Download Chinese Philosophies

Chinese
Philosophies
Confucianism
• Founded by Confucius
• A scholar during the
Zhou Dynasty.
• Lead a scholary life,
studying and teaching
HISTORY, music, and
moral character.
Confucianism
• 5 Key Relationships
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Ruler and Subject
Father and Son
Husband and Wife
Older Brother and Younger Brother
Friend and Friend (only equal relationship)
Philosophies (way to live life)
• Harmony and Proper Government
• Follow a code of Ethics
• Filial Piety – Loyalty and Respect for Parents
is Priority
• People are naturally good.
• Education will improve society & advance
one’s civilization
Role of Government
• Rulers must not only enforce laws but set an
example
• The best
rulers are
virtuous
Writings
• Followers recorded his ideas in The Analects
after his death
Legalism
• Founded by Hanfeizi
and Li Si
• Nature of Man is Evil
Legalism
• Qin emperor Shi Huangdi
overthrows Zhou with the
Mandate of Heaven in 221
B.C.E. and applied
Legalism to create a strong
authoritarian government
Philosophies (ways to live life)
• Called Legalism because of their emphasis on
law and order
• Only way to achieve order and build a strong
government is to pass strict laws and apply
harsh punishments
• They believed that examples set by moral leaders
would not be followed or even respected.
Role of Government
• Only the ruler has authority and he needs to
use it (autocracy)
• Qin shi
Huangdi and his
dynasty only
lasted 11 years
but started the
Great Wall
Writings
• Book of Lord
Shang
• Han Fei-tzu
Taoism / Daoism
• Founded by Laozi
• Lived during the 6th
century B.C.E.
Philosophies (ways to live life)
• Seek Harmony with Nature
• They believe in the
Yin(g) and Yang
• Natural rhythm
of life
• The natural order is
more important than the social order
Role of Government - Writings
• Belief that government
should not play a role
• Tao Te Ching
Han Dynasty
• After the Qin Dynasty and Shi Huangdi,
China falls into civil war over who will rule.
• The Hans take over and claim the Mandate
of Heaven. Wudi will become ruler and
greatly improve the Chinese empire.
Han Achievements
• Created a civil service
• Specialized workers for the
government
• Needed to pass test on
Confucianism
• Invented paper (105 C.E.)
Han Achievements
• Created and traded
silk products
• Invented the collar
harness, a better plow
and the wheelbarrow
• Invented watermills
for grinding grain
The Silk Road
• Trading route from China to Africa and
Europe
• Extended into India and other parts of
northern Europe
• All kinds of goods traded
• Spread goods, culture, religion, disease, and
ideas all across the world