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Confucianism and Daoism/Taoism
Both of these religions came from China.
However, they were not supposed to be religions. They were initially philosophies, but turned into religions.
Confucius, the founder of
Confucianism
Philosophy
the study of ideas about knowledge, truth, the nature and meaning of life, etc.
a particular set of ideas about knowledge, truth, the nature and meaning of life, etc.
a set of ideas about how to do something or how to live
First, let’s talk about Confucianism
The founder of this religion was Confucius.
Chou DynastyKnown for counseling a small
band of students during his lifetime
His sayings were written down in the Analects.
His Followers
With the exception of his students and group of political leaders that followed him, Confucius had little success during his lifetime
However, there are now approx. 6 million Confucians in the world-primarily in China and other parts of Asia.
Natural Order
There is a natural order in the universe
Each person has a place in society which reflects position in the universe
Role of Each Person
Each person has a role in society
If everyone fulfills their roles, society will be in harmony.
Education
Education is very important for government officials, so they will govern for the good of the people.
Core Beliefs
Confucian ethical teachings include the following values:
Jen: human heartedness, goodness, humaneness towards others; the highest Confucian virtue
Li: includes ritual, propriety (socially appropriate), etiquette, etc.
Yi: righteousness , moral disposition to do goodHsiao: love within the family: love of parents for
their children and of children for their parents (filial piety)
Chih: moral wisdom, knowledge in right and wrong
Practices
Confucianism does not contain all of the elements of some other religions, like Christianity and Islam. – It is primarily an ethical system: certain rituals
performed at important times during one's lifetime have been added.
Since the time of the Han dynasty (206 CE) four life passages have been recognized and regulated by Confucian tradition: birth; reaching maturity; marriage, and death
The Five Relationships of Confucius
People are supposed to stay in their place in society. This created harmony.
The five relationships are:Ruler <> SubjectFather <> SonHusband <> WifeOlder Brother <> Younger BrotherFriend <> Friend
Filial Piety
The most important item for a person that is Confucian is filial piety- respect for parents and elderly.
If you respect your parents, everything else will fall into place.
Spread of Confucianism
Confucianism didn’t begin spreading until after his death.
Because of this, Confucius didn’t experience wealth and fame during his life.
Summary
Philosophical system aimed at bettering individuals and society.
Primary goals were to educate people to be self-motivated and self-controlled
Enabled people to assume their responsibilities, which would cultivate a better self and a harmonious society.
Daoism (Taoism)
The founder of Daoism is Laozi.
Daoists believe in harmony with nature instead of harmony with people.
Daoism is the opposite of Confucianism
Laozi
The Dao/Tao
The dao/tao is known as the way.
The goal of a Daoist/Taoist is to become one with the dao/tao.
They also believe in yin and yang, or the balance of forces in the universe.
Other Facts about Taoism
They are polytheistic and believe in spirits and gods of nature.
They believe that if you are kind to people, they will be kind to you.
Taoists focus on harmony with
nature
Taoism Today
Taoism currently has about 20 million followers, and is primarily centered in Taiwan.
About 30,000 Taoists live in North America; 1,720 in Canada (1991 census).
Taoism has had a significant impact on North American culture in areas of "acupuncture, herbalism, holistic medicine, meditation and martial arts..."
http://www.greatneck.k12.ny.us/gnps/shs/dept/special_ed/nystrom/documents/MajorBeliefsofConfucianism.pdf
http://philosophy.lander.edu/oriental/main.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK6rWaUiuV4
