A Privilege to Serve: The 71-Year-Old Son Caring for His 96-Year-Old Mother

Filial piety is often taught as an abstract philosophy, but occasionally, you witness it lived out in such a profound, daily physical practice that it completely redefines what it means to love a parent.

This is the true story of Zuo Guojun, a 71-year-old man who has spent the last thirty years meticulously caring for his 96-year-old mother. Under his devoted eye, she remains incredibly healthy, and he remains deeply, thoroughly joyful.

Choosing Love Over Lucrative Opportunities

Zuo Guojun spent his career as a government officer in the Xinzheng City Civil Affairs Bureau, and later the Land Bureau in Henan Province. During this time, his mother lived with him in the city.

When he retired in 2002, Zuo Guojun was a highly experienced professional. He was immediately offered several prestigious positions in private companies where he could earn an excellent salary and handle high-level assignments. He politely declined all of them with thanks.

Instead of chasing a second career or personal wealth, he made a very different choice: he moved back to their rural hometown with his mother, deciding to fully dedicate the "autumn" of his life to performing filial piety.

The Privilege of Being the Caregiver

Over the last 30 years, Zuo Guojun's siblings have frequently offered to help carry the burden of care. While he appreciates them, Zuo Guojun firmly believes that he is uniquely positioned to give the best service to their mother. He views taking on all the everyday caregiving responsibilities not as a heavy burden, but as a priceless privilege.

Zuo Guojun, who was widowed in his early years, now finds himself deeply into his own older age—a time when his own children increasingly want to care for him. Yet, he feels a powerful urge to make sure he is constantly there for his mother. He acutely realizes she might not be around tomorrow, and he cherishes every single moment of serving her. He is simply grateful that, even in his 70s, he still has his mother, and he is still allowed to be a son.

The Health Expert

Under her son's dedicated care, the 96-year-old mother remains incredibly vibrant, without any major loss of sight or hearing. Through decades of practice, Zuo Guojun has essentially become a health and dietary expert for his mother.

"Drinking honey water every day helps her bowel movements," Zuo Guojun explains. "She eats an apple in the morning, and a bowl of millet porridge with Goji berry for dinner. She eats strictly seasonal food, like sweet potatoes in the spring and winter, and pumpkin in the summer."

Over the years, he has cooked three meals daily—making sure every single meal is different to ensure she consumes a robust variety of nutrients. Cooking for her does not tire him out. In fact, he says watching his mother eat every bite brings him immense joy. As a full-time, in-home caregiver, washing her clothes, cleaning up after her bathroom needs, and gently assisting her with bathing are all simply in a day's work.

"At my age, it is a blessing to be able to call 'Mum'."

The emotional reward for this massive sacrifice is pure happiness.

Whenever he takes his 96-year-old mother out for a slow walk in the village, the neighbors often joke with her lovingly, saying, "You are taking your kid out again!"

Zuo Guojun says that in those quiet moments, walking beside her, he feels exactly like he is back in his childhood. He feels that all the time, effort, and money sacrificed over three decades was entirely worth it. As he puts it: "The caring season brings me great happiness."

Setting the Example for the Next Generation

Ultimately, filial piety is deeply contagious. Zuo Guojun's lifelong dedication has set an unavoidable, powerful example for his own children.

Every time his children visit him in the countryside, they immediately scramble to do all the chores and heavy lifting without ever complaining of being tired. They saw their father modeling absolute, unconditional respect for his mother, and they naturally inherited the behavior. Zuo Guojun is profoundly happy to see that his children have learned from him how to perform filial piety.

His greatest hope is that this fundamental virtue continues to be passed down from generation to generation, spreading outward until filial piety becomes a deep, unbroken culture across the world.