孝，是中國數千年來維繫家庭倫理的精神指標，歷代為人子、女、媳、婿行孝於親的事例不勝凡舉，其孝行也隨著各朝政策與民情發展而有變化，其中一個值得探討的議題，即是至誠行孝後所產生之感應、感化等現象，故本篇論文將針對清代七十三部筆記小說中，有關於行孝獲感應於天地，以及感化、感動宇宙萬物的孝行故事進行探討。
此類故事，最早見於《尚書》，歷代正史、野史例不繁載。至清代，孝者因傷體救親、殉親、歷難境救親、千里尋親、祈神助以療親養親等孝行，而感動天地萬物，且往往能獲得不可思議的協助與獎賜。在政府鼓勵下，孝行一旦被呈報，即可獲表揚，以致產生了孝者年齡普遍降低、傷身救親行為已成濫殤、孝可抵過、賣孝子新聞以圖利等情況，雖有矯枉過正之失，也有其正面意義。在瀰漫著崇孝風氣的社會裡，看到「孝」在家庭內所產生的善的循環，子女幼見父母對親人行孝，長大也能效仿饋親；因一念純孝至誠，得以改善與繼母間的關係；孝者孝行感動仇家，化解親人與仇者間的誤會等，這些均有助於家庭倫理的提升與孝道闡揚，也是故事價值所在。
Before a long time ago, we can see the first example about a bereaved son by induction at Book of History, then more and more stories about this subject would be discussed by the government and the people in every dynasty. In Manchu dynasty, those bereaved son inflict injury on oneself to help their parents and to pray with gods in order to gain induction. Because of the government encourage, more and more little children know piety is the most important thing in their life, and when they show filial piety for parents, stepmothers, even opponents, they usually get well answers and make their families better.
