BY: CONOR MOON, TYLER GLASS, JON COVINGTON, MADELINE JUSTICE, AND

CHRIS TAYLOR

Daoism and Confucianism

History of the religions

-Coexisted in China for two thousand years then spread to Japan and Korea

-No major divisions between mind and matter, utopian ideals and everyday life

-Kings played significant roles as chief priests for the kingdoms

-Shangdi- Highest god above deified humans

Daoism

Daoism- The way of nature and immortality-Also referred to as Taoism

Qi: a manifestation of an impersonal, self-generating, physical-spiritual substance

Two aspects that cause ever-changing phenomena of the universe-Yin: dark, receptive, and “female”-Yang: bright, assertive, and “male”

Tradition of great mental and physical discipline Adored by Westerners who seek a carefree, natural

way of life

Origin

The origin is unclear-He ruled from 2697 to 2597 BCE-Chinese tradition says the Yellow Emperor developed the

ways -Developed meditation, health and military practices based on what he learned-After ruling for one hundred years he ascended into heaven on a dragon’s back and became one of the immortals.

The heart of Daoist teaching is the idea of Dao, the “unnamable,” the “eternally real”

Dao is a mystical reality that cannot be grasped by the mind

One is to experience the transcendent unity of all things, rather than separation

Flowing water is a Daoist model for being

Important Texts

Dao de jing-The Classic of the Way and its Power-Written for a border guard by Laozi-Laozi was a curator of the royal library of the Zhou dynasty-Central philosophy is a practical concern with improving harmony in life

Zhuangzi-Elaborated on the teachings with more humor and empathy-Was a minor government official but then became a hermit to live life freely and in solitude -“The best way to live in a chaotic, absurd civilization is to become detached from it”

Wu Wei

“Actionless action”-A paradoxical teaching

Taking no intentional or invasive action contrary to the natural flow of things

The world is naturally in harmony; Dao is our original nature-“I am one with all things”

Feng Shui

Feng Shui-Determining natural flows of qi through the Earth -The art of letting things take their own course

Revealed by the flows of wind and water and contours of the land

Inner Alchemy

Daoist texts refer to powerful ascetic practices traditionally passed down secretly from teacher to pupil

The aim of longevity practices is to use the body’s energy to become strong and health, and to perceive intuitively the order of the universe

In our bodies there is the spiritual micro-universe of the “three treasures” needed for the preservation of life: generative force (jing), vital life-force (qi), ad spirit (shen)

Daoist Sects

Celestial Master

-Zhang Daoling had a revelation that he was appointed representative of the Dao on earth-Advocated similar practices of healing by faith; attracted many followers-Today: Thriving in Taiwan and Hong

“Highest Purity Daoism” (365 ce)-Revelations of Lady Wei giving names of new deities, meditation methods, and rituals-Looked down on the Celestial Master- “to rise up to heaven in broad daylight”

Complete Perfection (12th century)-Dominant monastic school-Unites Daoist inner alchemy with Chan Buddhist mediation and Confucian social morality

Daoism Today

All forms of Daoist practice are still active today

Hong Kong is home to many Daoist temples and activities

Daoism has moved into Western cultureClassic Daoist texts are being used by

businesses to teach management practices

Confucianism

Confucianism focuses on the ways of developing a just and orderly society and connecting humans to the transcendent moral will of Heaven.

Confucius- honored as Master Kong and called his teaching Rujiao (the teaching of scholars)

Was not created by Confucius. It is based on the ancient Chinese beliefs in Heaven, ancestor worship, and the efficacy of rituals.

Confucius thought political involvement would be the way to transform the world.

Confucian Virtues

Ren: innate goodness, love benevolence, perfect virtue, humaneness, and human-heartedness

Confucius felt that “ren” could save societyModern Chinese character of ren is a combination of

“two” and “person,” conveying the idea of relationship

Relationships emphasized by Confucius are the interactions between parent and child, older and younger siblings, husband and wife, ruler and subject, and friend and friend.-Each one based on distinct but mutual obligations and responsibilities

Confucian Virtues cont’d

The king or ruler is supposed to model himself on Heaven and serve as a parent to the people and link them to the larger cosmic order through ritual ceremonies.-Ex. Yao, a sage king (2357 bce), “It is Heaven that is great and Yao who modeled himself upon it”-In an ideal world there is a reciprocal hierarchy in which each knows his place and respects above him.

Three grades of filial piety: support one’s parents, don’t bring humiliation to one’s parents and ancestors, and glorify them

Confucian Virtues cont’d

Says little about the supernatural and prefers to focus on the here-and-now.

Li (the rites honoring ancestors and deities) are the earthly expressions of the natural cosmic order.-Encouraged the rites as a way of establishing earthly harmony through reverent, ethical behavior

Divergent Followers of Confucius

The “Second Sage” (Mengzi) took over after Confucius died and tried to share his wisdom with the rulers of China, but did not succeed. -He believed in the inherent goodness of human nature and focused on the virtue of yi (righteous conduct)

Xunzi disagreed with Mangzi’s assessment. Xunzi said that human nature is naturally self-centered and that Heaven is impersonal, operating according to natural laws rather than intervening on the side of good government or responding to human wishes.-He believed the only way to constrain envy, competitiveness, and the personal desire is to teach and legally enforce the rules of li and yi (righteous conduct).

Neo-Confucianism

Song dynasty revived Confucianism-Buddhism and Daoism brought moral and political weakness into Chinese Society

The Four Books became the core of Confucian teachings-The Analects

-The Mencius-The Great Learning-The Centrality and Commonality

Greatest proponent of Neo-Confucianism-Scholar Zhu Xi (1130-1200 ce)

-He developed a curriculum running from elementary classes to higher education

Neo-Confucianism cont’d

Brought forth a metaphysical basis for Confucianism: the individual is intimately linked with all the cosmos

Neo-Confucianists stressed the importance of mediation and dedication to becoming a sage-By becoming more humane one can help transform society and the cosmos.

Confucianism under Communism

Communism took over religion in 1949 under Party Chairman Mao Zedong-Mao was respected almost as a god with the “Little Red Book” which replaced Confucian Classics.

During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) Confucianism was attacked. Which led millions to suffer.

However Confucian morality are behind Chinese ethics

Confucianism is finding it’s way back into the China and even Chinese government