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Transcript of Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved Living Religions A Brief Introduction...
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved
Living ReligionsA Brief Introduction
3rd Edition
Mary Pat Fisher
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved
Ancient traditions
Daoism--the way of nature and immortality
Confucianism--the practice of virtue
Chapter 6 Daoism and Confucianism
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Celestial Master Shangdi (Shang Ti)Complete Perfection Taiji quan (T’ai chi ch’uan)Dao (Tao) wu weiFalun Dafa yangFalun Gong yifeng shui yinHighest Purity DaoismliNeo-Confucianismqi (ch’i)qigongren (jen)RujiaoA
Key terms
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DynastiesShang (1751-1123)Zhou (1122-221)Jin or Qin (221-206 BCE)Han (206 BCE-220 CE)Tang (618-907 CE)Song (960-1280)Republic (1912-1949)People’s Republic (1949-)
TimelineAncient traditionsConfucius (551-479)Mengzi (390-305)Xunzi (340-245)PersecutionCivil service examsRevivalZhu Xi (1130-1200)DisestablishmentPersecutionRevival
DaoismAncient traditionsLaozi (600?-300?)Zhuangzi (365-290)Immortality movementsHeavenly Masters originateBuddhist influenceCanon formed (748)Taiji quan appearsPersecutionFalun Gong/Dafa
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Ancient Traditions
Spiritual ways of ancient Chinese civilization influence all later developments
Ancestor worship
Invisible spirits
Various rites to ward off demons
Rulers played major spiritual roles
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Cosmic Balance
Belief that the cosmos is a manifestation of an impersonal spiritual substanceqi (ch’i): the stuff of which all things are composed; has 2 aspects
–yin is the dark, receptive “female”–yang is the bright assertive “male”
Dao (way): the creative rhythm of the universe
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Daoism—the way of nature and immortality
Scholarly label applied to an array of beliefs and practices
May involve Daoist practices and Confucian virtues and Buddhist-style rituals
Institutional Daoism has tried to distance itself from popular religion
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Teachings of Daoist Sages
Two major texts of philosophical traditionDao de jing (The Classic of the Way and its Power)
–Written by Laozi –Can live happily by harmonizing self with the
universe, being receptive to beauty and nature, and being silent
Zhuangzi–Best approach to life is detachment
Daoist paradox of wu wei: actionless action
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Popular Religion and Organized Daoism
Became intertwined when Daoist specialists took charge of spiritual tasks such as alchemy, faith healing, and the use of talismans
Burning incense and making offerings is a way to communicate with invisible spirits
Feng shui: one means of seeking harmony
Kitchen God
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Inner Alchemy
Individual spiritual practices for self-cultivation, longevity, and perhaps immortality
Practices passed secretly from teacher to pupil
Seek to use the energy available to the body for physical health and intuitive perception
Three treasures: generative force (jing), vital life force (qi), spirit (shen)
Queen Mother of the West guards the elixir of life
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Daoism SectsOrganized sects developed complex rituals, texts, and had organized clergy
Highest Purity Daoism advocated celibacy
Numinous Treasure assimilated elements of Buddhism
Complete Perfection is the dominant monastic schoolUnites Daoist inner alchemy with Chan Buddhist meditation and Confucian social moralityWhite Cloud Monastery in Beijing
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Daoism Today
Continues in 3 major forms
Organized religious institutionsSocieties for self-cultivation
–QigongPractitioners of spiritual development, health, and longevity
–Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, energy training practice (Taiji quan)
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Confucianism: The Practice of Virtue
Originated about the same time as Daoism
In Chinese Confucious is known as Kong fuzi and his teachings are called Rujiao: the teaching of the scholars
Based on ancient Chinese beliefs in the Mandate of Heaven, ancestor worship, spirits, and the power of ritual
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Master Kong’s Life
Father died when he was 3 and his mother when he was 23.
Mourning period after his mother’s death; studied ancient ceremonial rites
Instructed students in the Six Classics of China’s cultural heritage: the Yijing, poetry, history, rituals, music, dance
His teaching was recognized only in the centuries after his death
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The Confucian Virtues
Ren is the most importantinnate goodness, love, benevolence, humaneness, human heartedness
Strong government required rulers who lead virtuous lives to set a good example
Emphasizes relationships over individuality (parent/child, older/younger siblings, husband/wife, older/younger friend, ruler/subject
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Divergent Followers
Mengzi (Mencius) stressed the goodness of human nature and the virtue of yi (righteous conduct)
Xunzi argued that humans are self-centered by nature and that heaven operates according to natural laws
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The State Cult
Confucianism was adopted by the state during the Han dynasty (205 BCE – 220 CE)
Men seeking government positions had to pass examinations based on the six classics
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Neo-Confucianism
Stressed the importance of meditation and dedication to becoming a noble person
Encouraged women to offer themselves in total sacrifice to others
Premised on the idea that Buddhism and Daoism brought moral and political weakness into Chinese society
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Confucianism under Communism
During Cultural Revolution attacked as one of the “Four Olds”: old ideas, culture, customs, habits
Recent Communist leaders have advocated Confucian virtues without naming them
Not officially recognized as a religion
Confucian morality forms the basis of Chinese ethics