Download Religions and Philosophies in Ancient China

Warm ups 2.21.2017
*What was one reason why the Mongol Empire
spread so rapidly?
*What was one positive thing that happened as a
result of the Mongol Empire?
Lesson Objective:
*compare similarities and differences among Ancient
Chinese religions
Religion in the Shang Dynasty
*the religion of the Shang Dynasty
(around 1700 BCE to 1000 BCE)
was very interested in “divination”
divination: the practice of
seeking knowledge of the future
by supernatural means
Religion in the Shang Dynasty
Divination in the Shang Dynasty
*hunts
*sickness
*weather
*harvests
*childbirth
*dreams
*good or bad luck in the future
Religion in the Shang Dynasty
Oracle bones: ox scapulas (shoulder blades), or
turtle shells were used to try and predict future or
fortunes
Oracle Bones
Religion in the Shang Dynasty
*Shang Religion was polytheistic, and an important
characteristic was “ancestor worship”
*they believed if you pleased your dead ancestors,
crops would succeed, and you would be healthy, but
if not…….
Confucianism
*Confucius was a
traveling teacher
who was never
famous during his
lifetime, but his
teachings impacted
China and Asia for
centuries after his
life
Confucian Beliefs
*social harmony is the goal of Confucianism, and to
accomplish this everyone must know their role and
place in society
*there are five relationships that determine this: ruler
and subject, father and son, husband and wife, elder
and younger brother, and friend to friend
Confucian Beliefs
*there are 5 virtues that are important in Confucianism
*Ren: compassion for others, love, and mercy
*Yi: honesty and righteousness, ability to know what is right
and choose to do it
* Li: proper conduct, how to act
*Zhi: wisdom and knowledge
*Xin: fidelity and sincerity, faithfulness to people and causes
Taoism (Daoism)
*Taoism is about
balance, hence the yin
yang
*it is about light and
dark, good and bad,
etc.
Taoism (Daoism) Beliefs
*achieving harmony with nature
*being virtuous
*self-development / self-improvement
*detachment from desires
Taoist Temple
Confucian and Taoist Influences Today?
*In what ways do you think that these philosophies
and religions influence China today?