Transcript Religions - cloudfront.net

Religion in China
Finding Harmony
Within Three Great
Philosophies
Confucianism
Taoism
Buddhism
Ancient China
Geography
Last of the early
civilizations
Began around 3700
years ago
Isolated by dessert,
mountains, and
jungle
Causing Chinese
culture to develop in
almost complete
isolation
Ancient China
Geography
Today most people still live in the east
Ancient China
Moral order on Earth
through:
Virtue
-Moral Excellence
-Always doing what is good
Ritual
-Practices and Traditions
-Done generation after
generation
Ancestry Worship
-Respect for family
-Connection to one’s past
Ancient Ideas
Find the Harmony
in life
Belief that there is a
balance to all life.
The Yin and Yang
Man & Woman
Fire & Water
Day & Night
Life & Death
Balance between the
Individual, Family and
the State
Ancient China
Mandate of Heaven
Based on four ideas
1. The right to rule is granted by
Heaven
2. There is only one Heaven, so
there is only one ruler
3. The right to rule is based on
virtue of the ruler
4. The right to rule may be
passed down from father to
son, but may change dynasties
Gave rulers political
power over the people
‘Divine Right’
Ancient China
Political Structure
Ancient China
Social Structure
Ruler
Feudal System
Divides up his land
to be managed by
nobles
Nobility was based on birth
right not merit
Most people were peasants
who would do all the hard
work then be mistreated,
over taxed and receive very
little in return
Nobles
Hired warriors to
protect the king
and his land
Warriors
Maintained law and order
while forcing peasants to
work the land to feed the
classes above them
Peasants
Taxes
were
paid
to the
nobles
and
Ruler
Confucianism
Problems in Confucius’s world
Morals
Confucian philosophies
*Goodness is essential quality needed for society
Crime and corruption
War over land and power
People need to be taught and shown how to be
good and moral even the rulers
Fix first what is within yourself
&
Abuse of power and authority
Rulers must lead by example and show people
how to be good and moral
Social Class inequality
Education removes social classes
People should be promoted based on the deeds
they have done not their birth
Confucianism
Confucian philosophies
Morals
Confucius applies his ideas
*Goodness is essential quality needed for society
People need to be taught and shown how to be
good and moral even the rulers
Fix first what is within yourself
Rulers must lead by example and show people
how to be good and moral
Wonders China teaching Virtue and
morality to common people and kings
Creates social welfare programs like:
Taking care of children and elderly
Free education for all children
Education removes social classes
People should be promoted based on the deeds
they do not their birth
Hired officials based on merit
Taoism
Beliefs
Tao = all powerful force
Everything in the universe
comes from the Tao
Peace and Happiness comes
from experiencing the Tao
Ways to experience the Tao
Living in Harmony with Nature
Being content with one’s life
Not acting in anger
Buddhism
Practices
Buddhism
Compassion
Caring for and showing
kindness to all life
Inward Reflection
Looking within yourself to
find the answers to life’s
problem
Practices
Meditation
Focusing and controlling the
body and mind
Self Control
Self discipline, being control
pain, emotions and desires