. Jiang Shi suspected his wife was neglecting his mother and ended up abandoning her. After his abandonment, Pang lived in their neighbour’s house and worked very hard to spin yarn. The neighbours would then send all the earnings she made to her mother-in-law. Later, when the mother realized that Pang was abandoned, she immediately demanded her son to invite her back home. When Pang returned home that day, water suddenly spouted up from the ground in the yard; the taste was just the same as that from Yangtze river. In addition, two carps also came from the water every day. Since then, Pang would use these to serve her mother without having to walk a long distance.

王裒，魏晋时期营陵（今山东昌乐东南）人，博学多能。父亲王仪被司马昭杀害，他隐居以教书为业，终身不面向西坐，表示永不作晋臣。其母在世时怕雷，死后埋葬在山林中。每当风雨天气，听到雷声，他就跑到母亲坟前，跪拜安慰母亲说：“裒儿在这里，母亲不要害怕。”他教书时，每当读到《蓼莪》篇，就常常泪流满面，思念父母。

Wang Pou, a versatile man with many talents, was born in Ying Ling (now Shang Tong Province) during the Wei Jin Period. His father was killed by Si Ma Zhao, one of the founders of the West Jin Empire. Since then, Wang Pou lived in seclusion as a teacher. He took a vow that he would never face the direction of west when he sit; and he would never work for the emperor. When his mother was alive, she was very afraid of thunder. When she passed away, she was buried in the woods. Whenever there were thunderstorms, Wang Pou would rush to her tomb and shouted “Wang Pou is here, Wang Pou is here; mother don’t be afraid”. Every time he came to teach a poem named “Lu E” which was about the gratitude towards one’s parents for all their love and care, he would break into tears and miss his departed parents.

崔山南，名，唐代博陵（今属河北）人，官至山南西道节度使，人称“山南”。当年，崔山南的曾祖母长孙夫人，年事已高，牙齿脱落，祖母唐夫人十分孝顺，每天盥洗后，都上堂用自己的乳汁喂养婆婆，如此数年，长孙夫人不再吃其他饭食，身体依然健康。长孙夫人病重时，将全家大小召集在一起，说：“我无以报答新妇之恩，但愿新妇的子孙媳妇也像她孝敬我一样孝敬她。”后来崔山南做了高官，果然像长孙夫人所嘱，孝敬祖母唐夫人。

Cui Shan Nan, born in He Bei Province of the Tang Dynasty, used to be an ambassador for the local government. In his family, his great grandmother Madam Zhang Sun was old and toothless. His grandmother Madam Tang was a very loving daughter-in-law, and would go daily to feed Zhang Sun with her own milk. She had been doing this for years, and Zhang Sun was able to maintain good health without having other sources of food. Later, when Zhang Sun fell critically ill, she summoned everybody to her bedside and said, “I have nothing to thank my daughter-in-law, I just hope that everyone in the family will respect her like you would do to me.” When Cui Shan Nan grew up and became a senior officer, he still remembered Zhang Sun’s words and treated his grandmother with all his love and respect.

王祥，琅琊人，生母早丧，继母朱氏多次在他父亲面前说他的坏话，使他失去父爱。父母患病，他衣不解带侍候，继母想吃活鲤鱼，适值天寒地冻，他解开衣服卧在冰上，冰忽然自行融化，跃出两条鲤鱼。继母食后，果然病愈。王祥隐居二十余年，后从温县县令做到大司农、司空、太尉。

Long time ago, a boy named Wang Xiang lived with his parents in a small village located in Wang Jiang City. Having lost his own mother at young age, he was often mistreated by his stepmother who made him do dirty works and eating only the leftovers. The stepmother later came to have her own child called Wang Lan. Unlike the mother, Wang Lan was kind and he loved his brother. Every time Wang Xiang was beaten, he would protect him with his body; and he would often exchange his food with his brother’s. The stepmother was irritated and plotted to kill Wang Xiang.
One Day, when Wang Xiang returned home from work, his stepmother pretended to reward him with a bowl of chicken broth that was poisoned. Unexpectedly, the younger brother came out to try the food first and was poisoned to death. The stepmother was extremely shocked by what she had done. Filled with grief, she fell gravely ill.
After a while, the stepmother wanted to have some fish soup. Ungrudgingly, Wang Xiang rushed to Ba Liang Que market to get some fish. However, because of freezing weather, there was no fish for sale. Since she was so desperate for fish, he rushed to a frozen pond nearby his village; he took off his clothes and lay on the ice to try to catch fish. His filial piety moved the heaven, and suddenly there was a crack on the pond and two golden carps jumped out from it. Wang Xiang was thrilled. He thought these fishes were god-sent, so he just took a few pieces of scales and released them back into the water. He used the fish scales to make a broth for his stepmother who eventually recovered.

吴猛，晋朝濮阳人，八岁时就懂得孝敬父母。家里贫穷，没有蚊帐，蚊虫叮咬使父亲不能安睡。每到夏夜，吴猛总是赤身坐在父亲床前，任蚊虫叮咬而不驱赶，担心蚊虫离开自己去叮咬父亲。

Wu Meng of Jin Dynasty was a man who came to respect and love his parents when he was still young. He came from a poor family and could not afford to buy a mosquito net for the long hot summers. Therefore, during summer nights, he would take off his clothes and sat on his father’s bed to let the mosquitoes sting him. He refused to repel the mosquitoes for he was afraid that these bugs would go sting his father instead. All he wanted was a good night’s sleep for his father.

杨香，晋朝人。十四岁时随父亲到田间割稻，忽然跑来一只猛虎，把父亲扑倒叼走，杨香手无寸铁，为救父亲，全然不顾自己的安危，急忙跳上前，用尽全身气力扼住猛虎的咽喉。猛虎终于放下父亲跑掉了。

Yang Xiang was born in the Jin Dynasty. One day, when he was fourteen, he accompanied his father to the fields. Suddenly, a fierce tiger appeared, knocked down his father and was about to drag him away. Although Yang Xiang was unarmed, he jumped on the tiger and used all his strength to grip hard on its throat. After a while, the tiger surrendered, let go of his father and ran away.

孟宗，三国时江夏人，少年时父亡，母亲年老病重，医生嘱用鲜竹笋做汤。适值严冬，没有鲜笋，孟宗无计可施，独自一人跑到竹林里，扶竹哭泣。少顷，他忽然听到地裂声，只见地上长出数茎嫩笋。孟宗大喜，采回做汤，母亲喝了后果然病愈。后来他官至司空。

Within one and a half kilometers east from Wang Jiang City, there was a temple named Hui Long Gong, behind which was a village called Wu Jia Pu. A fisherman known as Meng Zong lived here with his mother.
Meng Zong was well known for his filial piety. One day, when he came home from fishing, he called his mother several times at the door with no response. He knew something was wrong.
He dropped his fishing equipment, ran into the house and found his mother moaning with pain on bed. He then grabbed some money and rushed out in search of a doctor. It was rather late when he got into the city and most of the shops were closed. He ended up finding a clinic that was closed and knocked hard on the door. Finally, the door was opened by a man with spectacles, he said:
“How dare you knock on my door! I have been busy the whole day; and now, it is not a time for consultation. Come back tomorrow morning.” Just as the doctor was about to close the door, Meng Zong stuck out his foot and begged, “Please pardon my rudeness. My mother is seriously ill. Please give her a consultation.” Knowing that Meng Zong was anxious, the doctor demanded double compensation and an escort back home, and Meng happily accepted.
Through all the darkness, they finally arrived at Meng’s place and the doctor examined his mother. The doctor prepared a prescription and told Meng Zong that he could find all the ingredients at an herbal shop located in East Gate. When he sent the doctor back into town, it was midnight and still dark; he waited right outside the herbal shop and fell asleep. In the morning, he got all his needs from the shop and rushed back home. Despite all his efforts and the subsequent treatments from various doctors, the mother had no improvement. The villagers also showed their sympathy by burning incense and praying, but still in vain.
Meng Zong was very desperate; and suddenly, an old doctor came to his home and offered a consultation for his mother. This man wrote a prescription and stressed that it must be prepared together with fresh and tender bamboo shoots; otherwise, the medicine would not be effective.
It was winter and Meng Zong was anxious about where to find these tender bamboo shoots. Despite his worries, he took a hoe, fought against the chill and tried his best to dig around. He worked so hard that his hands were covered with blisters and blood. When it came to a point that he could no longer persevere, he burst into tears. When his tears ran dry, blood came out from his eyes and dripped to the ground. From the ground where the bloody tears fell, two fresh and tender bamboo shoots miraculously grew.
Meng Zong was very excited, he dug out the bamboo shoots and prepared the medicine for his mother accordingly. His mother recovered immediately and could get out of bed. Meng Zong was very grateful and thanked the heaven for its mercy.

庾黔娄，南齐高士，任孱陵县令。赴任不满十天，忽觉心惊流汗，预感家中有事，当即辞官返乡。回到家中，知父亲已病重两日。医生嘱咐说：“要知道病情吉凶，只要尝一尝病人粪便的味道，味苦就好。” 
黔娄于是就去尝父亲的粪便，发现味甜，内心十分忧虑，夜里跪拜北斗星，乞求以身代父去死。几天后父亲死去，黔娄安葬了父亲，并守制三年

Yu Qian Lou, a man known for his high moral standards, was born in the Nan Qi Era. Originally, he was appointed as the chief for Chan Ling County. Less than ten days after his arrival in Chan Ling County, he felt an unknown fear and cold sweat poured from his body. He knew that something was wrong at home, so he turned in his resignations and hurried home. When he arrived home, he discovered that his father had been seriously ill for two days. The doctor said, “ If you want to find out about your father’s condition, you need to taste the stool; if the taste is bitter, it means your father is recovering.” Yu Qian Lou tasted the stool and discovered that it was sweet. He was very worried and knelt in prayer before the Bei Dou Stars at night, begging in vain to exchange his life for his father’s. Several days later, his father passed away; Yu Qian Lou buried him and dressed in mourning for three years.

朱寿昌，宋代天长人，七岁时，生母刘氏被嫡母（父亲的正妻）嫉妒，不得不改嫁他人，五十年母子音信不通。神宗时，朱寿昌在朝做官，曾经刺血书写《金刚经》，行四方寻找生母，得到线索后，决心弃官到陕西寻找生母，发誓不见母亲永不返回。终于在陕州遇到生母和两个弟弟，母子欢聚，一起返回，这时母亲已经七十多岁了。

Zhu Shou Chang came from Tian Chang in the Song Dynasty. When he was seven, his father’s first wife was jealous of his mother and forced her to leave and remarry. Since then, Zhu Shou lost contact with his mother for the next fifty years. He was known for writing a holy scripture known as the “Jin Gang Jin” with his own blood. During the reign of Emperor Shen Zong, he became a government official and began a search for his mother. Finally with some clues as to her whereabouts, he resigned his post and left for Shan Xi. He vowed that he would not return home unless he found her. Eventually he found his mother and his two brothers in Shan Zhou. The family had a happy reunion and came back home together. By this time, his mother was already over seventy years old.

黄庭坚，北宋分宁（今江西修水）人，著名诗人、书法家。虽身居高位，侍奉母亲却竭尽孝诚，每天晚上，都亲自为母亲洗涤溺器（便桶），没有一天忘记儿子应尽的职责。

Huang Ting Jian, a famous poet and calligrapher of the northern Song Dynasty, used to live in Jiang Xi Province. Although he held a very senior position in the government, he was still devoted to serving his mother. Every night, he would personally clean up the night pot for his mother. His duties and respect towards his mother were always foremost in his heart.