Chapter 2 Philosophy and Religions

8/11/2019 Chapter 2 Philosophy and Religions

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Chapter 2

Philosophy andReligions


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The Development of Chinese Philosophy

The philosophy in Pre-Qin times ()

The orthodox philosophy during the

Han Dynasty (

) Metaphysics during the Wei and Jin

dynasties ()

The buddhist philosophy during the

Sui and Tang dynasties (

) Neo-confucianism in Song and Ming

dynasties ()

Application philosophy in the Mingand Qing dynasties (

)


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The philosophy in Pre-Qin times

()

The philosophy in Pre-Qin times wasmarked by the emergence of various

ancient philosophical views. The most influential schools were

Confucianism (

), Taoism (

),Mohism (

) and Legalism (

)


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Confucianism

The school takes theteachings of Confucius asits core of thought andregards the words and

deeds of Confucius as itshighest code () ofbehavior.

It advocates thebenevolence and justice,allegiance andforbearance (

), the doctrine of thegolden mean (

) and

values the ethicalrelations of men.


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Mohism

Base on the teaching ofMozi, the schoolcherishes universal love

which states that if allthe people in the worldloved one another, therewill be no hatred,calamities, and

hostilities.

In politics and ethics, Mohism proposes

honoring virtuous people, opposing fatalism (

) and aggressive wars, and upholdingthriftiness and simple funerals.


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Legalism

Legalism, begun by

Hanfeizi, espouses (

) laying down laws

to unify the thoughtof people, promotingagriculture to achieveaffluence (

),

waging (

) wars togain strength andpower, andestablishing a system

of bureaucracy (

).


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Stress on Spiritual Existence

Ancient Chinese philosophers studiesdifferent kinds of philosophical problemsbased on reality and experience, but all ofthem paid attention to the study ofexistence. all pursue in order to achievethe highest spiritual state.

e.g.

Confucianisms knowledge of life throughdisposition and consciousness;

Taoisms search for spiritual freedom; Buddhisms Nirvana().


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Stress on Practice

Chinese ancient philosophers wereconcerned with the relationship betweenknowledge and practice.

Example:To prefer it is better than only to know it.

To delight in it is better than merely toprefer it.( )


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Stress on Morality

Every school of ancient Chinesephilosophy was a kind of moralphilosophy. Almost everyphilosophy stressed moralpractice.


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Stress on Harmony

Ancient Chinese philosophy stresseson harmony, and the pursuit ofharmony between man and natureand also between man and man.

E.g.Mencius said Opportunitiesvouchsafed by Heaven are lessimportant than terrestrial advantages,which in turn are less important thanthe unity among people. (

)


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Stress on the Intuition

Chinese ancient philosophy didnot adhere to formal rules ofstructure and system in thought

and often resulted infragmented () thoughtswritten on paper. It wasthrough reflecting on lifes

experiences and intuition thatphilosophical ideas were formed.


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Characteristics of Chinese Ethics and

Morality

Traditional Chinese ethics that reflectthe high standard or moral pursuit ofthe Chinese people and embrace

ethical wisdom of lasting value: Seeking Harmony and Maintaining

Equilibrium()

2. Collectivism over Individualism

3. Spiritual Life over Material Life


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To Chinese people, harmony ispowerful word. Maintaining

equilibrium is the ultimate purposeof harmony.

Seeking Harmony and Maintaining

Equilibrium ()


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Collectivism over Individualism

Traditional Chinese values attach greatimportance to collective interest. Anindividuals values can be realized onlywithin society as a whole, as that is the

groundwork of ones existence.


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Spiritual Life over Material Life

Chinese people advocate morality intheir behavior.

Self-cultivation in morals is

emphasized, and is considered to bemore important than ones materiallife.


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Religions


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The Taoist Religion

Taoism is the indigenous ()religion in China.

Lu Xun once said, The Chinese roots

are deep in Taoism. If one tries tocomprehend Chinese history andculture, he must first comprehendTaoism and the Taoist religion.

The Taoist religion evolved out of

witchcraft (

), necromancy

)and self-cultivation techniques. Itshighest belief is called Dao, its bibleis called Dao De Jing.


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Zhang Daoling

The Taoist religion wasfounded byZhangDaolingin the Eastern

Han Dynasty and becamevery popular during theSouthern and NorthernDynasties.


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Taishang laojun

Taoists revered () LaoZi as the originator of theTaoist religion and calledhim Taishang Laojun(

).


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Taoism Temples

Taoism temples are places for Taoistpriests to self-reflect and carry out theirreligious activities.

The layout of the Taoism temples evolved

from the traditional square-shapedChinese courtyard,

also resembling

that of Buddhist

temples in design.


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In front of Taoisttemples, there aremountain gates,

Huabiao (marblepillar) and fangan

().

Outside the Huabiao

is the earthly world(

), inside it isthe celestial place(

).


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The most sacred Taoist mountain

Dragon-Tiger Mountain

Dragon-Tiger Mountain is located atthe southwestern suburb of Yingtan,Jiangxi Province. It is the birthplace ofthe Taoist religion.

According to a legend, when the

elixirs were made, a dragon and a

tiger were seen above the mountain.

So, the mountain was renamed afterthe celestial animals (

).


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Buddhism

Buddhism was first introduced intoChina in the first century. During theSui and Tang dynasties, Buddhismentered its golden age.

The theory of Buddhism is based onthe theory of samsara ()meaning that living beings orbit

around the six spheres of heaven,hell and earth, just like an ever-turning wheel.


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The doctrine of Four Noble

Truths ()

life is suffering,

the cause of suffering is desire,

the answer is to quench () desire,

the way to this end is to follow the

Eight-Fold Path ().


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Buddhism Temples

Chinese Buddhist architectureincludes pagodas, temples andgrottos. Earlier Buddhist

temples usually combinedpagodas and a courtyard-styletemple.


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The First Buddhist Temple

The White Horse Temple

The White Horse Temple, located 21 km east ofthe Luoyang City, Henan Province, was thefirst officially built Buddhist temple in China in

the Eastern Han Dynasty.

It was named after the white

horse that carried theBuddhist scriptures fromIndia to Luoyang, then thecapital of the country.


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The Famous Buddhism

Mountains


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Islam

Islam was introduced into Chinain the seventh century.


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Mosque

A mosque is always a high-domedbuilding with sweeping arches, flowingarabesques () and toweringminarets ().

Inside, a mihrab,or niche (), whichsymbolizes the place where theprophet () led the prayer, is set

into the middle of the qibla wall inorder to indicate the direction of Mecca().


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Judaism

A Jewish community with a JewishSynagogue existed from the 12th (Song-Dynasty) until the middle of the 19thcentury in the old city of Kaifeng in Henan

province, China.

The uninterrupted existence of thisreligious and ethnic group, lasting for more

than 700 years in totally different socio-cultural surroundings strongly dominatedby Confucian moral and ethical principles,is a unique phenomenon, not only inChinese history, but also in the thousands

of years of Jewish civilization.


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Judaism

A Jewish community with a JewishSynagogue existed from the 12th (Song-Dynasty) until the middle of the 19thcentury in the old city of Kaifeng in Henan

province, China.

The uninterrupted existence of thisreligious and ethnic group, lasting for more

than 700 years in totally different socio-cultural surroundings strongly dominatedby Confucian moral and ethical principles,is a unique phenomenon, not only inChinese history, but also in the thousands

of years of Jewish civilization.


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Judaism

Although existing almost in isolation and withoutany contacts with the Jewish diaspora outsideChina, it still managed to keep alive Jewishtraditions and customs for hundreds of years.

However, although it experienced neitherdiscrimination nor persecution on the part of theChinese, a process of gradual assimilation went

on. Up to the 17th century, the assimilation ofthe Kaifeng Jews intensified and escalated.


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Judaism

It resulted in changes in Jewish religious andritual customs, social and language traditions, aswell as intermarriage between Jews and otherethnic groups, such as the Han Chinese and the

Hui and Manchu minorities in China.

In the 1860s, the Jewish synagogue in Kaifengcollapsed because it had long been in disrepair.

As a consequence, Jewish religious life, togetherwith the Jewish identity in the community, cameto an end.


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Judaism

The existence of the Jews in China was unknownto the rest of the world until Matteo Ricci met aJew from the Kaifeng community by accident atthe beginning of the 16th Century.

It was then that European research on the Jewsin Kaifeng began, mostly carried out byEuropean missionaries.

However, the Jews in China remained almostunknown to Chinese society until the beginningof the 20th century, although they had existedin the country for over 700 years.


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Judaism

Research on the Jews in China gained newattention around the world through thereappraisal of the experiences of around 25,000Jewish refugees in Shanghai during the Nazi

period.


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Chapter 2 Philosophy and Religions

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