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World Religions, Sixth Edition Warren Matthews Chapter Six: China and Japan This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: • any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; • preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; • any rental, lease, or lending of the program. Early Chinese Dynasties Xia Dynasty ~ 2000 BCE - 1500 BCE Shang Dynasty 1500 BCE - 1027 BCE Zhou Dynasty 1027 BCE - 256 BCE Han Dynasty 206 BCE - 220 BCE Sui Dynasty 589 - 618 Tang Dynasty 618 - 907 Sung (Song) Dynasty 960 - 279 Yuan Dynasty 1279 - 1369 Ming Dynasty 1369 - 1644 Affect of Confucianism and Daoism (China and Korea) on Shinto (Japan) Two Sages Historically Honored by China Laozi Reflected in the lines of the cryptic classic the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching) Wrote at the time of the gurus of the Upanishads Probably preceded Siddhartha’s enlightenment Confucius The more widely known sage Thought to have been a contemporary of the Buddha Yin-Yang Everything can be described as both Yin and Yang Yin and Yang Are not mutually exclusive Are interdependent Can both be further subdivided into Yin and Yang Consume and support each other, transform into one another Are intertwined (part of Yin is in Yang, part of Yang is in Yin) Involve forces that regain balance with yin-yang curves Early Chinese Thought Yin and Yang are fundamental, complementary principles evidenced throughout the cosmos The I Ching relies on notions of yin and yang The I Ching is a practice that indicates ways of living and acting in accordance with the cosmos The Dao is the way of the universe I Ching The idea behind this system of divination is that the oracle will select the appropriate answer regardless of the probabilities The text of the ancient book, Yijing, or I Ching, is a set of predictions represented by a set of sixty-four abstract line arrangements called hexagrams Laozi (Lao Tzu) Lived 570-490 BCE in the capital of China His life was mostly legendary, but tradition attributes the authorship of the Dao De Jing to him The story says he perceived that the kingdom's affairs were disintegrating, was tired of living in society He was about to travel West on a buffalo, when a gatekeeper encouraged him to write to preserve his wisdom He climbed down from his buffalo and wrote Dao De Jing He was never heard from again Dao De Jing The Dao is “everything” Laozi sometimes referred to the Dao as the “Mother” of all things Underneath the visible, the universe is constantly changing There is a constant flow of change Interrupting this flow brings trouble The natural flow of things is best The Object in life is to live in harmony with the changing universe Daoism (Taoism) Societies must adapt to the Dao for survival Most societies’ customs exist contrary to the universe Trying to live as society leads most into trouble People must learn to “go with the flow” Wisdom comes with experience, age Contemplation, meditation to learn nature of the universe Wuwei Lifestyle emphasizes quietism, avoids aggression Compared to water No shape, but wears out shapes A sage acts without acting Influencing without seeming to exert oneself Ideal society is small village Believes that government is best which governs least Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) Zhuangzi (369-286 BCE) Influential interpreter of the Dao De Jing Reflected on the experience of dreaming The uncertainty of knowing what is real or not Do I dream the butterfly, or does the butterfly dream me? Stressed the role of perspective in formulating one’s understanding of the world Sectarian Daoism In the first century CE, Zhang Daoling founded a secret society dedicated to faith healing and longevity: the “Celestial Masters” sect In the fourth century CE, Ge Hong compiled the Baopuzi (Pao P´utzu), a collection of alchemical formulas intended to impart immortality During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE), Laozi became revered as a deity in what became an increasingly elaborate pantheon of celestial beings Daoist Worldview Ancestors could be transformed, becoming immortal or deified Impersonal universe invisible but in harmony Cannot be influenced though humans seek to discern it What is natural to a person should be valued over social conventions or proprieties Acting without regard to the naturalness of the cosmos results in suffering Inaction is the secret of a good life Daoist Worldview Strategies for attaining immortality include: Meditative practices Alchemy Sexual practices Daoist priests trained to interact with: Spirits Ancestors Deities Confucius Born around 551 BCE in Shantung Province Early career as a teacher Later served under the Duke of Lu as a government official Became a traveling scholar in search of rulers who would heed his advice on statesmanship Attracted disciples who traveled with him Seventeenth Century Chinese Scroll Painting of Confucius Confucianism Human beings are fundamentally good in nature People learn best through example The ideal male, refined in virtues, is the junzi, or “gentleman” Li, the principle of harmony, should rule social life Li should dictate ritual and formal ways of behavior Yi is internalized li, the self becomes orderly Confucianism The Five Relationships: Ruler vs. subject Husband vs. wife Elder brother vs. younger brother Elder friend vs. younger friend Father vs. son Confucianism Li – the principle of harmony in formal relationships Should rule home, society, government Can be learned by studying music and poetry Junzi – the superior man Ren – kindness, compassion The state of being genuinely human Learned by studying music and poetry Junzi Five virtues of the junzi: Upright without regard to outward circumstances Forgiving Sincere in word and deed Earnest Generous Jen, humanness, is not prescribed but internally directed Confucianism is predominantly an ethical, rather than metaphysical, philosophy Other Teachings in the Time of Confucius – the Mohists Mozi (Mo Tzu) lived between 479 and 381 BCE in Song or Lu Taught jainai, or universal love The Mohists believed that life should be lived on the basis of “share and share alike” This varied from the teachings of Confucius, who believed that doing good was reserved for friends and not enemies Other Teachings in the Time of Confucius – the Fajia (Legalists) School of philosophy dating from the third century BCE People are only responsive to harsh laws, therefore rulers should instill fear Han Feizi, a representative of the school, wrote that people were untrustworthy The Fajia thought all people are evil, unlike Confucius who thought all people are good Confucians and Daoists Both appeal to a principle called the Dao, or Way Daoists Believe that human fulfillment means living in accordance with nature Are individualistic, without regard to social convention Confucians Believe that human fulfillment means acting out one’s social role Keep a place appropriate to social life Followers of Confucius Mengzi Believe that humanity’s natural inclination is toward good Feel that virtue is the basis of good governance Xunzi Believe that humans are fundamentally evil Hold that people can only become good through training Later History of Confucianism 206-220 BCE – Confucian thinking adopted by Han dynasty rulers as the norm for the Chinese empire Confucius upheld as a deified teacher 1130-1200 CE – during the Song dynasty, Confucian thinker Zhuxi creates neo-Confucianism Revives centuries of Confucian thought Stresses understanding of the Great Ultimate, or Taiji (Tai Chi) Central teaching was the Doctrine of the Mean Later History of Confucianism 618-907 CE – during the Tang dynasty, Confucianism was brought from China to Korea Neo-Confucian thought was also later established in Korea Twentieth century – Confucianism in China was weakened This began to occur with the rise of Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925) Also later with the leadership of Mao Tsetung (1893–1976) The Confucian “Four Books” The details of Confucius’ teaching, as remembered by his disciples, are contained in the Four Books: The Analects (Lun Yu) The Great Learning, Daxue (Ta Hsueh) The Doctrine of the Mean, Zhongyong (Chung Yung) The Book of Mencius, Mengzi (Meng- tze) Temple of Heaven, Bejing Chinese Folk Religion A widespread, popular practice Involved a wide panoply of deities, ghosts, and ancestors Held that communication practices like divination were important Believed that ancestors deserved attention Warned that “hungry ghosts” could be a persistent problem if their needs were not met Confucian Worldview Tianming, or mandate of heaven, is the sign of a legitimate ruler World is fundamentally good Although there is disagreement on human nature, all Confucians believe that humans require education to become good The problem for humans is disharmony that arises when humans act at the expense of others Shintoism To be grateful for blessings of kami and the benefits of ancestors To be diligent in the observance of the Shinto rites, applying oneself to them with sincerity, brightness, and purity of heart To be helpful to others and in the world at large, through deeds of service without thought of reward To seek the advancement of the world as one whose life mediates the will of kami To bind oneself with others in harmonious acknowledgement of the will of the emperor, praying that the country may flourish and that people may live in peace and prosperity Shintoism Shinto is the worship of kami Kami are the spirits alive in particular sacred places Places were marked with a rope, gateway (torii), or structure People become kami and kami become people Kami are to be respected and acknowledged As with all spirits, kami may do good or bad for you Most important kami is Amaterasu, the sun goddess She is the physical ancestor of the royal family She is the protector/guardian angel for the Japanese Torii Gate, Marking a Sacred Place Shinto, the Way of the Kami Worship of the kami, or deities found in nature, is the earliest form of Japanese religion Spirits of sacred persons and places were honored Places were marked as sacred by a rope, a gateway (torii), or a small structure With the arrival of Buddhism from Korea, worship of the kami became more institutionalized According to some Shinto accounts, Japan formed by two kami: Izanami and Izanagi Shinto Priest at a Wedding Ceremony in Japan Shintoism Kami and ancestors merged in a kami-dana in family house Must cleans hands first Use prayers, rice, and flowers Kami honored in local shrines Places to come for local help Prosperity, healing, guidance The Kami Amaterasu honored State shrines and war memorials The Emperor has specific Shinto duties as head of nation A Kami-dana in a Home Samurai Developed during the Kamakura period (twelfth through fourteenth centuries) Roots in extreme patriotism, Daoism, and Zen Buddhism Bushido code of honor included gratitude, courage, justice, and fierce determination to succeed Failure requires ritualized suicide, called hari-kari Concern for purification Shintoism in Japanese History Prince Shotoku (574-622 CE) attempted to establish harmony in Japan among Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shintoism In later periods of Japanese history, such as the Tokugawa regime, Shintoism was suppressed This came at the expense of Confucianism and Buddhism Then Emperor Meiji ascended in the nineteenth century A purified form of Shinto was established as the state religion, abolishing other religious practices State Shinto declined with the defeat of Japan in World War II Shinto in Japanese History Sectarian forms of Shinto survived from the nineteenth century Healing groups Tenrikyo P. L. (Perfect Liberty) Kyodan Miki Tokuchika Seicho-no-le (House of Growth) Shinto Worldview Natural world revered as divine Kami identified with or reside in natural phenomenon Worship of the sun goddess Amaterasu-Omikami, who is partial to the peoples of Japan Concern not worldly but focused on the Japanese people Ritual pollution and purification are very important Integration into family and national life is central to ethics