The next step towards perfection is the cultivation of the person,—­which must begin with introspection, and ends in harmonious outward expression.  Every man must guard his thoughts, words, and actions; and conduct must agree with words.  By words the superior man directs others; but in order to do this his words must be sincere.  It by no means follows, however, that virtue is the invariable concomitant of plausible speech.

The height of virtue is filial piety; for this is connected indissolubly with loyalty to the sovereign, who is the father of his people and the preserver of the State.  Loyalty to the sovereign is synonymous with duty, and is outwardly shown by obedience.  Next to parents, all superiors should be the object of reverence.  This reverence, it is true, should be reciprocal; a sovereign forfeits all right to reverence and obedience when he ceases to be a minister of good.  But then, only the man who has developed virtues in himself is considered competent to rule a family or a State; for the same virtues which enable a man to rule the one, will enable him to rule the other.  No man can teach others who cannot teach his own family.  The greatest stress, as we have seen, is laid by Confucius on filial piety, which consists in obedience to authority,—­in serving parents according to propriety, that is, with the deepest affection, and the father of the State with loyalty.  But while it is incumbent on a son to obey the wishes of his parents, it is also a part of his duty to remonstrate with them should they act contrary to the rules of propriety.  All remonstrances, however, must be made humbly.  Should these remonstrances fail, the son must mourn in silence the obduracy of the parents.  He carried the obligations of filial piety so far as to teach that a son should conceal the immorality of a father, forgetting the distinction of right and wrong.  Brotherly love is the sequel of filial piety.  “Happy,” says he, “is the union with wife and children; it is like the music of lutes and harps.  The love which binds brother to brother is second only to that which is due from children to parents.  It consists in mutual friendship, joyful harmony, and dutiful obedience on the part of the younger to the elder brothers.”

While obedience is exacted to an elder brother and to parents, Confucius said but little respecting the ties which should bind husband and wife.  He had but little respect for woman, and was divorced from his wife after living with her for a year.  He looked on women as every way inferior to men, and only to be endured as necessary evils.  It was not until a woman became a mother, that she was treated with respect in China.  Hence, according to Confucius, the great object of marriage is to increase the family, especially to give birth to sons.  Women could be lawfully and properly divorced who had no children,—­which put women completely in the power of men, and reduced them to the condition of slaves.  The failure to recognize the sanctity of marriage is the great blot on the system of Confucius as a scheme of morals.