Download Religions (China)

CHINESE RELIGIONS
AND PHILOSOPHIES
Yang &Yin, Daoism,
Confucianism, Legalism
And Buddhism
THE YANG AND THE YIN

Ancient Chinese
thinking (1000 BCE)
 Appreciation of the
natural cycle of the
earth and the idea of
harmony and order
 Opposites, balance
 Adopted by Daoists
THE YANG AND THE YIN

THE YANG
 Active, warm, dry
 Expansive,
procreative
 Hot

THE YIN
 Lower slower
 Breeder
 Cold
DAOISM
THE DAO IS “THE WAY”
 The way things should go if not disrupted
by the perverse actions of man
 If all were to follow the Dao - heaven,
earth and humankind would be in perfect
harmony

Lao Zi
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Philosopher of the
Dao
Born 604 BCE
Life clouded in myth
withdrew from the
distractions of the
world by going off in
to the mountains on
a water buffalo
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DAO DE JING
The treatise (writings)
of the Dao
Compiled and written down by followers
Expands on Yin and Yang, Wu Wei, Governing
and the Three Jewels
“oneness with nature”
“action without assertion”
“development without domination”
“production without possession
THE WU WEI
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“without action”
Doing things seemingly without effort
Going with the flow of nature
Perfecting the practice of Daoism
Those who try to change or improve on nature
only produce chaos
One should be free of material possessions and
desires
“The Way” of Governing
 Govern
lightly
 Govern with a serving attitude
 Treat other countries nonaggressively

(Let the people live in harmony with
nature, in small, self-reliant communities)
The Three Jewels
 Compassion
- leads to courage
 Moderation - leads to generosity
 Humility - leads to leadership
CHARACTERISTICS OF
DAOISM
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Daoism has endured
in to the modern
world and has taken
many forms
Mystical, magical
Philosophical
Monastic
CONFUCIANISM
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STRESSES LIVING
IN THE WORLD
APPROPRIATELY,
RATHER THAN
WITHDRAWING
FROM IT.
CONFUCIUS
Kong-zi (551-479 BC)
Poor but respectable
family, who valued a
good education
Gentlemanly ways
Becomes bureaucrat
Then teacher, scholar
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5 CONFUCIAN CLASSICS
Confucius is credited with composing these five
books, which later become the standard for
Chinese education:
History, Poetry, Rites, Changes
(numerology) and Spring & Autumn
Confucius probably relied heavily on existing
works
MENCIUS
(Meng xi)
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Follower of Confucius
Lived 100 years later
Probably the greatest
writer of the Confucian
school
Rewrote many passages
of the classics
Promoted Confucian
thought
THE ANALECTS
Collection of Confucian
thought and sayings
compiled by Mencius and
other disciples
A rule book for proper
social interaction
Stress “filial piety” or
responsibility for the
welfare of others, starting
with family members
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Warring States Period
480-221BCE
Confucianism arose as a reaction to the disruption
and chaos at the end of the Zhou dynasty
Confucius saw humans as corrupt, but not beyond
redemption
People had grown lazy in their morals
Society, the family and government must function
better to restore order
5 Great Relationships
Father - son
 Elder brother - younger brother
 Husband - wife
 Ruler - subject
 Friend - friend

5 Great Relationships
Both parties have rights and responsibilities, BUT
generally
Older person favored over a younger person
A male had more rights than a female
A person of high rank had more rights than a
person of low rank
5 Cardinal Virtues
Tree Metaphor
The root “jen” - seeks the general good
The trunk - righteousness by justice
The branches “li” - moral ways
The flower - wisdom
The fruit - faithfulness
Characteristics of Confucian Thought
Scholastic
Orderly, hierarchical
Conservative
How does this explain China’s failure to keep up
with Western innovation after the Renaissance?
LEGALISM
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Arose in opposition to
Confucian thought
Shi Huang Di - the
first true Emperor of
China and founder of
the Qin dynasty
wanted a new order
Thought
Confucianism was
naïve and impractical
CONFUCIANISM VS.
LEGALISM
“Confucius says…”

That if a ruler is good and sets a good
example, then his subjects will be
good.

Does this always apply?
Legalist thought that…

People will do whatever they can get
away with

Need tough laws and harsh
punishments

Need to offer material rewards for
those who cooperate with the ruler.
Han Fei Zi
Philosopher of Legalism
Humans are selfish and materialistic by
nature
 The ruler must control the state.
 Everyone seeks to avoid punishment and
earn reward.
 “THE CARROT AND
 THE STICK”
Legalism and the Qin Dynasty
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Emperor Shi Huang Di wanted reform:
Land ownership to anyone
New currency
New script and writing tools
Conservative officials
object
Legalist Tactics
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Book burnings to
destroy Confucian
thought (kept a copy)
Network of spies to
turn in neighbors
Rewards for in
formants
Arrest and
intimidation of political
opponents
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Characteristics of Legalism
Realistic
 Harsh
 Structured
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What governments in modern times have
used similar methods to the Legalists?
ORIGINS OF BUDDHISM
 Buddhism originates
in India
 More related to Hindu
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culture than to
traditional Chinese
thinking
 But spreads to China
in the First Century
BUDDHISM
 Founded by Siddhartha Gautama
 Born in 563 BCE in Nepal as a local prince
 Becomes disenchanted w/ worldly pleasures
 Explores Hindu beliefs and tries strict self-denial
of the ascetics, but rejects this path
 Meditates under Bo Tree, faces temptations
 Transformed to the Buddha, “enlightened one”,
45 year ministry
BUDDHISM
Buddhist Beliefs
 Accept reincarnation
 Dharma – duty of the soul
 Karma – good and bad deeds follow you
 Rejects worship of Hindu Gods
 Rejects caste system
 Progress of soul depends on person’s deeds
 Embrace the Four Noble Truths
 Follow The 8 Fold Path
Buddhist Beliefs
Four Noble Truths
– 1) Suffering is universal
– 2) The cause of suffering is desire
– 3) To end suffering, one must crush
desire
– 4) Follow the Eight Fold Path
Buddhist Beliefs
 Eight Fold Path
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–
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–
–
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–
–
Right belief
Right aspiration or purpose
Right speech
Right conduct
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right meditation
Tripitaka
Collection of Buddhist Sacred Writings
– Sermons of Buddha
– Interpretation of Buddhist doctrine
– Rules of monastic life
Buddhist Beliefs
Goal is Nirvana
Not a place like “heaven” but
“The state of wanting nothing”
“Perfect peace”
“Release from want and pain”
“Lost in God”
Buddhism in China
Broke from traditional Chinese thinking
Rejected by the Confucians
Focus is on individual, not society and
family
“other worldly” and too self absorbed
Buddhist nuns and priests left their families
Withdrew from society
ZEN BUDDHISM
Practice of Buddhism that reflects Daoist
and Confucian influences
Spread to Vietnam, Korea and Japan
Chinese buddha
 The “fat” or
“laughing” buddha is
associated with
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Chinese Buddhism
 This buddha
represents good luck
and prosperity in
keeping with Chinese
culture and tradition
Appeal of Buddhism in China
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 Offered escape
 Hope for a better life
in the next world
 Reward for the good
 Punishment for the
wicked
 Rituals, temples and
statues
Buddhism is
Ritualistic
Disciplined
Meditative
 How is Buddhism linked
to the practice of martial
arts?
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Shaolin Temple in China
Birthplace of the Martial Arts
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