He truly represents filial piety

The heart-warming photograph of a man carrying his mother on his back to enable her to enjoy the spring blooms has gone viral on the Internet and moved many netizens. This "most beautiful scene", captured on camera in Wei county, Hebei province, represents true filial piety, says an article on gmw.cn. Excerpts:

The man in the photograph is said to not only pay regular visits (mostly during weekends) to his parents and do the housework for them, but also carry his mother on his back so that she can soak in the aroma of blossoming pear flowers. The man reportedly said that he is only doing his duty as a son and refuses to give interviews to the media even after netizens have termed him a true representative of filial piety.

Although filial piety is a traditional Chinese virtue, this era of materialism leaves people with little time to attend to the needs of their aged parents. The widely circulated photograph, therefore, has reminded many people that they have not visited their parents or taken them out for dinner or recreation for some time.

However, since the man hailed as a filial son is a civil servant, some netizens have alleged that the photograph is a publicity stunt, which fortunately has been rubbished by other netizens.

Indeed, some civil servants have very low morals while some others are tainted by corruption. Yet there are many hardworking civil servants who are devoted to their job and parents. Being a filial son or daughter does not depend on one's profession or age; it depends on one's mindset and outlook.

The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

(China Daily 04/17/2014 page9)