According to him, a son is loyal to his parents if, three years after his father's death, he has not departed from his father's ways. This is what it meant to be filial in antiquity. Nowadays, the Master explains, many people interpret being filial as simply providing food and drink for one's parents in their old age. If you don't show your parents a lot of respect, then giving them food is like giving them the same treatment as giving food to your animals. This is silly, says the Master; parents deserve respect.