Knowing Parents' Age
Being aware of parents' age evokes both joy and concern.
A filial child should know their parents' age - to rejoice in their longevity while also being concerned about their mortality. This awareness motivates attentive care.
Parents' age cannot be unknown. On one hand it is a cause for rejoicing, on the other for concern.
Awareness of mortality deepens appreciation.
Analects
Written about in
- What Confucianism says about family
A child should know how old their parents are, and the knowledge is meant to cut both ways: gladness at the years they have had, concern about how few may be left.