daoism + confucianism

mandate of heaven

only well behaved rulers = successful dynasty

dynastic cycle

rise + fall of imperial rulers (love dynasties)

middle kingdom

mother kingdom, china is best, others should look up to them

harmony

balance, order, peaceful coexistence. within humans but manifests outward. balance of yin and yang

yin and yang

opposites, interconnected, interdependent, what reality is, everything is composed of them, after death: yin goes to ground, yang goes to ancestoral spirit

de

moral character, inner power, virtue, power, brings harmony, means of transformation

xiao

respect for elders

laozi

old master, founder of daoism, author of daodejing

daodejing

text of daoism, instruct best ways to govern thorugh natural living

dao

“the way”, guides the universe

wu wei

non action flowing within universe

kong qui / confucious

founder of confucianism, formed analects

t’ian

heaven emperors = sons of heaven, mandate of heaven

ren

desire to seek good of others, empathy, kindness

li

doing good things, rituals, court

shu

treat others how you want to be treated

hsueh

self correcting wisdom, compare behaviour to ideal person, humility

cheng ming

titles must be respected, rectification of names, importance of words

wen

cutlure, calligraphy, poetry, arts, sophistication, educated person

junzi

leader of character, noble person

analects

collection of ideas, central confucian text

neo confucianism

revival through song dynasty, including buddhist + daoist ideas

sage

moral + spiritual perfection, does not seek anything (inaction), role model

prehistoric xia dynasty

not recorded, hypothetical

ancient shang

written language

zhou (chou) dynasty

ended with warring states period, legalism, confucianism, daoism

quin (chin) dynasty

legalism, united china

classical han dynasty

confucianism, buddhism, like greece + rome

medieval six dynasties period

no united china, buddhims very popular

post classical sui/tang/song dynasty

neo confucianism, daoist + buddhist elements

yuan (mongols)

used confucianism

ming dynasty

rebuffed foreign influence

quing (ching)

final dynasty, slow decline brought by internal + Europe pressures (opium wars)

nationalist revolution Sun Yat Sen

liked democracy, begins modern history

republic of china

1912-1949

external pressures

ww1, communist party formed, ww2, sino-japanese wars

peoples republic of china

mao zedong, 1949-present

confucianism in history

served as official state ideology providing governmental structure through civil service examinations and moral guidance. in modern era rejected but reinforced for stability + national identity

Inner virtues vs outer virtues and how they relate to Confucianism?

INNER: (Ren,Shu,Hsueh)
OUTER: (Li,Xiao,Cheng-ming,Wen)

In Confucianism, good character must come first, then guide your actions. Without sincere inner goodness, outward behaviors are just empty gestures.

The junzi (superior person) cultivates both inner and outer virtues, achieving harmony.

what is a human?

harmony, within humans and manifests outwards, balance of complementary forces (yin + yang)

what is the problem?

disharmony is a disconnect from nature

what is the cause?

turning from harmony, human action/inaction leads to harmony + disharmony

what is the end?

life on earth lived in harmony

what is reality?

the harmony of yin and yang

what is the sacred?

a fundamental harmony

period 1 first civilizations to 600 BCE

xia/shang and early zhou dynasties

period 2 classical 600 BCE to 600 CE

end of zhou, qin and han dynasties

period 3 classical/medieval 600 to 1450

sui/tang/song/yuan dynasties

period 4 early modern 1450 to 1750

ming dynasty

period 5 modern europes moment in history 1750 to 1900

qing dynasty

period 6 most recent century 1900 to present

nationalist revoltuion, republic of china, peoples republic of china, mao zedong

What do you notice about these markers? Do they work for China? Why or why not?

Many key Chinese dynasties start earlier than the “classical” in other regions. China’s history is more fragmented.

Why is the Zhou time period so important?

1) Ended the Warring States Period, Qin unification
2) Introduced Legalism, Daoism, and Confucianism

what is the Chinese equivalent to Greece and Rome? Why?

Han Dynasty.
1) It is seen as the “golden age” of Chinese civlization
2) lasting influence through confucianism
3) A shared cultural and political identity

What two prominent non-Chinese ideas influence Chinese history to this day?

Communism and Buddhism

Explain the history of Daoism and its impact on China

came through laozi teachings, grew into religion with rituals and practices aimed at long life.

• Offering balance to Confucian rules with focus on natural living

• Helping develop Chinese medicine and science

• Inspiring art and poetry that celebrate nature

• Giving rulers ideas about gentle leadership “ruling by non-action”

• Creating everyday practices like tai chi and seasonal celebrations

Explain the history of Confucianism and its impact on China

• A model for government:
  (Individuals were educated in Confucian thought, given exams=passed exams= move up the social ladder (Scholar-gentry), competing for status with landowners.

• 1937 - Chinese Nationalist made a shrine for Confucius to symbolize a new China.
  Later..
  -Daoism is viewed as superstition and Confucianism as a “class enemy”

• 1966 Cultural Revolution - destroyed all religions and “Four olds” old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits

• After Mao Zedong’s death, Confucianism is rehabilitated as a means to instill respect for authority and moral obligations/virtue

Humanity (Confucianism)

social relationships, know your place/relationship

problem (confucianism)

social chaos, when 5 relationships not maintained

cause of problem (confucianism)

breakdown of virtue, no good leadership

end goal (confucianism)

leaders of character (junzi) and harmonious society, sage leaders rise

means of transformation (confucianism)

virtuous life through relationships/hierarchy

reality (confucianism)

life giving, relational, harmonious, relationships in proper hierarchy cosmos + humans

sacred (confucianism)

humanity making the Dao great, striving for virtuous living in relationship

humanity (daoism)

humans flawed, nature not, mind should be responsive mirrors to world, tapping itno de will turn humans into sages

problem (daoism)

resisting flow of dao, ignorant

cause of problem (daoism)

striving for permanence and virtue, action vs inaction, intellectual lives obstacle to wisdom, self interest, language, morality

end goal (daoism)

harmony in the dao, aligned with nature, sage

means of transformation (daoism)

inaction = wu wei, spontaneous, be yourself

reality (daoism)

power of dao, overarchign, underlying order, seen in nature

sacred (daoism)

nameless and eternal dao, goverens cosmos, revealed in nature

harmony daoism

experienced when we tune with nature (reflected in natural order of things)

harmony both

we all have within, is good, balance between yin and yang

harmony confucianism

experienced in proper relationships

disharmony daoism

think too much, try to figure out morality

disharmony both

leads to social chaos, break down in society, human problem, loosing pattern

disharmony confucianism

when people dont understand their role in society, 5 relationships not applied in life

harmony in this life daoism

mirroring nature and animal like responses, safe and virtuous lifestyle

harmony in this life both

prosperity, health, wellbeing, full life span, family

harmony in this life confucianism

focus on proper relationships between superiors and subordinates

yin/yang daoism

seasonal rythms, no value judgment, aligned with nature

yin/yang both

balance brings order to world

yin/yang confucianism

manifested best in relationships

underlying order daoism

following the natural order of things, brings out dao and produces sages

underlying order both

dao produces sages

underlying order confucianism

proper relationships, knowing titles, tapping into “de” brings out the way (dao)

inner virtues

your personal moral character (kindness, honesty)

outer virtues

how you behave in society (respect, proper conduct)

confucianism virtues

good character must come first, then guide your actions. Without sincere inner goodness, outward behaviors are just empty gestures.