Chinese Philosophies

Underlying 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… But this was conditional… he could lose the “mandate” he could lose the “mandate” if he was a poor ruler.if 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 Social impact – knowing your place, “saving

face”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 over social principles over social principlesprinciples wuweiwuwei, following , following the “Dao” or “way”the “Dao” or “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