Filial Piety This Song dynasty painting served as an illustration of an ancient Confucian text called the “Classic of Filial Piety,” originally composed sometime around the fourth century B.C.E. and subsequently reissued many times. Here, a son kneels submissively in front of his parents. The long-enduring social order that Confucius advocated began at home with unquestioning obedience and the utmost respect for parents and other senior members of the family. (National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan/ The Art Archive at Art Resource, NY)