Confucius (Kung Fu-Tzu)(551-479 BC)

Sir Bong Ocaña, MA Philosophy

Biographical SketchBiographical Sketch

Family name = Kung (Kong)Personal name = Zhong-ni / Chung Ni Kung Fu-Tzu (Kong Fu-zi) = “Master

Kung”“Confucius” = Latinization of “Kung

Fu-Tzu”NB: Some spellings in the English Terminologies

would vary, however, all refers to one and the same concept.

An Overview of the History of An Overview of the History of Chinese PhilosophyChinese Philosophy

Figure 15–1

•The Classical Age (6th century BC-2d century AD)

Confucianism (Confucius, 551-479 BC)Daoism (Lao Tzu, 6th century BC)Mohism (Mo Tzu, 468-376 BC)The Yin-Yang School (founder unknown)The School of Names (Logic) (Hui Shih, c. 380-305 BC)Legalism (Han Fei Tzu, d. 23 BC)

15–4

An Overview of the History of An Overview of the History of Chinese PhilosophyChinese Philosophy

The Medieval Age (2d-10th centuries BC)Relations & conflicts between Confucianism,

Daoism, & Buddhism.The Modern Age (11th century AD-Present)

Neo-Confucianism (incorporation of Daoist & Buddhist elements in an overall Confucian perspective) (Chu Hsi, 1130-1200 AD & many others)

20th century impact of Western philosophies such as Pragmatism & Marxism

Topic AreasTopic Areas

The Chun-Tzu (the Confucian hero) Virtue (jen, ren) Propriety (li), including filial piety & religious

propriety The Silver Rule (central ethical principle) Descriptions of Confucius (life) Words & actions (Lun Yu) Government (Politics) The Dao Miscellaneous teachings (Ssu Chu)

Topic AreasTopic Areas

The importance of studying & learning

Words & actions“Three Things” Government (Politics)The Dao Miscellaneous teachings (Ssu Chu)

15–7

The sources of Confucian The sources of Confucian philosophyphilosophy

Confucius claimed to derive his teachings from “the Ancients,” whose wisdom is embodied in

“The Five Classics” (Wu Jing) / (Wu Ching)

The I Jing (“Book of Changes”) or I Ching Collection of texts on divination based on a set of 64 hexagrams that reflect the relationship between Yin and Yang in nature and society

The Shu Jing (“Book of History”) or Shu Ching Collection of documents and speeches dating from the Later Han Dynasty

Disclaimer: Spelling in other books may vary. (refer to slide number 2)

15–8

The sources of Confucian The sources of Confucian philosophyphilosophy

The Shih Jing (“Book of Odes” [poetry]) or Shi Ching Collection of 300 poems and songs from the early Chou Dynasty (1027-402 BC)

The Li Ji (“Book of Rites”) or Li Ching Consists of three books on the Li (Rites of Propriety)

The Ch’un-ch’iu (“Spring & Autumn Annals”) or Ch’un Ching Extracts from the history of the state of Lu 722-484, said to be compiled by Confucius

Disclaimer: Spelling in other books may vary. (refer to slide number 2)

15–9

The Four BooksThe Four Books(Ssu-chu)(Ssu-chu)

Figure 15–4Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2001.

Analects (Lun-Yu) or Lun Yun- the most revered sacred scripture in

the Confucian tradition

The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong) or Chung Yung

The Great Learning (Ta-hsueh)

The Book of Meng-Tzu (Mencius) (Mencius, 371-288 BC)

The ancient State of Lu

That’s where Confucius was born & spent most of his life.

Anthem

Confucianism originated in China, but its influence spread to Korea & Japan over the centuries.

15–12Figure 15–5

Chronology of Chinese HistoryChronology of Chinese History

6000 BC: Prehistory (Belief in life after death; bone

divination) - legendary Hsia Dynasty (c. 1994-1500 BC)

1500-1040 BC: Shang Dynasty (Polytheism; spiritism; ancestor

veneration; bone & shell divination)

15–13

Chronology of Chinese HistoryChronology of Chinese History

1040-256 BC: Zhou (Chou) Dynasty (Feudal era & classical age; rise of Shang-Ti &

“Mandate of Heaven;” ancestor veneration & divination practices; continued belief in spiritism; interest in life-prolongation & immortality; 8th-5th centuries BC - period of disorder; emergence of classical Chinese philosophies: Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism, etc.)

Also called as the Era of Warring States (475-221 BC)

221-207 BC: Qin (Ch’in) Dynasty (“The Burning of the Books” in 213 BC) -

Legalism enthroned; Confucianism attacked.

15–14

Chronology of Chinese HistoryChronology of Chinese History

Figure 15–8

206 BC-25 AD: HAN DYNASTYFormer Han Dynasty (beginnings of

official state Confucianism)

25-220 AD: HAN DYNASTYLater Han Dynasty (rise of Chinese

Empire; imperial state religion; Confucianism established as the official philosophy of the Chinese state; the coming of Buddhism)

220-280 AD: The Three Kingdoms Wei (220-266); Shu (221-263); Wu (222-

280) (decline of Confucianism; rise of Daoism & Buddhism)

15–15

Chronology of Chinese HistoryChronology of Chinese History

Figure 15–8

Neo-Confucianism

Tang Dynasty - Han Yu (767-824 AD)

Sung Dynasty - Cheng Hao (1032-1085); Cheng Yi (1033-1108);

Zhu Xi (Chu Hsi) (1130-1200)

Ming Dynasty - Wang Yang-ming (1473-1529)Ch’ing Dynasty - Tai Chen (1723-1777)

20th century: Hsiung Shih- li (1885-1968); Fung Yu- lan (1895-1990); & others

Dao (“Way”) - the Ultimate; the One; the Absolute; the underlying Power; the Source.

Yin/Yang - the dual expression of Dao; neither is superior to the other (see next slide)

The Plural World - the universe; Heaven & Earth; an ever-changing expression & blend of Yin & Yang

Metaphysics

Ontology & Cosmology

(Heaven is Yang in relation to Earth; and Earth is Yin in relation to Heaven; but each is, in itself, a blend of both Yin & Yang.)

Heaven and Earth are not OPPOSITES

Sun and moon are not CONTRADICTORIES

Both are complimenting each other and in their eternal strife and complimentariness is where harmony is found.

Yin & Yangfemale

dark

cool

moist

passive

negative

evil

malebrighthotdryactivepositivegood

Earth & moon

Heaven & sun

"A basic difference between the

Chinese conception of yin and yang and other classical philosophical dualisms…is that whereas most dualisms are forever in conflict, yin and yang always act in harmony, and both are considered to be necessary to maintain the order of the universe." (Bilhartz 262)

Theology

Shang-Ti (God), the original ancestor (after the 11th century BC)

Heaven (Tian, T’ien) - the divine realm (Human beings who have died live on with Shang-Ti as ancestors (ti) in Heaven.)

Continuity & interchange between Heaven (the divine realm) and Earth (the human realm), i.e., between the ancestors & those living on Earth.

Confucian metaphysics, continued

(The ancestors are to be worshipped, and sacrifices are to be offered to them; they, in turn, will guide and protect us, especially with regard to our futures (divination practices).

When we die, we will join the ancestors in Heaven and become ancestors ourselves.)

[No hell(s)? See next slide.]

Spiritism (spirits every- where, good [shen] & evil [gui]).

Before the arrival of Buddhism in China,• it seems that Chinese religions

did not contain a well- developed idea of an afterlife.

• The souls of those who had lived in accord with the “Mandate of Heaven” (will of Shang-Ti) would become ancestors in Heaven; whereas

• the souls of those who had not followed Heaven’s decree would, after death, continue to live on for a time in a dark underworld area (called “the Yellow Springs”) & then fade away into nothingness.

• The idea of multiple levels of hell entered Chinese religion through Buddhism, which arrived in China in the 1st century AD.

• The religious Daoists accepted this idea (but modified it in various ways).

• Apparently, the Confucianists continued to show little interest in this subject.

Is Hell temporary or permanent?

In Buddhism, it is temporary.Confucianism has no clear answer

to this question (because the Confucianists refuse to speculate

on these matters).

What is the Daoist view?(To be continued?)

Anthropology(Human Nature & the Human Predicament)

• Human nature:– naturally & inherently

good - need for cultivation via education

– naturally social & political - development & perfection of human nature within the social & political realm

• The human predicament:– suffering as a result of failure to

follow the “Way of the Ancestors”

– Disharmony & conflict between Heaven & Earth, between the ancestors & us; and between humans here on earth

– Solution of problem of suffering: reestablish harmony

Confucius’s primary goal:

order, harmony, peace, & happiness in this life here on

earth

(He had only a secondary interest in “transcendental” salvation.)

Axiology(Theory of Value)

Philosophy of art (aesthetics) - the moral & political purposes of art (especially music)

Moral philosophy (ethics) - the center of Confucian philosophy (see next slide)

Social & political philosophy (theory of government) - the need for morally & intellectually virtuous rulers & civil servants

Central themes in Confucianethical theory:

• The Chun-Tzu - the ideal of the Superior (self-actualized, virtuous, perfected) Person (Text, pp. 1-3)

• The Chun-Tzu is an exemplification of ideal virtue, of Yi, of Ren, of Li, and of Hsiao – see following slides….

Yi - righteousness, just and appropriate conduct

According to Confucianists, there is an objective, absolute, and unconditional moral obligation on all of us to work for universal human well-being, the common good, the general welfare (which will include one's own true good):

Objective = not subjective; not relative; the obligation is independent of culturally and individually variable states of opinion, preference, feeling, or response.

Absolute = it extends throughout the whole sphere of moral obligation and cannot be suspended or overruled by any more basic or ultimate moral principle with a wider range of applicability.

Unconditional = this obligation does not depend on the fulfillment or non- fulfillment of any particular set of facts or circumstances which may or may not happen to occur - facts, for example, about our desires, aspirations, or goals in acting one way rather than another.

• Ren (jen) - virtue– Positive formulation:

cultivation of feeling (respect, empathy, compassion, love) for all humanity (Text, pp. 3-5)

– Negative formulation: the Silver Rule (Text, p. 7, vv. 85 & 86)

*

*Sometimes translated as “humanity”

See Hackett, Oriental Philosophy, pp. 29-31.

Li - Propriety (proper conduct)

• The Rectification of Names (Zheng-ming) (proper use of language) (Text, vv. 8, 9, 10, 11, 109-113, 129, 160)

• The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong) (Text, vv. 132, 155, 156)

• The Five Constant Relationships:– parent-child– husband-wife– elder sibling-

younger sibling– elder friend-

younger friend– ruler-subject

Confucian ethics, continued

Filial Piety (Xiao, Hsiao)

(devotion to & reverence for parents & family)

The institution of the family is the foundation of a well-ordered & civilized society (grounded mainly on respect of children for parents)

Respect for age (experience & wisdom)

Confucian ethics / Li, continued

(Text, pp. 5-6)

Religious Proprietyproper practice of traditional rites

(worship of God, ancestors, Heaven, Earth, spirits; funeral services & sacrifices in honor

of parents)

Text, vv. 64, 70, 72, 79-84

Confucian ethics / Li, continued

Wen(learning & the arts)

• The importance of culture in the creation & maintenance of a well-ordered society

• Studying & learning (Text, pp. 7-8)

• The arts - especially music (Text, vv. 99)

Confucian ethics (& aesthetics?), continued

(Confucius composed a “Book of Music” [Yueh Jing], which is sometimes referred to as a “sixth classic.”)

Confucius’s Political Philosophy

Te - the union of power & virtue

The characteristics of a good ruler (or civil servant):moral goodness (virtue & propriety)rationalitymoderationbenevolence

(Text, pp. 9-11)

Confucian axiology, continued