Good Manners to Parents

Since the ancient times, Korean people have regarded it as their duty to show respect for their parents and take care of them.

Children’s respect for their parents started from the inquiring after their health in the morning.

A child living in a separate room got up, washed himself, put on his clothes, went over to his parents’ room and inquired after their health. Then, he folded up his parents’ bedding, put their room in order and brought water for his parents to wash themselves, thus helping parents’ morning routine.

Before going to bed at night, children put their parents’ room in order, laid out their bedding and bowed to them “good night” and got out into their room.

When parents went on a visit, they prepared all the necessary things for the parents and saw them off until they got out of their sight, and when they were coming back, they went out of the gate and received them, bowing and greeting.

When children accompanied their parents outside, they regarded it their duty to walk behind the parents and if the road was rugged, support them. And they did all the work on the way such as asking for directions, calling a person, opening and closing doors for the parents.

When the parents were ill, children took the necessary measures in time, took care of them on their bedside, preparing nutritious food for them, making them feel easy in order that they did not worry about their illness or get disappointed.

When children had some special food, they gave it to their parents first. At each meal, they picked up their spoons or chopsticks after their parents did and served scorched-rice tea to their parents on time just after their meal in order that they would take off the aftertaste.

They paid special attention to their parents’ dressing and used to offer them clean clothes even if they made a poor living themselves.

They did their best to keep manners for their parents indoors, too.

They did not dare to go across the front of the seated parents thoughtlessly and, in particular, never walked across close to the pillow of or over the body of the sleeping or lying parents.