Philosophy & Religion in

China

Chinese Folk ReligionConfucianismTaoismBy Laura Ellen Shulman

Chinese Folk Religion Belief in spirits Reverence for ancestors Priests perform blessing rituals:

– purifying space – Exorcising evil spirits (“hungry

ghosts”) Astrology Divination

Chinese Religious Concepts

Chi – life force, life energy (“ultimate”) Yin-Yang – harmony of opposites

– Yin = passive state of energy– Yang = active state of energy

Tao – the “way” of the cosmos, of nature

ConfucianismA political and social philosophy seeking

social harmony on all levels:Within the self…the family…the community...the state…the nation…the world…the cosmos

Learning from the past to improve the future

Confucianism - OriginsKung-Fu-tzu (Confucius) “Master Kung” 551 - 479 BCE Education Good Government Good Relations

Meng-Tzu (Mencius) (4th century) continues to develop teachings of Confucius

Confucianism - Texts The “Five Classics” (of the past):

– I-Ching– The Book of History (Shu Ching)– The Book of Poems (Shih Ching)– The Spring and Autumn Annals (Ch’un Ch’iu)– The Book of Rituals (Li Chi)

The “Four Books” (Confucian)– Analects (Lun Yu)– Doctrine of the Mean– The Great Learning– The Book of Mencius (Meng-Tzu)

Goal of ConfucianismTo develop one’s Jen: Human

Heartedness - the innate goodness of humanity

Thus becoming a Chun Tzu: the “Great Man” or “Gentle Man”

Jen is developed through intentional living by Confucian virtues…

Confucian VirtuesJen – Human Heartedness

Li (rites, ritual) – the inherent “pattern” in things–For Confucius, Li is especially significant in a social context – propriety or etiquette, the “pattern” of humane behavior

Rectification of names – a person or thing should be true to its name

Recipricity (shu) – the Golden Rule:–“Do not do to others what you would not want others to do to you”

The Five RelationshipsFilial Piety (Hsiao) - respect for the five

constant relationships:– Parent and child– Husband & wife– Older & younger sibling– Older & younger friend– Ruler & subject

Human-heartedness is developed only within the context of human relationships

TaoismOrigins and Texts

Legendary founder: Lao Tzu (6th century BCE)

Primary text: Tao Te Ching (the “Book of the Way and the Power”)– 81 short “chapters” containing the basic

philosophy of living in harmony and balance Chuang Tzu (4th century BCE)

– Author of companion text: The Chuang Tzu– Collection of stories exemplifying the

wisdom and nature of the Taoist sage

Taoism as a Way of Living

Seeking Health and Longevity: through diet, meditation, exercise, and a stress-free life

Alchemy: seeking the chemical “elixir of life”to achieve immortality

Meditation: “Inner Alchemy Meditation” – seeking spiritual rather than chemical transformation

Natural/holistic healing: herbal medicine, acupressure, acupuncture, exercise…

T’ai-Chi-Ch’uan (“grand ultimate boxing”)– A slow, graceful martial art stressing movement

in balance

Religious Taoism Deification of Lao Tzu The Jade Emperor and the eight

“Immortals” Taoist temples with images of Lao Tzu

and other “immortals” Taoist Priests combine Taoist meditation

with purification rites of folk religion exorcism practices

Taoist sects develop beginning in 1st century, additional teachers and texts

Philosophical Taoism The Tao (“path” or “way”)

– The “nameless”– The “Mother of ten=thousand things”– The “uncarved block”– All pervading within and beyond nature

Te (“power” or “virtue”)– One’s natural ability brought to peak

potential through following the way The Taoist Sage: learns from observing the

way of nature (flowing water, wind) and letting nature guide his way through life

More Taoist Concepts Wei-wu-wei (“active non-action”)

– Passive non-resistance to the natural forces of life

– Natural way to get things done with least effort and greatest success

– “Go with the flow,” yield to the natural way of things

– Applied in all walks of life Relativity: “good” and “bad” as a

matter of perspective– The Taoist sage is non-judgmental