Transcript Confucianism - Townsend Harris High School

Aim: to what extent does
Confucianism attempt to
bring order to society?
Confucianism
Where?
Founder
Was there
a founder?
• When?
• Whom?
• Confucius
• (K’ung-fu-tzu)
• (551-479 BCE)
Confucianism
• His teachings were
later refined and
spread by Mencius
(Meng Tzu).
Ironically Mencius is
probably more
responsible for the
spread of
Confucianism than…
Confucius.
Background to Confucianism
• Dynastic warfare and division broke out in the Zhou Dynasty (+/1000 BCE – 256 BCE) starting in 771 BCE and lasting until 221
BCE.
• China was ravaged by chaos and disorder during a time period
known as the Warring States.
• How could one establish order in society?
• By utilizing a moral philosophy by which people could live their lives.
• One that stressed
order
Five Relationships
• Husband and wife
• Parent and child (Filial Piety)
• Elder and younger brother, or generally of
elders and youngsters
• Ruler and Minister or subject
• Friend and friend.
Taken from
The Analects
• How might the Five Relationships help
establish
order
in society?
Texts
• The Analects (a
total of twenty books):
The thoughts and
sayings of Confucius,
including conversations
between the master
and his pupils.
• The Five Classics
(books) collected after
Confucius’ death during
the Zhou Dynasty and
considered to be great
examples of Confucian
thinking.
• Why would such a philosophy make sense
during a time of political anarchy and why
might political rulers (Emperors etc.) really
like this philosophy?
• The answer isn’t going to fly in from the
right. Think!
FIN