International Students' Understanding of Xiao (Filial Piety) in the Analects

This questionnaire is for an undergraduate thesis on how international students understand the concept of xiao (孝, often translated as "filial piety") in the Analects. Your participation is voluntary and anonymous. There are no right or wrong answers. Please answer based on your own experience and understanding. The data will be used only for academic research and will not be shared with your teachers or affect your grades. Estimated time: 10–15 minutes.
Section A: Background Information. Please tell us a little about yourself.
1. Age:
2. Gender (optional):
3. Nationality:
4. Native language:
5. Major / field of study:
6. How long have you been learning Chinese?
7. Current Chinese proficiency (HSK or self-estimate):
请选择
8. If you have not taken HSK, please give your self-estimate of Chinese proficiency:
9. Have you taken a Chinese culture course?
10. Have you read or learned anything from the Analects before?
11. Before this questionnaire, had you heard of the term xiao (孝)?
Section B: General Understanding of Xiao. Scale for Sections B–E: 1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral / Not sure, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly agree. Please indicate how much you agree with each statement.
12. Please indicate how much you agree with each statement about xiao.
  • 1 = Strongly disagree
  • 2 = Disagree
  • 3 = Neutral / Not sure
  • 4 = Agree
  • 5 = Strongly agree
I can explain what xiao means in Chinese culture.
Xiao is mainly about providing money or material support to parents.
Xiao is mainly about showing respect and care for parents' feelings.
Xiao means obeying parents without question.
Xiao is a traditional value that is still relevant in modern China.
Xiao is only about family life and has little to do with society.
My own culture has a concept similar to xiao.
I find the concept of xiao difficult to understand.
I feel uncomfortable with the idea that children should obey parents.
When I read about xiao, I tend to judge it by my own family values.
Section C: Understanding of Specific Passages from the Analects. Read each translated passage and answer the questions. These translations are adapted for readability. Passage 1 (Analects 2.7): "Today, people call someone filial if they can feed their parents. But even dogs and horses are fed. Without respect, what is the difference?"
13. Please indicate how much you agree with each statement about Passage 1 (Analects 2.7).
  • 1 = Strongly disagree
  • 2 = Disagree
  • 3 = Neutral / Not sure
  • 4 = Agree
  • 5 = Strongly agree
I understand the main idea of this passage.
I can explain why Confucius says this.
This passage conflicts with my own cultural values.
This passage seems outdated to me.
Passage 2 (Analects 4.18): "When serving parents, a child may gently disagree. If the parents do not follow the advice, the child should remain respectful, not give up, and not become resentful even if treated harshly."
14. Please indicate how much you agree with each statement about Passage 2 (Analects 4.18).
  • 1 = Strongly disagree
  • 2 = Disagree
  • 3 = Neutral / Not sure
  • 4 = Agree
  • 5 = Strongly agree
I understand the main idea of this passage.
I can explain why Confucius says this.
This passage conflicts with my own cultural values.
This passage seems outdated to me.
Passage 3 (Analects 4.19): "While one's parents are alive, one should not travel far away. If travel is necessary, one should have a clear destination and plan."
15. Please indicate how much you agree with each statement about Passage 3 (Analects 4.19).
  • 1 = Strongly disagree
  • 2 = Disagree
  • 3 = Neutral / Not sure
  • 4 = Agree
  • 5 = Strongly agree
I understand the main idea of this passage.
I can explain why Confucius says this.
This passage conflicts with my own cultural values.
This passage seems outdated to me.
16. Which passage was the hardest for you to understand?
17. In one sentence, why was it hard?
Section D: Perceived Barriers to Understanding Xiao. Please indicate how much you agree that each item makes it difficult for you to understand xiao.
18. Please indicate how much you agree that each item makes it difficult for you to understand xiao.
  • 1 = Strongly disagree
  • 2 = Disagree
  • 3 = Neutral / Not sure
  • 4 = Agree
  • 5 = Strongly agree
The classical Chinese wording or English translation makes xiao hard to understand.
I lack background knowledge about traditional Chinese family life.
Family relationships in China are very different from those in my country.
I worry that if I question xiao, I may seem disrespectful to Chinese culture.
Teachers or textbooks present xiao as fixed rules to memorize rather than ideas to discuss.
I have few opportunities to discuss xiao with Chinese people.
The concept is too abstract.
A similar concept in my own culture makes it confusing rather than clearer.
I think understanding xiao means accepting it.
There is limited class time to explore xiao in depth.
Section E: Preferences for Guidance. Please indicate how much you agree with each statement about what would help you understand xiao better.
19. Please indicate how much you agree with each statement about what would help you understand xiao better.
  • 1 = Strongly disagree
  • 2 = Disagree
  • 3 = Neutral / Not sure
  • 4 = Agree
  • 5 = Strongly agree
More background information about traditional Chinese family life would help me.
Comparing xiao with similar values in my own culture would help me.
Discussing xiao with Chinese students would help me.
Reading more passages from the Analects with explanations would help me.
Learning how xiao is practiced in modern China would help me.
Having more class time to discuss xiao would help me.
Teachers presenting xiao as an idea to discuss rather than a rule to memorize would help me.
Using examples and stories to explain xiao would help me.
20. Which of the following would you find most helpful for understanding xiao?
21. Please rank the following types of guidance from most helpful to least helpful for your understanding of xiao.
Section F: Open-ended Questions. Please share your thoughts in your own words.
22. In your own words, what does xiao mean to you?
23. How does your own culture's understanding of family respect compare with xiao?
24. What else would you like to share about your experience of learning about xiao?
更多问卷 复制此问卷