Chinese PhilosophiesUnderlying Principles:
Humanism-focus on human relationships
Harmony-a reflection of the cosmic order
Dao-”the Way”
Yin/Yang: The Universal Law
Philosophical foundationsPhilosophical foundations The “Hundred Schools”The “Hundred Schools”
NaturalismNaturalism
ConfucianismConfucianism
DaoismDaoism
LegalismLegalism
Confucius
NaturalismNaturalism Five agents: wood, fire, Five agents: wood, fire,
earth, metal, waterearth, metal, water
Geomancy: “Fengshui”Geomancy: “Fengshui”
Dualism in nature: yin and Dualism in nature: yin and yangyang
The importance of The importance of BALANCE!BALANCE!
Yin:
femininepassivenegativeweakcoldresponse
Yang:
masculineactivepositivestronghotstimulus“As yin expands and yang contracts, so the universe breathes”
Complementary Opposites
The Forbidden CityBeijing Planned according to principles of yin/yang and feng shui
The Forbidden City today…
Confucius and Confucian thoughtConfucius and Confucian thought Confucius lived 551-479 Confucius lived 551-479
B.C.E.B.C.E.
His students compiled “The His students compiled “The Analects”Analects”
Confucian thought and texts Confucian thought and texts became the basis of became the basis of education until the late 19education until the late 19thth century!century!
Basic principles:Basic principles: Tradition important- “the Golden Age”Tradition important- “the Golden Age”
The Golden Mean-moderation in all thingsThe Golden Mean-moderation in all things
All should work to be “gentleman” (junzi) with the All should work to be “gentleman” (junzi) with the virtues of: (humans good by nature)virtues of: (humans good by nature)
ren (jen):ren (jen): kindness or benevolencekindness or benevolence ri (li): ri (li): sense of propriety; observing customsense of propriety; observing custom xiao (hsiao):xiao (hsiao): filial pietyfilial piety
Basic principles:Basic principles: Te (“duh) – Confucian theory of government.Te (“duh) – Confucian theory of government.
Ideal society is achieved NOT by force and law but by Ideal society is achieved NOT by force and law but by the the moral example moral example of those in authority and everyone of those in authority and everyone acting in accordance with their proper position in acting in accordance with their proper position in society.society.
Wen (“one”) – the arts of peace (high culture)Wen (“one”) – the arts of peace (high culture) Education valuedEducation valued Maintain standards of excellenceMaintain standards of excellence
Society is composed of five basic Society is composed of five basic relationships:relationships:
Father and son Father and son
Ruler and subjectRuler and subject
Husband and wifeHusband and wife
Elder brother and younger brotherElder brother and younger brother
Friend and friendFriend and friend
Confucius said: Confucius said: ““When the meanings of the father are When the meanings of the father are
no longer meaningful to the son, no longer meaningful to the son, civilization is in danger.”civilization is in danger.”
““Let the ruler be a ruler and the Let the ruler be a ruler and the subject a subject; let the father be a subject a subject; let the father be a father and the son the son.”father and the son the son.”
According to Mencius:According to Mencius:““A woman’s duties are to cook the A woman’s duties are to cook the
five grains, heat the wine, look five grains, heat the wine, look after her parents-in-law, make after her parents-in-law, make clothes, and that is all! [She] has clothes, and that is all! [She] has no ambition to manage affairs no ambition to manage affairs outside the house… She must outside the house… She must follow the three submissions: follow the three submissions: When she is young, she must When she is young, she must submit to her parents. After her submit to her parents. After her marriage, she must submit to her marriage, she must submit to her husband. After her husband’s husband. After her husband’s death, she must submit to her death, she must submit to her son.”son.”
Mandate of HeavenMandate of Heaven The emperor was the son of The emperor was the son of
heavenheaven
He had a mandate from He had a mandate from heaven to rule “all under heaven to rule “all under heaven”heaven”
But this was conditional… he But this was conditional… he could lose the “mandate” if could lose the “mandate” if he was a poor ruler.he was a poor ruler.
Natural disasters were signs Natural disasters were signs that the emperor was on the that the emperor was on the verge of losing the mandate.verge of losing the mandate.
Impact of Confucian ThoughtImpact of Confucian Thought“to be Chinese is to be Confucian”“to be Chinese is to be Confucian” Political impact – Mandate of HeavenPolitical impact – Mandate of Heaven
-“Good government depends on good men”-“Good government depends on good men”-Government of ethics not force-Government of ethics not force
Social impact – knowing your place, “saving face”Social impact – knowing your place, “saving face” Harmony through ordered social relationshipsHarmony through ordered social relationships No need for priests or godsNo need for priests or gods Civilian over military ruleCivilian over military rule Education importantEducation important
Laozi and DaoismLaozi and Daoism Laozi contemporary of Laozi contemporary of
Confucius? Confucius?
Reaction to ideas of ConfuciusReaction to ideas of Confucius
Emphasized Emphasized naturalnatural principles principles over social principlesover social principles wuweiwuwei, following the “Dao” or , following the “Dao” or “way”“way”
In China many have been In China many have been “Confucian by day, Daoist by “Confucian by day, Daoist by night.”night.”
Laotsi said:Laotsi said: ““Do nothing and Do nothing and
everything is done”everything is done”
““A wise man knows that A wise man knows that it is better to sit fishing it is better to sit fishing on the banks of a remote on the banks of a remote mountain stream that to mountain stream that to be emperor of the whole be emperor of the whole world.”world.”
Basic PrinciplesBasic Principles Tao – “the way of Nature,” the Cosmic OrderTao – “the way of Nature,” the Cosmic Order wu-wei – “the natural way,” adapt to nature’s rythyms.wu-wei – “the natural way,” adapt to nature’s rythyms. Values:Values:
IntuitionIntuition EqalitarianismEqalitarianism SpontaneitySpontaneity HumilityHumility RelativityRelativity
Impact of Daoism Impact of Daoism Individualistic, set apart from societyIndividualistic, set apart from society Naturalistic art, judo, karate, T’ai ChiNaturalistic art, judo, karate, T’ai Chi Technological developments-gunpowder, Technological developments-gunpowder,
compasscompass Two approaches – high philosophical, magicTwo approaches – high philosophical, magic Political impact-less government is betterPolitical impact-less government is better
LegalismLegalism ““Law is the basis of Law is the basis of
stable government stable government because, being fixed and because, being fixed and known to all, it provides known to all, it provides an exact instrument with an exact instrument with which to measure which to measure individual conduct.”individual conduct.”
Han Feizi280-233 B.C.E.
Basic PrinciplesBasic Principles Goal? Law and OrderGoal? Law and Order ““Man is essentially selfish”Man is essentially selfish” Law is supreme but uniformLaw is supreme but uniform Harsh punishmentsHarsh punishments Means justifies the endsMeans justifies the ends Pragmatic, not bound by past precedentsPragmatic, not bound by past precedents
Impact of LegalismImpact of Legalism Used as the model for laws, made Used as the model for laws, made
Confucianism more rigidConfucianism more rigid Laws must be written, uniformLaws must be written, uniform Laws dictated by the ruler—Strong state Laws dictated by the ruler—Strong state
“totalitarianism”“totalitarianism” Change laws to fit the timesChange laws to fit the times
Unification of China under Emperor Unification of China under Emperor Qin ShihuangdiQin Shihuangdi
Qin reigned 221-210 BCEQin reigned 221-210 BCE
Unified north and south Unified north and south ChinaChina
Standardized language, Standardized language, weights, currency, measuresweights, currency, measures
Constructed roads Constructed roads throughout empirethroughout empire
Connected Great WallConnected Great Wall
Guarding the Tomb of the Qin Guarding the Tomb of the Qin EmperorEmperor
Xi’an, China
Farmers discoveredfirst terra cotta warriors in 1970s…
The Great Wall of ChinaThe Great Wall of China
Chinese religionChinese religion China’s origin myths influenced China’s origin myths influenced
by Confucianism: great men by Confucianism: great men founded Chinafounded China
Folk religion is based on worship Folk religion is based on worship of ancestorsof ancestors
Secular philosophies of Secular philosophies of Confucianism and Daoism Confucianism and Daoism became “religions” of sorts.became “religions” of sorts.
Buddhism was introduced to Buddhism was introduced to China from India 1China from India 1stst century C.E. century C.E.
Chinese religion is Chinese religion is syncreticsyncretic
Fu Xi
Shen Nong
Han dynasty [206 BCE-220 CE] Han dynasty [206 BCE-220 CE] China’s “classical age”China’s “classical age”
Confucianism became Confucianism became the basis of educational the basis of educational systemsystem
Contemporary with Contemporary with Roman EmpireRoman Empire
Civil Service ExaminationCivil Service Examination China as a China as a
“meritocracy”“meritocracy”
Scholarship was the Scholarship was the way to the top!way to the top!
Initiated in 2Initiated in 2ndnd century century BCE and continued BCE and continued until early 1900s.until early 1900s.
“Cheat shirt”c. 19th C.
Connected to central Asia and Rome Connected to central Asia and Rome over “Silk Roads”over “Silk Roads”
Sericulture
Tang Dynasty [618-907 CE]: Tang Dynasty [618-907 CE]: “Cosmopolitan China”“Cosmopolitan China”
Tang capital at Chang’an Tang capital at Chang’an was a crossroads of the was a crossroads of the worldworld
China was the center of China was the center of “civilization” in Asia—“civilization” in Asia—
Conducted diplomacy Conducted diplomacy through the “tribute system”through the “tribute system”
Chang’anChang’an
In Chang’an there were Buddhist temples,Daoist monasteries,Manichean, Nestorian,Mazdean temples, and eventually Muslim Mosques.
Tang China: a regional powerTang China: a regional power During the Tang period, During the Tang period,
Chinese philosophies, Chinese philosophies, classic texts, ideas about classic texts, ideas about government and city government and city planning spread to planning spread to Japan, Korea, VietnamJapan, Korea, Vietnam
Layout of Nara, Japan, [710-784]
Tang China: the tributary system Tang China: the tributary system
RGH #30