The 3 Chinese Philosophies: Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism

The 3 Chinese Philosophies: Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism

More on CONFUCIUS WE THINK CONFUCIUS LIVED FROM 551 470 B.C. DURING HIS LIFETIME, HE TRAVELED FROM ONE FEUDAL STATE TO ANOTHER COMMENTING UPON THE EVENTS OF HIS TIME. HE NEVER HELD AN IMPORTANT JOB. PRIMARILY, CONFUCIUS WAS A TEACHER. HIS PUPILS WERE THE SONS OF ARISTOCRACY (WEALTHY NOBLES). HE OPERATED A SMALL PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR THE SONS OF THE RICH WHERE HE TAUGHT HISTORY, RELIGIOUS RITES, MORALS AND STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR. THE LESSONS WERE LARGELY DIALOGUES BETWEEN THE TEACHER AND HIS STUDENTS. WHEN THE TEACHER SPOKE THE STUDENTS TOOK NOTES. THE ANALECTS IS THE RECORD OF THE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN CONFUCIUS AND HIS STUDENTS. CONFUCIUS CONSTANTLY TAUGHT THAT HUMAN BEINGS WERE ESSENTIALLY ALIKE IN NATURE; DIFFERENCES WERE DETERMINED BY ENVIRONMENT, EDUCATION, HABITS AND PREFERENCES AND INDIVIDUAL LIVES. CONFUCIUS TRIED TO FORM A GUIDE TO THE WAY HUMAN BEINGS OUGHT TO FEEL ABOUT THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. HE SPOKE OF THE PRINCIPALS OF HUMANENESS (KINDNESS) AND FILIAL PIETY (DEVOTION TO ONE S PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS) AND THE CLOSE LINK BETWEEN MORAL BEHAVIOR AND GOVERNMENT. HE BELIEVED THE CHINESE STATE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A LARGE FAMILY AND THE EMPEROR WAS THE FATHER. THE PHILOSOPHER HOPED TO INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT AND POLICY BUT FEW PEOPLE PAID ATTENTION TO CONFUCIUS DURING HIS LIFETIME. IF PEOPLE IGNORED HIM, WHY WAS CONFUCIUS SO IMPORTANT? Confucius was China s most influential and respected philosopher. He lived between 551BC and 479BC. He examined the ideas of right and wrong and was interested in how people related to one another. His ideas, Confucianism, explained acceptable social behavior in all situations. Confucianism set up strict guidelines for proper behavior between people. 700 years after his death, the Han Dynasty adopted the ideas of Confucius as the main values of the Empire. Since then, the ideas of Confucius have been ingrained in Chinese culture. In the two thousand years Confucianism has dominated Chinese thought, its basic principles were adapted to meet new challenges. Disciples of Confucianism often developed new ideas to offset other religious or philosophical ideas that challenged the basic system of Confucian thought. During the Tang Dynasty, for instance, Confucian thought was challenged by beliefs of Chinese Buddhists and Daoists. Eventually Confucianism incorporated many Daoist and Buddhist ideas. Confucian thought and its system of ethical relationships preserved order and structure in Chinese society. Confucian thought, however, is also blamed for slowing the development of Chinese scholarship as well as economic development. Because the Chinese adhered so rigidly to the ideas of Confucianism, they often discarded foreign ideas. As a result, they did not readily adopt ideas in astronomy, mathematic and medicine from the Middle East. Neither did they learn how to use animal labor for crop cultivation.

2. DAOISM (TAOISM) MORE ON TAOISM Taoism was another philosophy that shaped Chinese tradition. Little is known about its founder, Lao-Tse (low-dzoo). However, his teachings have survived in the Tao Te Ching, or The Way and Its Power. Like, Confucius, Lao-Tse was concerned with how to achieve a GOOD SOCIETY. However, he rejected the rules of behavior laid down by Confucius. Taoist philosophy stressed simplicity, meditation and closeness with nature.

Lao-Tse taught that the goal of life was to become attuned to the TAO. The Tao was a universal force that could not be defined. It could only be felt. The Tao also meant the way or the road a person followed to reach that goal. Lao-Tse believed a person reached harmony with nature not by using reason but through contemplation (thinking and reflecting). TO THE TAOIST, THE BEST GOVERNMENT WAS THE GOVERNMENT THAT GOVERED THE LEAST. The more laws and edicts are imposed, the more thieves and bandits there will be. Taoism was BOTH A PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION. Yet it was concerned with ways of improving a person s life in this world rather than saving souls. The Chinese believed that spirits and ghost were everywhere and had to be appeased (kept happy). Taoist priests provided charms and magic to influence the spirits. As a result, Taoism became very popular among the people. The Taoist emphasis on nature shaped Chinese science and technology. Taoists recorded movement of the planets, thereby gaining knowledge of astronomy. They also studied and recorded their observations in chemistry and botany. TO LAO-TZU, THE HARMONY THAT NATURALLY EXISTED BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH COULD BE FOUND BY ANYONE AT ANYTIME, BUT NOT BY FOLLOWING THE RULES OF THE CONFUCIANISTS. ACCORDING TO THE TAO TE CHING, BASICALLY EARTH IS A REFLECTION OF HEAVEN AND RUN BY THE SAME LAWS NOT BY THE LAWS OF MAN. THE MORE MAN INTERFERED WITH THE NATURAL BALANCE PRODUCED AND GOVERENED BY THE UNIVERSE, THE FURTHER AWAY WAS HARMONY. EVERYTHING HAS IT OWN NATURE WITHIN IT IT IS HEAVY OR IT IS LIGHT, WET OR DRY, FAST OR SLOW. HARMONY COMES FROM BALANCING THE OPPOSITE FORCES OF NATURE. WHEN THINGS ARE OUT OF BALANCE, THERE WILL BE DIFFICULTIES AND LIFE WILL BECOME SOUR. LAOZI TAUGHT THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE GOOD WITHOUT BAD, BEAUTY WITHOUT UGLINESS, OR PLEASURE WITHOUT PAIN. BECAUSE TAOISTS BELIEVE THAT GOOD AND BAD ARE CONNECTED, THEY TRY TO ACCEPT BOTH. A COMMON TAOIST SYMBOL THAT REPRESENTS THIS CONCEPT IS THE YIN-AND- YANG. THE CIRCLE REPRESENTS HARMONY AND EACH PART OF THE CIRCLE CONTAINS SOMETHING OF THE OTHER (THE WHITE HAS SOME BLACK AND THE BLACK HAS SOME WHITE) AND THE TWO PARTS FLOW INTO EACHOTHER CREATING PERFECT BALANCE.

3. THE STRICT CODE OF LEGALISM Legalism was the third major Chinese philosophy. Among its chief supporters was Han Fei Tzu (hahn fay dzoo), who died in 233 BC. Unlike Confucius, Han Fei Tzu was not interested in ethical conduct. He also opposed the Taoist emphasis on meditation. He felt that the way to create a stable society was through EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT. And he believed that the ruler should have absolute power to make the system work. Legalism was an authoritarian philosophy that is, it taught UNQUESTIONING OBEDIENCE TO AUTHORITY. Han Fei Tzu said that people were easily swayed by greed or fear. Only the ruler knew how to look after their best interests. Therefore, the ruler should make laws as needed, enforcing them with rich REWARDS for obedience and severe PUNISHMENT for disobedience. To the Legalists, rule by law was far superior to the Confucian idea of rule by good example. Legalists had such a low opinion of human nature that they did not believe people were capable of loyalty, honesty or trust. Only the threat of harsh punishment, they argued, would ensure order and stability in society. China s first emperor adopted Legalist ideas as he set about unifying the country.

Confucius Task: Read the letter below which might have been sent by a father to his son. Make a list of the Confucian values you find in the letter. DEAR ELDEST SON (DAUGHTER): THE FAMILY IS VERY PROUD OF YOU. YOU ARE THE FIRST MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY TO PASS THE IMPERIAL EXAMINATIONS. YOU HAVE A GREAT FUTURE SERVING THE EMPEROR. WHEN YOUR GRANDMOTHER RECEIVED THE NEWS OF THIS SUCCESS SHE WALKED TO THE FAMILY TOMB TO TELL THE ANCESTORS ABOUT THE HONOR YOU WILL BRING THE FAMILY. WE HOPE THAT SOMEDAY, AS THE FAMILY GAINS MORE AND MORE PRESTIGE, WE CAN BUILD A SPECIAL GARDEN AND PAVILLION FOR ALL THE ANCESTORS. PERHAPS THE EMPEROR WILL STOP THERE AND WRITE A POEM OR HONOR US WITH SOME CALLIGRAPHY WHICH WE CAN ENGRAVE IN STONE AND PLACE WITHIN THE TEMPLE GROUNDS. YOU HAVE SHOWN GOOD SENSE AND LOYALTY. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS IMPORTANT NOT TO GO TO EXTREMES, CONTROL YOUR TEMPER AND TREAT OTHERS WITH RESPECT. YOU MUST SERVE AS A MODEL FOR YOUR CHILDREN AS THE EMPEROR, PRINCES AND MINISTERS SERVE AS MODELS FOR US. I HAVE ARRANGED THE MARRIAGE OF YOUR YOUNGER SISITER. YOUR SISTER HAS SAID NOTHING BUT SHE SEEMS PLEASED. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU COME FOR THE CEREMONY NEXT YEAR. AT THAT TIME YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO HONOR THE ANCESTORS AND CONTINUE TO BRING PROSPERITY, HEALTH AND GOOD FORTUNE TO OUT FAMILY. YOUR LOVING FATHER, CHIN TIEN Daoism and Legalism Task: Read the following quotes and determine whether the quote is that of a Daoist or a Legalist. Put D or L on the line. When it comes to women, the wise ruler may enjoy them, but should not be drawn into their pleads or submit to their requests. Who can (make) the muddy water (clear)? Let it be still, and it will gradually become clear. When it comes to uncles, brothers, and chief vassals, he should punish them when their advice leads to failure, and promote them when their advice leads to success. In the sequence of great armies there are sure to be bad years. It is dangerous for a ruler to trust others. He who trusts others can be manipulated by others. Indeed, customs differ between the past and the present. To try to govern the people of a chaotic age with benevolence and lenient measures is like to drive wild horses without reins and whips. So it is that existence and non- existence give birth the one to the idea of the other; that difficulty and ease produce the one (the idea of) the other; that (the ideas of) height and lowness arise from the contrast of the one with the other; that the musical notes and tones become harmonious through the relation of one with another; and that being before and behind give the idea of one following another.