Chinese Religions
Copy the information from the
slides.
Confucianism
Based on the teaching of Kong Fu Zi, who
was called Confucius by Europeans
an ethical and philosophical system
developed from the teachings of Confucius
Focused on proper conduct, respect for
elders, education, and hard work
Confucius taught that life would be
harmonious if everyone was loyal, courteous,
honest, and faithful
Children show absolute respect for authority
Rulers need to live by strong virtues and set a
good example for society to be harmonious
Confucius
Taoism
Based on the teaching of Laozi
Humans should see themselves a part
of nature
People should live a simple life in
harmony with nature
Harmony comes from balancing
opposite forces of nature, called yin and
yang
Loazi (“Old Master”)
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
Feminine
Passive
Darkness
Cold
Weak
Earth;
Moon
Masculine
Active
Light
Warmth
Strong
Heaven;
Sun
Buddhism
 Religion and philosophy that developed from the
teachings of the Buddha (Sanskrit: “awakened one”),
 a teacher who lived in northern India between the
mid-6th and the mid-4th centuries BCE (before the
Common Era or Christian era).
 Spreading from India to Central and Southeast Asia,
China, Korea, and Japan,
 Buddhism has played a central role in the spiritual,
cultural, and social life of Asia.
Buddha
This is NOT Buddha! This is Budai
Four Noble Truths (Buddha’s 1st
lesson after enlightenment)
1. All life is suffering and pain
2. Suffering and pain are caused by
desire for wealth, pleasure, fame, or
power
3. To end suffering, one must overcome
desire
4. To overcome desire, one must follow
the Middle Way
The Middle Way
The Middle Way teaches compassion for all
living things, which leads to calmness and
purity of mind
Reincarnation – when a person dies, the soul
is reborn in a new body
Nirvana – First goal in life is to attain nirvana,
the state of having no desires. When one
attains nirvana, he or she breaks the cycle of
birth and death and no longer is reincarnated
into a life of suffering
Who is this?
This is the 14th and
current Dalai Lama.
Dalai Lamas are the
head monks of the
Gelugpa lineage of
Tibetan Buddhism. He
won the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1989, and is
also well known for his
lifelong advocacy for
Tibetans inside and
outside Tibet
Legalism
280- 233 B.C.E.
 Founder: Han Fe Zi.
 Legalism became
the political
philosophy of the
Qin [Ch’in] Dynasty
Han Fei Zi
Han Fei Synthesized the ideas of Shang Yang, Shen Buhai,
and Shen Dao, while borrowing Shang Yang's emphasis on
laws
1. Human nature is naturally selfish.
2. Intellectualism and literacy is discouraged.
3. Law is the supreme authority and replaces
morality.
4. The ruler must rule with a strong punishing
hand.
5. War is the means of strengthening a ruler’s
power.
Critical Thinking Questions
Who do you think said the following
statements, the Buddha, Confucius,
Han Fei Zi, or Laozi? Explain your
answer with a fact from the notes.
Interpret and explain what each
statement means
1. "Like a spider caught in its own web
is a person driven by fierce desires.
Break out of the web, and turn away
from the world of sensory pleasures and
sorrow.”
2. "If a ruler himself in honest, all will go
well without orders. But if he himself is
not honest, even though he gives orders
they will not be obeyed."
3. "Deal with difficult tasks while they
are easy. Act on large issues while they
are small.”
4. "No one can see their reflection in
running water. It is only in still water that
we can see. ”
5. "Holding on to anger is like grasping
a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at
someone else; you are the one getting
burned."
6. "I hear and I forget. I see and I
remember. I do and I understand.”
7. "He who envies others does not
obtain peace of mind.”
8. “To govern the state by law is to
praise the right and blame the wrong.”
9. “When a wise ruler governs a state,
he cannot suppose that people will do
the good things to him, but he uses
people so that they couldn’t do the bad
things”
10. “We are what we think. All that we
are arises with our thoughts. With our
thoughts, we make our world.”
Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Buddha
8. Han Fei Zi
Confucius 9. Han Fei Zi
Laozi
10.Buddha
Laozi
Buddha
Confucius
Buddha