Confucianism/Daoism

Sanjiao

• 'the three teachings,' confucianism, daoism, and buddhism

Li

• ritual propriety; the day-to-day acts of good etiquette that were thought to shape your character

self-cultivation

• Involves self-betterment for the sake of becoming a junzi, which occurs through learning and performing li

• In Daoism, the emphasis of self-cultivation is on nature, and achieved through wuwei

junzi

• The personality ideal in Confucianism; the noble person

• Gentleman/superior person in Confucianism

• You can become a junzi regardless of your status at birth

• Become a junzi by learning and practicing li

ren

• Humaneness/goodness/benevolence

• Cultivating proper attitudes and virtues

• Chinese symbol is the combination of the characters for person and the number 

• the emphasis on the relationships between 2 human beings

filial piety

• Refers to the duty of the son to his father in Confucianism, in the father-son relationship.

• A son must respect and honor his father.

• Central to Confucian role ethics, which were thought to result in a 'good' society

qingming

• "Clear and Bright," spring festival, also called Tomb-sweeping day; tradition to honor ancestors

• festival where families sweeping the tombs of family members that have died and include them in a feast

dao

• Either the "Way" in the sense of the Ultimate or the "way" in the sense of the path taken by followers of a particular tradition.

wuwei

• "Not-doing" as a way of being in the world

• a state not of "doing nothing" but of acting without intention or self-interest

• an ideal for both Daoists and Confucians, though most prominently associated with the former.

ziran

• spontaneity or "self-so-ness"

alchemy

• constructing a pill of immortality

• internal alchemy

  • circling chi to achieve immortality or greater life

• external alchemy

  • That which is expected to cure or prolong life and comes from outside the body (ex: physical pill)

Qi

• material force or vital energy

Yin-Yang

• two complementary forces in the universe, according to Chinese Theory: Yin is the passive, negative force, and Yang the active, positive force

• complementary factors that help to maintain the equilibrium of the world. One is associated with masculine, light, and active qualities while the other with feminine, dark, and passive qualities.

the cultural revolution

• Campaign in China ordered by Mao Zedong to purge the Communist Party of his opponents and instill revolutionary values in the younger generation;

• revived aspirations to prosperity

• period of embracing Confucianist values; recognize women's rights and democratic governments

• there were persecutions of the intellectuals and religions

the great learning

Teaches to reach perfect virture is through self-cultivation

(look for ancients, roots, branches, Great Learning, Wishing, cultivate, sincere, rectified, regulated, governed, tranquil and happy, Son of Heaven)

the analects

Talks about filal piety, ancestor veneration, Heaven, a Confucian state, and achieving perfect virtue

(look for The Master, filial piety, veneration, Zan Yu, government, Zigong, Ji Kang, virtue, Heaven , riches, neighbors, propriety, friendships, Fan Chi, music, ceremonies, injurious, pleasures)

Important because it serves as a guideline for moral sef-cultivation, ethics, relationships, and learning/education that Confucius emphasizes.

mencius and xunzi

Analyzes if human nature is good or bad

(look for humans, hearts, compassion, unfeeling, approval, disapproval, virtuous, benevolence, essence, propriety, trees, oxen, sheep, mountain, goodness, villainy, cruelty, effort, profit, righteousness, nature, state, learning)

fingarette’s essay

Secular is sacred, analysis of the Analects, argues that Confucianism is a religion

(look for Analects, Moses, Jesus, Buddha, rite, humaneness, reciprocity, loyalty, learning, music, Confucius, Holy Rite, li, action, human relationships, ritual

Important because Fingarette argues that for Confucius, ordinary human activities—like greeting others, showing respect, or participating in rituals—are not just routine actions. When done properly, they become sacred acts.

Arguing that it is not just a system of social rules, but a deeply spiritual way of life grounded in everyday human relationships.

the daodejing

Talks about the Dao, Yin and Yang, Wuwei, and the role of government in a Daoist state

(look for Dao, name, mystery, desire, colorless, noiseless, formless, image less, Way, yin, yang, one, two, three, myriad, qi, loss, benefit, non action, softest, hardest, learning, weaker, do, rulers, generals, warriors, enemies, virtue, harmony, water, undone)

the zuangzi

Talks about yin and yang, non-action, the Way

(look for K'un, Universal Harmony, cicada, Lieh Tzu, Hui Tzu, Chuang Zu, Wei, opposing adjectives like life and death, acceptable and unacceptable, The Way, Six Realms, discriminate, Eight Virtues, argument, right, wrong, Heavenly Equality, cook, knife, ox, Wen-hui, Puliang Yi, Nan-po Tzu k'uei, aloneness, him/he/himself, happiness, ardor, inaction, bitter, superficial, worrying)

The Zhuangzi is important because it pushes Daoism further than the Daodejing, arguing that true harmony comes not just from non-action, but from freeing the mind from all fixed viewpoints and judgments. It invites people to embrace uncertainty, flexibility, and a more open, imaginative way of understanding the world.