Transcript Major Philosophies of China

• 10/28 Focus
– Conflicts during the Warring States Period
at the end of the Zhou Dynasty led many
people to question the nature of society and
people’s role in it.
– The effort to make sense of the chaos led to
the creation of new Chinese philosophies
• Do Now:
– Describe one effect that the Silk Roads had
on ancient China
Major Philosophies of China
Confucianism
Legalism
Taoism
The Warring States Period
• Warfare broke out
between nobles at the
end of Zhou dynasty
– Led to period of
upheaval and chaos
– People began to think
about the best way to
restore:
• Social order
• Harmony
• Respect for authority
Confucius
• 551 BC- 479 BC
• Known as Kongfuzi
• Chinese teacher and
philosopher
– Philosopher
• A person who offers
theories or ideas on
“big questions”
• Developed a theory of
how to establish
stability in China
Confucianism
• Confucius believed that:
– People are naturally good
• People should treat each other humanely
– Importance of education in creating good,
stable government
• Need for educated civil servants
– Individual must find and accept their
proper place in society
Confucianism
• Believed society should be organized
around five basic relationships
o Ruler -----Subject
o Father-----Son
o Husband----Wife
o Older Brother----Younger Brother
o Friend----Friend
The Five Relationship
The Five Relationships
• Example:
– Rulers should practice
kindness and virtuous
living
– Subjects should be loyal
and law abiding
• Stressed importance of:
– Family
– Filial Piety
• Children should respect
their parents and elders
– Worship ancestors
– Patriarchal society
– Education
Major Principles of Confucianism
Li --> Rite, rules, how you should act in a
community
Ren --> humaneness for others; helping others
Shu --> Reciprocity, empathy
Do not do unto others what you would
not want others to do unto you.
Yi --> Righteousness and morality
Xiao --> Filial Piety (Respect your parents and elders)
The Analects
• Book containing
Confucius thoughts
on how to improve
society
• Became the basis
for Chinese civil
service exams and
bureaucracy
– Government workers
Significance of Confucianism
• Cornerstone of Chinese
tradition and culture
– Adopted by most
Chinese
• preserved patriarchal
society
• Spread to areas that
were under China’s
control or influence
– Korea and Vietnam
Closure
• What is Filial Piety?
• What impact did Confucianism have on
China?
Filial Piety
•The Master [i.e. Confucius] said, “In serving
his parents the filial son is as reverent as
possible to them while they are living. In
taking care of them he does so with all
possible joy; when they are sick he is
extremely anxious about them; when he
buries them he is stricken with grief; when
he sacrifices to them he does so with the
utmost solemnity. These five [duties] being
discharged in full measure, then he has been
able [truly] to serve his parents.”
• 10/30 Focus:
– The Qin adopted the philosophy of
legalism and used it to maintain strict
control of the Chinese population
– Lao Tzu encouraged people to seek a
balance with nature by following the
Taoist philosophy
• Do Now:
– Filial Piety was one of Confucius’s main
teachings . What is filial piety?
Legalism
• Founded by Han
Feizi
– Lived during the
Warring States
period
• Became the
political
philosophy of the
Qin Dynasty
Principles of Legalism
• Human nature is
naturally selfish; humans
are by nature evil
• Rulers needed to be
strong and govern
through force
• Laws must be strict and
based on rewards and
punishments to maintain
order
– Supported harsh
penalties
• Branding and mutilation
for minor crimes
Principles of Legalism
• Placed little value on education
– should be controlled by government
• Ideas needed to be strictly controlled
– Rulers should burn all writings that are
critical of the government
• War is needed to strengthen the rulers
power
Daoism
• Founded by Lao Zi
• Began during the
Warring States
Period
• Stressed importance
of balance in nature
– Yin
– Yang
Feminine
Passive
Darkness
Cold
Weak
Earth; Moon
Masculine
Active
Light
Warmth
Strong
Heaven; Sun
Daoism
• “The Way”
– The Tao
• A universal life force that is present in nature
• Guides all things
– Human understanding of nature and
harmony achieved by following “the way”
Daoism
• Believed that education and politics are
not necessary for harmony
– Natural flow of events would solve
problems
• Rely on senses and instincts
• Stressed importance of individuals and
less government
How do we best achieve social order and
harmony in society??
Confucianism --> Moral order in society.
Legalism --> Rule by harsh law & order.
Daoism --> Freedom for individuals and
less govt. to avoid
uniformity and conformity.
Closure
• How was Legalism used by the Qin to
control the people of China?
• What role does balance play in the
Daoist teachings?
• 10/31 Focus:
– China’s river valley civilizations laid the
foundations of Chinese culture. Important
Chinese philosophies , Confucianism,
legalism, and Taoism developed.
• Do Now:
– Identify one difference between legalism
and Confucianism
China Review
• What are two natural barriers that influenced the
development of civilization in China?
• Identify one effect these barriers had on China
China Review
• What is this structure
• What does it tell us about the Chinese
view of the outside world?
China Review
• What trade route is shown in this map?
• What impact did it have on China?
China Review
China Review
• Explain the process that is shown in
this image?
China Review
Zhou Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
Han Dynasty
Warring States Period
China Review
Han Feizi
Lao Tzu
The Analects
Developed during
warring states period
The Five Relationships
Ways to establish
order in society
Placed little value on
education
“The Way”
Confucius
The Han Feizi
Filial Piety
The Way of Virtue
Seek a balance with nature
Placed high value on education
rather than punishment
Harsh penalties for breaking laws
Strict control of education
and free thinking