Exam 1 Review: World Religions - Indigenous Religions, Confucianism, and Daoism

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering the key terms, concepts, figures, and practices for Exam 1 on Indigenous Religions, Confucianism, and Daoism.

Religion

To rebind or reconnect to that which one deems sacred or holy.

Philia

Love.

Sophia

Wisdom.

Philosophy

The rational pursuit of truth.

Animism

The worldview that non-human entities possess a living soul or spirit, believing that all things have a soul or internal vital principle.

Ancestor Worship

The belief in indigenous religions that the soul or spirit leaves after death.

Shaman

A spiritual leader and healer in traditional societies who acts as a bridge between the physical world and the spiritual realm, using masks, drugs, fasting, and drumming.

Divination

An occult art focused on trying to figure out hidden information regarding the future or present that cannot be accessed through normal means.

Enchantment

An occult art involving black magic, magical spells, or active magical techniques used over someone (e.g., love spells, voodoo dolls, binding spells, death spells, sigils).

Invocation

An occult art where a person calls upon a spirit into their own body through prayer to tap into their skillset and power.

Evocation

An occult art defined as the act of recalling a memory or vivid image of the past, or calling something out to manifest outside of oneself.

Illumination

An occult art focused on finding one's true will, purpose, or destiny.

Mohism

A Chinese philosophical school founded by Mozi that advocates universal love, utilitarianism, merit, and the belief that human nature is good and Tian (Heaven) is real.

Legalism

A Chinese philosophical school associated with Han-Fei-Tzu asserting that human nature is evil and must be controlled through strict laws, rewards, punishments, and military discipline.

Confucius

A Chinese thinker (551–479 BCE) concerned with how people can live well together and develop morally.

Analects (Lunyu)

The sacred text of Confucianism containing a collection of Confucius's sayings compiled by his followers after his death.

Mencius (Mengzi)

A Confucian thinker who expanded on Confucius's ideas and described the four virtues as seeds in the heart/mind.

Tian

Heaven in Chinese thought.

Tianli

Heavenly principles.

Tianming

The Mandate of Heaven; linked to a person's moral development and sense of purpose that reveals itself over time.

Tiandao

The Way of Heaven.

Destiny

Something that a person can help shape through their choices and actions.

Fate

Something outside of human control or predetermined (e.g., the fact that everyone will die).

Ren

Benevolence, compassion, and human-heartedness (caring about others).

Li

Ritual propriety, appropriate conduct, customs, and ceremonies (acting appropriately).

Yi

Righteousness (doing what is right).

Zhi

Wisdom and discernment (knowing what is right).

Xin

Heart/mind in Confucianism, connected with thought, will, and emotion.

Child-at-the-Well Example

Mencius's illustration of the beginnings of ren, demonstrating an immediate response of compassion and a natural capacity to care about others when seeing a child about to fall into a well.

Qi

Energy or vital force.

Hao Ran Zhi Qi

'Floodlike qi,' which Mencius links to cultivation through repeated moral acts.

Self-Cultivation

The ongoing process of developing moral character through learning and action.

Extension

The Confucian practice of expanding care outward from self to family, friends, acquaintances, and eventually everyone.

Dao

Literally 'Way,' 'path,' or 'road'; the origin of all things and an impersonal, ever-changing force working through everything in Daoism.

Laozi

'Old Master,' the 6th–5th century BCE figure associated with the beginning of philosophical Daoism and author of the Daodejing.

Daodejing

'Book of the Way and Its Power,' the main sacred text associated with Daoism.

Emanation

'Flowing out from'; the Daoist concept that all things ultimately come from the Dao.

The Ten Thousand Things

A phrase in Daoism referring to all the many things in the world.

Wei-Wu-Wei

'Action–non-action': acting without forcing or overplanning and going with the flow rather than doing absolutely nothing.

Ziran

Naturalness or spontaneity in Daoism.

De

Power in Daoism (compared to its Confucian usage as virtue).

Fu

Return or reversal in Daoist thought.

Emptiness

Being open and receptive, illustrated by the empty space inside a jar that makes it useful.

Knowing When to Stop

Avoiding excess rather than constantly pushing for more.

Yu-Wei

Deliberate, calculated action, which Daoists contrast with wei-wu-wei.

Yin

The receptive, dark, descending, and damp aspect associated with Daoism.

Yang

The active, light, ascending, and dry aspect associated with Confucianism.

Philosophical Daoism

The early form of Daoism associated with Laozi and the Daodejing focusing on living in accordance with the Dao through wei-wu-wei and ziran.

Religious Daoism

A form of Daoism developed centuries after philosophical Daoism, focusing on immortality, deities, meditation, breath exercises, energy cultivation, and alchemy.

Alchemy

A practice in religious Daoism attempting to transform substances (such as turning base metals to gold) to attain immortality.

Neo-Confucianism

A later philosophical synthesis blending Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist thought.