Chapter-2-Philosophy-and-Religions

Chapter2PhilosophyandReligionsTheDevelopmentofAncientChinesePhilosophy•Thephilosophyofpre-Qintimes•TheorthodoxphilosophyduringtheHandynasty•MetaphysicsduringtheWeiandJindynasties•TheBuddhistphilosophyduringtheSuiandTangdynasties•Neo-ConfucianisminSongandMingdynasties•ApplicationphilosophyintheMingandQingdynastiesThebasicfeaturesofancientChinesephilosophy•Stressonspiritualexistence•Stressonpractice•Stressonmorality•Stressonharmony•StressonintuitionCharacteristicsofChineseEthicsandMorality•Seekingharmonyandmaintainingequilibrium•Collectivismoverindividualism•SpirituallifeovermateriallifeChinesePhilosophiesChineseReligions•TheTaoistreligion•TheTaoisttemples•EightImmortalsintheTaoistreligion•八仙过海，各显神通•ThemostsacredTaoistMountain___Dragon-TigerMountain江西鹰潭龙虎山BasicvaluesinChinesecultureandChinesewayofthinking•IntegrationofHeavenandMenHeavenandMenareinaunity•CollectivismTheinterestsofafamily,agrouporacountryaremoreimportantthanthoseofanindividual•Ruleofvirtue;ruleofmorals;“kinglyway”vs.“hegemonicalway”TheValuePriorityinTraditionalChineseCultureThevalueofmoralitypriortothatofutility;Thevalueofmoralmeritpriortothatofintelligent;Thevalueofgrouppriortothatofindividuals;Thevalueofpeaceandsafetypriortothatoffreedomandliberty;Thevalueofharmonypriortothatofconflict.Philosophy&ReligioninChinaChineseFolkReligionConfucianismTaoismByLauraEllenShulmanChineseFolkReligion•Beliefinspirits•Reverenceforancestors•Priestsperformblessingrituals:–purifyingspace–Exorcisingevilspirits(“hungryghosts”)•Astrology•DivinationChinesemetaphysicsisabout…•Energy•Change•Balance•Harmony•Inter-relationshipsChineseMetaphysicsMovementofcosmicenergies:RisingFallingExpandingContractingRotatingRepresentedbyandexpressedinthe“fiveelements”ofnature…The“FiveElements”WoodWaterMetalEarthProductivecycleFireThe“FiveElements”WoodWaterMetalEarthFireDestructivecycleXXXXXChineseMetaphysicsConcepts•Chi–lifeforce,lifeenergy(“ultimate”)•Yin-Yang–harmonyofopposites–Yin=passivestateofenergy–Yang=activestateofenergy[Tao–the“way”ofthecosmos,ofnatureHeaven(t’ien)andEarth“MandateofHeaven”Practicalapplications:I-ChingandFengShuiTheI-Ching“BookofChanges”•Ancientdivinationtechnique(atleast3000yearsold)•Intendedtoguidehumansindecisionmaking•Basedoncombinationsoflinesrepresentingtheeverchangingrelationshipbetweenpassive(yin)andactive(yang)energyflowofheaven,human,andearth=yang=yinTheTri-gramsEightcombinationsofthreelineseach:wind/woodFirelakeearthmountainwaterthunderheavenUsingtheI-ChingTool•Symbolismofthelines:–Upperline=energystateofheaven–Middleline=energystateofhuman–Lowerline=energystateofearth•Twosetsoftrigramsaredivinedtocreateahexagram•Usecoinsorstickstodivineoneof64hexagrams•UseI-Chingtexttodiscernmeaningofthehexagramandanyadditionalmeaningfor“changinglines”(energiesonthevergeofchanging)•Askilledinterpreterisneededtoapplythegenericmeaningofthehexagram#31FengShui•TheChineseartofplacement(geomancy)•Means“windwater”–symbolically,theconstantflowofwindandwaterthatcreatesconstantchangeintheworldalsoaffectsus•UsesthefiveelementsandtheeightdirectionsoftheI-ChingastheBaguatool•Seekstomaintainconstantandbalancedflowofenergies(chi)inaspaceforimprovedflowofenergyinthepeoplewhousethespaceConfucius(Kongzi孔子)•Confucius(551-479BCE).•Trainedintraditionalritesandceremonies礼•WantedtoreconstructthedysfunctionalZhou周dynasty•Traveledtoconvincedukesandlordstoadopthis“way”(dao道)•ButfailedanddedicatedhislateryearstoteachingSomebasicfeatures•Comestobeanddevelopsinaconditionofconflictandsocialdissolution•Emphasisonthefamilyasapillarofsocialstability•Becomesthedominantphilosophy(ideology)inChinaafter136CE•InfluenceonChinese(andEast-Asian)culturecanhardlybeoverstatedOtherseminalConfucians•Mencius(4thc.BCE)•Xunzi(310-220BCE)•ZhuXi(1130-1200)•TuWeiming(1940-)Theemphasisoneducation学•“Learning”isaprimevalue(Analects1.1)•Processofeducationneverends(Xunzi1.1)•Educationmeansimprovingone’s“humanity”,becoming“morehuman”•Self-cultivation(xiushen修身)–appropriationofculturaltraditioninaself-expressivemanner•Selfisthecentreofitsrelationships•Selfisneverisolated•Leadstoprofoundsenseofresponsibility–whatyouareisnotonlyyourselfConcentriccirclesofidentification:TheGreatLearning(Daxue大学)•Self•Family•Society•Empire(world)Wisdomandaction•Inseparabilityofwisdomandaction知行合一•Wisdomisacertainformofaction•Whatgoodisknowledgeifdoesn’thelppeopletoact?(13.5)•Peopleallthinkthey’rewise,butthentheycan’tsolvetheirproblemsofeverydaylife(Zhongyong)•Wisdomisnotasgoodasaction(Xunzi)Family/socialorientation•Dutytowardsparents,xiao孝:„Fathercoversforsonandsoncoversforfather“,(13.18)•„Humanity“,“benevolence”,ren仁(6.23)•Customsratherthanlaws,li礼(2.3)•Appropriatenessratherthanrules,yi义•Thefourrelationships:ruler-minister,father-son,husband-wife,friends(Mencius)•Activeharmony,he和(howtomakeaniceminestrone)Tradition,customsandpolitics•Importanceoftradition,to“learnit”(2:15)anddevelopit,butnotjustimitateit(15.29)•“Manofhumanityisslowofspeech”(12.3)•Trustandanomie:Confuciuson“usingwordsappropriately”zhengming正名(13.3)•Rulingwithoutenforcem