2013
Chinese
Philosophies
and
Religions
What is philosophy?
• Literally: a love for wisdom
• Typically asks Questions like:
–What is the purpose of life?
–What is a good person like?
–What is success?
–What is truth? What is knowledge?
–How should I act in a situation?
• Often philosophy and religion overlap
Why did these philosophies develop?
• War and social changes
were disrupting
everyday life
• Government lacked
control
• These philosophies
helped guide people
and the government to a
better life
Religion In China
• The religious history of China
is complex, and has evolved
over the centuries.
• Deeply interwoven into their
beliefs is the worship of their
ancestors.
• The Chinese believed that the
spirits of their ancestors were
watching over them, and that
they could be called upon
during difficult times.
Chinese Folk Religion
• Belief in spirits
• Reverence for ancestors
• Priests perform blessing rituals:
– purifying space
– Exorcising evil spirits (“hungry ghosts”)
• Astrology
• Divination
Chinese metaphysics is
about…
•
•
•
•
•
Energy
Change
Balance
Harmony
Inter-relationships
Chinese Metaphysics
Movement of cosmic energies:
Rising
Falling
Expanding
Contracting
Rotating
Represented by and expressed in
the “five elements” of nature…
The “Five Elements”
Productive cycle
Fire
Wood
Water
Earth
Metal
Chinese Metaphysics
Concepts
• Chi – life force, life energy (“ultimate”)
• Yin-Yang – harmony of opposites
– Yin = passive state of energy
– Yang = active state of energy
Tao
[
– the “way” of the cosmos, of nature
Heaven (t’ien) and Earth
“Mandate of Heaven”
Practical applications: I-Ching and Feng Shui
The I-Ching
“Book of Changes”
• Ancient divination technique (at least 3000
years old)
• Intended to guide humans in decision making
• Based on combinations of lines representing
the ever changing relationship between
passive (yin) and active (yang) energy flow
of heaven, human, and earth
= yin
= yang
The Tri-grams
Eight combinations of three lines each:
heaven
wind /
wood
lake
Fire
water
thunder
mountain
earth
Using the I-Ching Tool
• Symbolism of the lines:
–
–
–
Upper line = energy state of heaven
Middle line = energy state of human
Lower line = energy state of earth
#31
• Two sets of trigrams are divined to create a hexagram
• Use coins or sticks to divine one of 64 hexagrams
• Use I-Ching text to discern meaning of the hexagram and any
additional meaning for “changing lines” (energies on the verge of
changing)
• A skilled interpreter is needed to apply the generic meaning of the
hexagram
Feng Shui
• The Chinese art of placement (geomancy)
• Means “wind water”– symbolically, the constant flow of
wind and water that creates constant change in the
world also affects us
• Uses the five elements and the eight directions of the IChing as the Bagua tool
• Seeks to maintain constant and balanced flow of
energies (chi) in a space for improved flow of energy in
the people who use the space
History of
Chinese
Philosophies
The History of Chinese Philosophy
• The Classical Age (6th century BC-2d century AD)
–
–
–
–
–
–
Confucianism (Confucius, 551-479 BC)
Daoism (Lao Tzu, 6th century BC)
Mohism (Mo Tzu, 468-376 BC)
The Yin-Yang School (founder unknown)
The School of Names (Logic) (Hui Shih, c. 380-305 BC)
Legalism (Han Fei Tzu, d. 23 BC)
• The Medieval Age (2d-10th centuries BC): relations & conflicts
between Confucianism, Daoism, & Buddhism
• The Modern Age (11th century AD-Present)
– Neo-Confucianism (incorporation of Daoist & Buddhist elements in an
overall Confucian perspective) (Chu Hsi, 1130-1200 AD & many others)
– 20th century impact of Western philosophies such as Pragmatism &
Marxism
How is a man to live in a world dominated
by chaos, suffering, and absurdity??
Confucianism --> Moral order in society.
Legalism --> Rule by harsh law & order.
Daoism --> Freedom for individuals and
less govt. to avoid
uniformity and conformity.
Origins of the
Mandate
• During the Shang dynasty (20001027 B.C.E.) the concept of “Tian”
was created
• Meaning: sky, heavens, god, the
cosmos
– idea of heaven
– governed all creation
– guided moral order
天
Origins of the
Mandate
• Zhou dynasty (1120-221 B.C.E.)
concept of “tian ming”
• Mandate of Heaven
– explains conquest and
submission of falling dynasties
– Divinely inspired process
– Anyone could assume the right
to rule
– Tian, or Heaven, chose who
would rule the people
The Mandate of Heaven is based on four
principles:
• The right to rule is granted by Heaven
– Which gives the ruler prestige and religious importance.
• There is only one Heaven
– Therefore there can be only one ruler.
• The right to rule is based on the virtue of the ruler
– Which serves as a check on the ruler's power.
• The right to rule is not limited to one dynasty
– Which justifies rebellion as long as the rebellion is successful.
Origins of the
Mandate
• A dynasty maintained rule as long as
they:
– ruled with benevolence and justice
– duties of the ruler were carried out
correctly
• Failure meant the Tian could choose
a new ruling family
– could not be selfish, cruel, or
oppressive
Dynastic Cycle
• Represents a dynasty’s rise and
fall
• Cycle starts with winning the
Mandate (approval) of heaven
• Period of prosperity, marked by
motivated and capable emperors
• Apex (peak) marked by political,
economic, and cultural
flowering.
Dynastic Cycle
• Then the decline began,
usually slow (sometimes quite
rapid): marked by
administrative corruption,
repressive laws, and incapable
and lazy emperors.
• Dynasty would face rebellion
and disunity, the loss of
peoples’ support, and loss of
Mandate
The Dynastic Cycle
Peak of Dynasty
Decline of
Dynasty
New Ruler
Achieves
Prosperity
Rebellion and
Disunity
Winner of the
Rebellion Wins The
Mandate of Heaven
Loss of The
Mandate of
Heaven
In Summary
The dynastic cycle appears as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
A new ruler unites China, founds a new dynasty, and gains the Mandate of Heaven
China, under the new dynasty, achieves prosperity.
The population increases
Corruption becomes rampant in the imperial court, and the empire begins to enter
decline and instability.
5. A natural disaster wipes out farm land. The disaster normally would not have been a
problem; however, together with the corruption and overpopulation it causes famine.
6. The famine causes the population to rebel and starts a civil war.
7. The ruler loses the Mandate of Heaven.
8. The population decreases because of the violence.
9. China goes through a warring states period.
10. One state emerges victorious.
11. The state starts a new empire.
12. The empire gains the Mandate of Heaven.
– (The cycle repeats itself.)
•
Kennedy, Bruce. "Chinese Dynastic Cycle." Killer Roos. 17 February 2008
Key Chinese Dynasties
A terra cotta officer from the Qin
Dynasty (221-206 BCE)
Emperor Taizong - Tang Dynasty
Xia
Shang
2070-1600 BCE
1600-1046 BCE
470 years
554 years
Zhou
West 1046-771 BCE
East 770-256
275 years
514 years
Tang
618-907 AD
289 years
Song
North 960-1127 AD
South 1127-1279 AD
167 years
152 years
Ming
1368-1644 AD
276 years
Qing
1644-1911 AD
268 years
Taoism or
Daoism
Feminine
Passive
Darkness
Cold
Weak
Earth;
Moon
Masculine
Active
Light
Warmth
Strong
Heaven;
Sun
Laozi’s Daoism
Yang
Yin
“What Is”
“What Is Not”
Light
Dark
Masculine
Feminine
Creative
Receptive
Active
Non-action
Heaven
Earth
Life
Death
Yin and Yang
• Negative and positive principles of the
universe.
• One cannot exist without the other
• Each is incorporated into the other
• Not Opposites, but Complements
– Complete each other
Philosophy
Goal
Daoism
Founder:
Laozi
Simple and
natural living.
How
Achieved
Influence
Happiness and
peace were
gained by living in
harmony with
nature.
Rulers were
encouraged to
rule less harshly.
Influenced
Chinese thought,
writing and art.
Daoism
developed into a
popular religion.
Belief Systems (not
religions)
• Daoism (Taoism)
– Universe is in constant flux
– Many rituals meant to promote harmony
– People should take the world as they find it
– Concern about power or wealth is irrelevant, instead
you should seek balance/harmony with your place in
nature (Yin/Yang)
• Allowed to continue by dynasties because of its
emphasis on spirituality not secular matters
– Popular with people who were interested in a more
spiritual or religious philosophy
Lao Tzu – founder of Daoism
Rise of Chinese Philosophies
Daoism
• Founder:
– Laozi
• Ideas About Order & Harmony:
– Understanding nature is key to order
& harmony
– Natural Order more important than
Social Order
• Ideas About A Universal Force:
– Universal Force called Dao (aka “The
Way”) guides all things
Daoism
• Like Confucius, the philosopher Lao Zi studied
human society.
• He, too, searched for ways to establish an
orderly society.
• Lao Zi, the founder of Daoism, however
emphasized the link between people and nature
rather than the importance of proper behavior.
• Scholars know little about Lao Zi, but that his
thoughts are contained in the book The Way of
Virtue.
Daoism
• A contemporary of
Confucius was a
teacher named
Laozi. Most of what
we know about Laozi
is so heavily mixed
with legend, that it is
difficult to know
what is true, and
what is myth.
Not sure when he
died.
[604 B.C.E. - ?]
His name means
“Old Master”
Was he
Confucius’
teacher?
Taoism
The father of Taoism
• Lao Tzu:
–Was born around 640 B.C.
–No one is really sure about
any dates or places.
Taoism
• Lao Tzu was not pleased with his people, so he
left and went on a journey.
– Lao Tzu was asked to leave
a record of his beliefs with
his civilization.
– It took him three days to
complete 5000 characters
titled the Tao Te Ching.
Taoism
• The Tao Te Ching is in effect the Taoist bible.
– It centers around the concept of Tao. Or the “path”
Taoism
• There are three meanings of “Tao”
– Tao- The way to ultimate reality. This Tao is way to
vast for a person to comprehend or fathom.
– Tao- The way of the universe. The norm, the
rhythm, and the driving power in all of nature. Deals
more with the spiritual side then the Physical side of
things.
Taoism
• There are three meanings of
“Tao”
– Tao- The way of human life. It
refers to the way that we mesh
with the Tao of the universe.
Taoism
• Just like the three meanings of Tao. All three
were designed to facilitate the power of Tao
through “te”
• There are three types of Taoism:
– Philosophical Taoism
– Religious or Popular Taoism
– Vitalizing Taoism
Taoism
• Philosophical Taoism:
– Is a reflective look at life
– Relatively unorganized
– Teaches what you should understand
– You work on improving yourself
– Seeks power through knowledge
– Sought to conserve “te” and not to expend is on
friction and conflict.
– Associated Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, and Tao Te
Ching
Taoism
• Philosophical Taoism:
– Wu Wei- The perfect way to live life, and reduce
conflict and friction
• Combines supreme activity and supreme relaxation
The conscious mind has to get out of the
way of its own light.
For one to perfect the wu wei lifestyle.
A lifestyle above excess and tension.
As in Buddhism
Taoism
• Religious Taoism:
– Became a full fledge church
– Its programs are active
– “The Taoist priesthood made cosmic life-power available
for ordinary villagers.”
– Their power was with magic, the harnessed higher
powers for human ends.
– Want to help transmit “Ch’i” to people that can not get it
on their own.
As in Buddhism
Taoism
• Vitalizing Taoism:
– The programs are active
– Relatively unorganized
– Teaches what you should do.
– Is a self help program
– You work on improving yourself
– Want to increase the amounts of Tao or “te” in their life
– They do this through “ch’i”
• For centuries, Chinese artists have depicted Lao Zi
as a kindly sage who embodies the ideal heart of
Daoism.
• Lao Zi advised:
“Reveal thy simple self, embrace thy original
nature, check thy selfishness, curtail thy
desires.”
Taoism
• Vitalizing Taoism:
–They want to remove the barriers that slowed the flow of
“ch’i”
–The power of “ch’i”
• “could shift Heaven and Earth”
Taoism
• Philosophical, Religious and Vitalizing
Taoism
• All center on how to maximize their Tao.
• They honor hunchbacks, cripples. Because
the tallest tree get the axe first.
• Their temples blend in with the landscape.
They do not stand out.
Unlike Buddhism and
Confucianism
Taoism
• Philosophical, Religious and Vitalizing
Taoism
– They all teach that people will be at their best,
when they are living in harmony with their
surroundings.
– They consider ceremonies pompous and
downright silly.
– They feel there is nothing to gain from
punctiliousness, and the meticulous
Unlike Confucianism
observance of propriety.
Unlike Buddhism
Reject Material Things
• Laozi taught that a force known as
the Dao permeated all living things.
• He told his followers that the most
important thing an individual could
do is to reject the world, and their
desires for worldly possessions and
power, and commune with nature,
bringing ones self into a state of
oneness with the Dao.
Relate to Nature
• Many individuals in China
practices both Confucianism and
Daoism.
• Confucianism taught them how to
behave towards one another, while
Daoism taught them how to behave
towards the natural world, and with
themselves personally.
Daoism /
Taoism
• Founder – Laozi (Lao-Tze)
• Sacred Text –Tao-te-Ching
– Lao-Tze - The Book of the Way
• Major Teachings
– Live in harmony with nature
– Be like water:
• Water goes with the ‘flow’
• but is unstoppable
• Implications for Government
– Government unnatural
• Tries to change too much
• Usually makes things worse
Taoism
The Way of Harmony
with Nature
• A philosophy
– Profound and paradoxical
• A way of life
– Playful and practical
• A religion
• Originating in 6th century BCE China
Nature knows best
The Natural Way
• Daoists believed that the best
way to live was the natural
way.
• In Chinese the word dao
means “the way.” Daoists did
not define “the way,”
however.
• It is said, “Those who know
the Dao do not speak of it;
those who speak of it do not
know it.”
• To Daoists, Confucian rules
for society were useless.
• A society with rules was an
artificial creation that
disturbed the natural order.
• Daoists believed people should do nothing
that was contrary to nature.
“The duck’s legs are short, but if we try to
lengthen them, the duck will feel pain. The crane’s
legs are long, but if we try to shorten them, that
crane will feel grief. Therefore we are not to cut off
what is by nature long, nor to lengthen what is by
nature short.”
Daoism
The “Way” is recast in light of the fact that the
way of humanity had been lost (the warring
states period)
The traditional tri-part dao is redefined as the
way of earth (kun), the way of heaven (tian),
and the Way (if it must be named)
1. Dao [Tao] is the first-cause of the
universe. It is a force that flows through
all life.
2. A believer’s goal is to become one with
Dao; one with nature. [“The butterfly or
the man?” story.]
3. Wu wei --> “Let nature take its course.”
--> “The art of doing nothing.”
--> “Go with the flow!”
4. Man is unhappy because he lives acc. to
man-made laws, customs, & traditions that
are contrary to the ways of nature.
Daodejing: “The Way and It’s
Power” by Laozi
 Dao: the ineffable way of life, pattern of the world,
source of all that is (and is not); from the one came
the two (yin - yang) and from the two came… the
10,000 things (wan or “everything”)
 De: the power, potency, or “virtue” of dao; reflected
in action so excellent, balanced, and harmonious that
it seems to be “no action” at all
 Wuwei: actionless activity or non-ado
Dao
Wuwei
De
To escape the “social, political, & cultural
traps” of life, one must escape by:
1. Rejecting formal knowledge and
learning.
2. Relying on the senses and instincts.
3. Discovering the nature and
“rhythm” of the universe.
4. Ignoring political and social laws.
Philosophical Taoism
• The Tao (“path” or “way”)
–
–
–
–
The “nameless”
The “Mother of ten=thousand things”
The “uncarved block”
All pervading within and beyond nature
• Te (“power” or “virtue”)
– One’s natural ability brought to peak potential
through following the way
• The Taoist Sage: learns from observing the way of
nature (flowing water, wind) and letting nature guide
his way through life
Laozi and The Way of Nature
Laozi used nature as the model of this way of
beauty, grace, balance, and ultimately
complete “metaphysical” harmony
Dao or “what is not” gave birth to “what is” in
the form of nature and the primal forces that
transform it
And back to dao all that it creates will return
(as a natural part of this process)
Daoism / Taoism
• Tao: ultimate reality behind existence
• Man must conform to nature
– But not to society
• Confucian & Legalist social, economic, and
political thinking:
– Masculine, hard, managing, aggressive, rational,
and commanding
• Daoists are different.
– balancing masculine with feminine
– Be yielding, permissive, withdrawing, mystical,
and receptive
Three Jewels of Taosim
•
Compassion - leads to courage
•
Moderation - leads to generosity
•
Humility - leads to leadership
Lao Zi on Government
• Lao Zi believed that the best government was
the one that had the fewest rules and laws.
• He valued simplicity. Lao said:
“The wise man keeps to the deed that consists in
taking no action and practices the teaching that
uses no words.”
Bad Government According to Daoists
Daoist influence and
inventions
• The Daoists study of nature enabled them to
make advances in science and technology.
• They recorded the movements of planets and
increased their knowledge of astronomy.
• They may have developed the magnetic
compass to determine favorable places for
graves.
• Daoist observations of natural forces led to discoveries in
chemistry and biology.
• Some scholars think that Daoists invented gunpowder, which
they used to frighten ghosts.
More Taoist Concepts
• Wei-wu-wei (“active non-action”)
– Passive non-resistance to the natural forces of life
– Natural way to get things done with least effort
and greatest success
– “Go with the flow,” yield to the natural way of
things
– Applied in all walks of life
• Relativity: “good” and “bad” as a matter of
perspective
– The Taoist sage is non-judgmental
Taoism as a Way of Living
• Seeking Health and Longevity: through diet,
meditation, exercise, and a stress-free life
• Alchemy: seeking the chemical “elixir of life”to
achieve immortality
• Meditation: “Inner Alchemy Meditation” – seeking
spiritual rather than chemical transformation
• Natural/holistic healing: herbal medicine,
acupressure, acupuncture, exercise…
• T’ai-Chi-Ch’uan (“grand ultimate boxing”)
– A slow, graceful martial art stressing movement in
balance
Some other Yin Images
from the Daodejing
Mother or Mysterious Feminine
Infant
Uncarved Block or Raw Silk
Water
Breath, Vapor, or “Vital Energy” (qi)
Tailor, Warrior, Charioteer… does little cutting,
fighting, and does not rush ahead,
respectively
Taoism
Origins and Texts
• Legendary founder: Lao Tzu (6th century BCE)
• Primary text: Tao Te Ching (the “Book of the Way and the Power”)
– 81 short “chapters” containing the basic philosophy of living in harmony and
balance
• Chuang Tzu (4th century BCE)
– Author of companion text: The Chuang Tzu
– Collection of stories exemplifying the wisdom and nature of the Taoist sage
Daoists and Religion
• Daoism developed links with folk religions.
• Peasants believed that gods and spirits
controlled the unseen powerful forces in
nature.
• To find out what would please the spirits,
they turned to Daoist priests for help.
• Priests used all kinds of magic to determine
lucky days for weddings and the best place
for graves.
Religious Taoism
• Deification of Lao Tzu
• The Jade Emperor and the eight
“Immortals”
• Taoist temples with images of Lao Tzu and
other “immortals”
• Taoist Priests combine Taoist meditation
with purification rites of folk religion
exorcism practices
• Taoist sects develop beginning in 1st
century, additional teachers and texts
Daoist Influence on China
• Architecture
– Buildings pursues the harmonious unity of
humans and nature. Daoists skillfuly built
temples that conform to the contours of the
land.
– Buildings reflect traditional forms and values.
– Buildings reflect values of openness,
fulfillment, and long life.
– Contain symbols and motifs that represent
many traditional Chinese folk values.
Taoism vs. Confucianism
• Confucianism
– A system of thought representing “conventional
values”
– social-minded
– represents a higher form of moralism
– optimistic rationalism
– Humanism: humaneness (ren) and
righteousness (yi)
– family ethics
– ritualization of life
‘Tao of Pooh’
Taoist
Philosophy
From The House at Pooh Corner
A clever
“Rabbit’s clever,” said Pooh thoughtfully.
mind is not a “Yes,” said Piglet. “Rabbit’s clever.”
heart.
“And he has Brain.”
“Yes,” said Piglet, “Rabbit has Brain.”
There was a long silence.
“I suppose,” said Pooh, “that that’s why he never understands
anything.”
The wise
know their
limitations;
the foolish
do not.
Roo and Tigger were walking along the forest one morning, and
Tigger was talking about all the things Tiggers can do…
“I can swim,” said Roo. “I fell into the river, and I swimmed. Can
Tiggers swim?”
“Of course they can. Tiggers can do everything.”
“Can they climb trees better than Pooh?” asked Roo, stopping
under the tallest Pine Tree, and looking up.
“Climbing trees is what they do best,” said Tigger. “Much better
than Poohs.”
And the next thing they knew, they were stuck in the tallest pine
tree.