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Chinese Belief Structures
More selection than the Dragon Buffet
King
Ancient Philosophies
 About 500BCE Buddha, Confucius, Greek
Philosophers and Chinese - Lao Tze
 Called a flowering period
 India more concerned with cosmos and soul
 China more concerned with ethical life on
earth
Ancestors
 In ancient China, the family was important in the
everyday spiritual life for many Chinese.
 Every family tried to set up shrines to their ancestors.
 The ancestors were referred to for advise and
guidance.
 Actions were always balanced against the effect it
may have on the family.
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Dishonour was a grave offence and could lead to your
expulsion from the family.
Part of this system was the complex system of belief
and practice of “face”
Public Roles
 The concept of “face” existed as a way for all levels of society of
function.
 While the nobles held power, the way they exploited it was
limited.
 If a nobleman wanted to he could kill just about anyone he
wanted.
 The repercussions though were often enough to keep him in
check
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Social superiority meant an implied moral superiority.
A noble can kill, but such and act against a commoner is an
open display of power and that is considered rude.
 This system was confusing for Europeans initially as they
regarded societal roles differently.
 Being a merchant was now acceptable and legitimate n
Europe, but in China, merchants were just above slaves and
peasants.
Nu Wa
 Creation of Man
The earth was a beautiful place with blossoming trees and
flowers, and full of animals, birds, fish and all living creatures.
But as she wandered about it Nv Wa felt very lonely. She bent
down and took up a handful of earth, mixed it with water and
molded a figure in her likeness. As she kneaded it the figure
came alive - the first human being. Nv Wa was so pleased with
her creation that she went on making more figures both men
and women. They danced around her cheerily and loneliness
was dispelled.
 Since this process was too tedious and time-consuming, she
dipped a rope into the mud and then swung it about her. Soon
the earth around her was covered the lumps of mud.
 The handmade figurines became the wealthy and the noble;
those that arose from the splashes of mud were the poor and
the common.
Age
 Tied to the belief in their ancestors was the
veneration of elders.
 The elderly were afforded a lot of power and
honour due to their age.
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In a time where most peasants might live to
their 30s, someone 70 + was rare
Age was equated to wisdom, and so by living
and experiencing life, the elderly were always
listened to.
Legalism
 Legalism is the belief structure of a “family” as it
exists within the government of Ancient China.
 The nation was regarded as a family, with the
emperor as the head of the family.
 He had a moral responsibility to look after his children
and see to their needs.
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If he failed, he was subject to removal.
In Ancient times this was unprecedented.
It was the only real check in the ultimate power of the
emperor
 If he out stepped the bounds too much, he would
loose support.
The Vinegar Tasters
 This picture is an
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allegorical
representation of the
three major belief
systems in Ancient
China.
Confucianism
Buddhism
Taoism
Each is tasting vinegar
(life) and are reacting to
it.