Li Lou I · Passage 19 / 28 · 孟子 4A.19
Mencius 4A.19: serving parents is greatest, and keeping
Mencius binds filial piety to self-keeping: one who loses himself cannot truly serve his parents, and feeding the body alone is not yet nourishment.
孟子曰：「事孰爲大？事親爲大。守孰爲大？守身爲大。不失其身而能事其親者，吾聞之矣；失其身而能事其親者，吾未之聞也。孰不爲事？事親，事之本也。孰不爲守？守身，守之本也。曾子養曾晳，必有酒肉；將徹，必請所與；問有餘，必曰『有』。曾晳死，曾元養曾子，必有酒肉；將徹，不請所與；問有餘，曰『亡矣』，將以復進也，此所謂養口體者也。若曾子，則可謂養志也。事親若曾子者，可也。」
Mencius said, 'Of services, which is the greatest? The service of parents is the greatest. Of charges, which is the greatest ? The charge of one's self is the greatest. That those who do not fail to keep themselves are able to serve their parents is what I have heard. But I have never heard of any, who, having failed to keep themselves, were able notwithstanding to serve their parents. There are many services, but the service of parents is the root of all others. There are many charges, but the charge of one's self is the root of all others. The philosopher Zeng, in nourishing Zeng Xi, was always sure to have wine and flesh provided. And when they were being removed, he would ask respectfully to whom he should give what was left. If his father asked whether there was anything left, he was sure to say, "There is." After the death of Zeng Xi, when Zeng Yuan came to nourish Zengzi, he was always sure to have wine and flesh provided. But when the things were being removed, he did not ask to whom he should give what was left, and if his father asked whether there was anything left, he would answer "No;" - intending to bring them in again. This was what is called "nourishing the mouth and body." We may call Zengzi's practice "nourishing the will." To serve one's parents as Zengzi served his, may be accepted as flial piety.'
Priority note
A human-edited reading layer
Central question
Why does Mencius say that serving parents is greatest and yet keeping oneself is greatest?
Direct answer
Because if a person first ruins himself, then even material care for parents has lost its root. True filial service includes not losing oneself and nourishing more than the body alone.
First principle
Responsibilities in relationship decay into surface performance when they are detached from the character that must carry them. Self-keeping is a precondition for deeper duty.
Why it matters
This passage serves search intent around filial piety, self-cultivation, and why inner integrity matters even in family ethics.
Further reading
What this passage is doing
This is passage 19 of 28 in Li Lou I. The cleanest entry point is "Of services, which is the greatest". In context, it works as part of Mencius's argument about self-examination, disorder, and keeping the way and can be read alongside Human nature.
Broader search routes
If you came here with a wider question, start from the right hub page
Human nature is good: the starting point of moral growth
If your real query is broader than one citation, start from the theme page and use this passage as proof text.
Open human natureWho is Mencius?
If you first need the person, the aliases, and why he matters, start from the about page.
Open About MenciusMencius quotes and sayings
If you arrived through a famous line, start from the quotes hub and then return to the exact passage.
Open Mencius quotesMencius full text and works of Mencius
If you need the book structure, the works of Mencius, or where to read the text, start from the full-text hub.
Open the full-text hubBook context
Li Lou I often approaches disorder through self-examination and the standards for keeping the way.
Related principles
Citation note
Do not read the passage as setting self-preservation against filial piety. Mencius is arguing that losing oneself finally undermines the very duty one claims to perform.