【Zilu】

 【Zilu, a lifelong filial son】

 

Zilu was a native of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period.

 

Zilu grew up in a poor family and was the only male in the family.

 

 Therefore, since he was old enough to understand, he had to support the family alone and work day and night to provide for his family.

 

However, no matter how busy he was at work, Zilu never neglected to show respect to his parents.

 

He would greet them respectfully every morning and evening and care about their health.

 

In order to let his parents eat delicious white rice, Zilu would often cook rice with wild vegetables.

 

He would eat vegetable soup to fill his stomach,

 

and then use the meager salary he saved to walk to a big city a hundred miles away to buy rice,

 

and then carry the rice back home to support his parents.

 

Whenever he saw his parents enjoying white rice with happy and satisfied smiles on their faces,

 

Zilu felt extremely happy and thought that all the hard work was worth it.

 

Zilu's parents once hoped that he could become a disciple of Confucius and become a "true gentleman" with both talent and virtue;

 

but Zilu was worried that no one would take care of his parents, so he gave up the opportunity to study.

 

It was not until his parents passed away that the filial boy decided to become Confucius'

disciple in order to fulfill his parents'expectations.