by Han Fei
Zengzi’s wife was going to the market. Her little son followed her, crying.
The mother said: “Go back home. When I return, I will slaughter a pig for you to eat.”
When she came back from the market, Zengzi was about to catch and kill the pig.
His wife stopped him, saying: “I was only joking with the child.”
Zengzi said: “You must not joke with a child in this way. Young children are not yet knowledgeable; they learn from their parents and follow their teachings. If you deceive him now, you are teaching him to deceive others. If a mother lies to her child, the child will no longer trust his mother. This is not how proper education should be done.”
And so he slaughtered and cooked the pig.
Note
Zengzi (Zeng Shen)
A famous disciple of Confucius, highly respected for his emphasis on faithfulness, integrity and filial piety. He is regarded as one of the important sages in Confucianism.
Han Fei
A leading Legalist philosopher in the Warring States Period. He collected many instructive fables in Han Feizi to illustrate moral and political principles.
Confucian emphasis on trust and education
This story reflects a core value in traditional Chinese culture: parents must set an example of honesty, and keeping promises is the foundation of family education.
Pig as a ritual / family food
In ancient China, pigs were important livestock; slaughtering a pig was a considerable expense and usually for important occasions, showing Zengzi’s serious attitude toward keeping his word.
Zengzi slaughters the pig (曾子烹彘)
This idiom is used to praise people who keep their promises seriously, especially parents who set honest examples for their children. It warns against lying to children, as it destroys trust and teaches dishonesty.
曾子之妻之市，其子随之而泣。其母曰：”女还，顾反为女杀彘。”妻适市来，曾子欲捕彘杀之。妻止之曰：”特与婴儿戏耳。”曾子曰：”婴儿非与戏也。婴儿非有知也，待父母而学者也，听父母之教。今子欺之，是教子欺也。母欺子，子而不信其母，非所以成教也。” 遂烹彘也。
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