The Master said, 'Anciently, the intelligent rulers served their fathers with filial piety, and therefore they served God with intelligence; they served their mothers with filial piety, and therefore they honoured His gifts of the earth with discrimination. They pursued the right course with reference to their (own) seniors and juniors, and therefore they secured the regulation of the relations between superiors and inferiors (throughout the kingdom).

'When God was served with intelligence and His gifts of the earth were honoured with discrimination, His blessings were displayed.

'Therefore even the sovereign must have some whom he honours; that is, he has his uncles of his surname. He must have some to whom he concedes the precedence; that is, he has his cousins, who bear the same surname, and are older than himself. In the house of his forefathers he manifests the utmost reverence, showing that he does not forget his parents; he cultivates his person and is careful of his conduct, fearing lest he should disgrace his predecessors.

'When in remembrance of his forefathers he exhibits the utmost reverence, the blessing of God rests upon him. Perfect filial piety and fraternal duty reach to (and move) the heart, and diffuse their light on all within the four seas;—they penetrate everywhere.

'It is said in the Book of Poetry,

"From the west to the east,

From the south to the north,

There was not a thought but did him homage."'