ANCIENT CHINA
I.
ANCIENT CHINA
A.
INTRODUCTION
1.
ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS OF EGYPTIANS & MESOPOTAMIANS HAVE LONG
DISAPPEARED
2.
BUT ANCIENT CHINESE CIVILIZATION HAS LASTED
3.
CHINESE LARGEST & MOST ENDURING CIVILIZATION IN HUMAN HISTORY
4.
& PERHAPS EVEN MORE REMARKABLE NUMEROUS LEITMOTIFS CHINESE
HISTORY
a.
ANCESTRAL WORSHIP
b.
MANDATE OF HEAVEN
c.
PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS
5.
HAVE BEEN USED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS TOO
6.
REMOTE & MYSTERIOUS 2 ADJECTIVES WEST APPLIES TO CHINA
7.
REASON WHY WEST HAS FOUND CHINA SO STRANGE
a.
ONLY CIVILIZATION WHERE WESTERN THOUGHT HAD NO INFLUENCE
UNTIL MODERN TIMES
b.
ALSO ONLY LARGE REGION IN WORLD WHERE WESTERN MEN NEVER
RULED
8.
IT HAS SEEMED TO WESTERNERS THAT IN CHINA EVERYTHING IS
REVERSED
9.
CHINESE USE WHITE AS COLOR OF MOURNING
10.
FOR THEM LEFT IS SIDE OF HONOR
11.
WRITING IS READ VERTICALLY FROM TOP RIGHT-HAND CORNER DOWNWARD
12.
CHINESE BOOKS BEGIN AT OPPOSITE END OF VOLUME TO WESTERN BOOKS
13.
THESE FEW DIFFERENCES REVEAL THAT CHINESE CULTURE EVOLVED
INDEPENDENTLY OF WESTERN INFLUENCES
B.
GEOGRAPHY
1.
GEOGRAPHY NB ROLE IN CHINESE HISTORY
2.
TODAY CHINA OCCUPIES AREA OF NEARLY 4 MILLION SQUARE MILES
3.
THIRD LARGEST COUNTRY IN WORLD
4.
ONLY RUSSIA & CANADA LARGER IN AREA
5.
CHINA NOT ALWAYS SO VAST AS IT IS TODAY
6.
ABOUT 3500 YRS AGO IT CONSISTED OF A NUMBER OF SMALL STATES IN
AREA OF YELLOW RIVER OR HWANG HO
7.
DURING COURSE OF MANY CENTURIES THESE VARIOUS STATES SLOWLY
WELDED INTO STRONG & UNITED EMPIRE
8.
RULERS OF THIS EMPIRE GRADUALLY PUSHED ITS FRONTIERS OUTWARD IN
ALL DIRECTIONS
9.
NOT UNTIL EARLY 1700'S A.D. THAT CHINA REACHED ITS PRESENT SIZE
10.
WHILE 85% OF CHINA IS ARID OR INACCESSIBLE STEPPES, DESERT OR
MOUNTAIN
11.
THIS HAS NOT KEPT CHINA FROM CREATIVELY DEVELOPING ITS NATURAL
RESOURCES
12.
YELLOW OR HUANG-HO RIVER WHERE CHINESE CIVILIZATION BEGAN &
FLOURISHED FOR MANY CENTURIES
a.
YELLOW RIVER TAKES NAME FROM COLOR OF ITS WATERS
b.
THESE ARE CONSTANTLY MUDDIED BY SILT ERODED FROM LOESS
SOIL OF NW
c.
THOUGH ITS WATERS ARE NEARLY USELESS FOR NAVIGATION
(1)
BECAUSE OF SWIFTNESS & CATARACTS
d.
ITS WATERS ARE VITAL FOR IRRIGATION
e.
FLOODING COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THIS RIVER
(1)
MASSIVE DIKES ERECTED TO STOP THIS
f.
BUT RIVER STILL GOES BY ITS NICKNAME AS "CHINA'S SORROW"
g.
SILT LEFT BEHIND GREAT SOIL FOR GROWING CROPS
II.
ANCIENT CHINA
A.
DIVISION OF CHINESE HISTORY
1.
CHINESE HISTORY DIVIDED INTO DYNASTIES
a.
LIKE EGYPT
b.
BUT WITH NAMES NOT NUMBERS
2.
DYNASTY - RULING FAMILY THAT STAYED IN POWER FOR LONG TIME
3.
W/COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS CHINA WILL BE RULED BY DYNASTIES FOR
4000 YRS
4.
NAMES OF VARIOUS DYNASTIES
a.
SPELLINGS VARY
b.
HSIA
(1)
SOME THINK MYTHICAL
c.
SHANG
d.
CHOU OR ZHOU
2
CHIN 221-206 B.C.
(1)
WHENCE COMES CHINA
f.
HAN 206 B.C. g.
SUI
h.
TANG
i.
SUNG
j.
MONGOLS
k.
YUAN
l.
MING
m.
CHING
n.
REPUBLIC
CONTINUITY OF CHINESE CULTURE & HISTORY
1.
COMPARED W/DISCONTINUITY & CHANGE OF INDIAN CIVILIZATION
2.
CHINESE CIVILIZATION IS CHARACTERIZED BY COHESION & CONTINUITY
3.
WHILE NUMEROUS NOMADIC INVASIONS OF CHINA
4.
CHINESE NOT FORCED TO ADOPT LANGUAGE OR CUSTOMS OF INVADERS
5.
RATHER INVADERS INVARIABLY BECAME CHINESE
6.
AS ALL CHINESE MONGOLOIDS AS THEIR NOMADIC INVADERS
7.
CHINESE ENJOYED RACIAL & CULTURAL HOMOGENEITY THROUGHOUT THEIR
HISTORY
8.
LATER THIS HOMOGENEITY FURTHER CEMENTED BY STANDARDIZATION OF
WRITING SYSTEM
a.
ENABLED SPEAKERS OF WIDELY DIFFERING DIALECTS TO
COMMUNICATE W/EACH OTHER
9.
IN CONTRAST IN SUB-CONTINENT OF INDIA
10.
RELATIVELY POLITICAL UNITY HAS PERSISTED
a.
AS NB AS CULTURAL CONTINUITY
11.
MANY SCHOLARS ATTRIBUTE THIS UNITY LARGELY TO UNIQUE
SECULARISM OF CHINESE CIVILIZATION
12.
ONLY GREAT CIVILIZATION THAT NEVER PRODUCED A PRIESTLY CLASS
13.
THUS, NO GREAT DIVISION
a.
BETWEEN RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY & LAITY,
b.
BETWEEN CHURCH & STATE,
c.
WHICH EXISTED IN OTHER EURASIAN CIVILIZATIONS
14.
NOR ANY COUNTERPART TO INDIA'S EPICS
a.
STEEPED IN METAPHYSICS & CONCERNED W/PERSONAL SALVATION
15.
RATHER CHINESE CLASSICS EMPHASIZED LIFE OF HUMAN BEINGS IN
SOCIETY
16.
& PARTICULARLY RELATIONS BETWEEN MEMBERS OF FAMILY
17.
& BETWEEN KING AND HIS SUBJECTS
LEGENDARY HUANG-TI = THE YELLOW EMPEROR
1.
LEGEND - HUANG-TI FOUNDER OF CHINESE CIVILIZATION
a.
CIRCA 2500 B.C.
2.
BECAUSE HE DEFEATED NEIGHBORING BARBARIANS
3.
& UNITED CHINESE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT YELLOW RIVER PLAIN
4.
TO THIS DAY MANY CHINESE CALL THEMSELVES DESCENDANTS OF YELLOW
EMPEROR
HSIA DYNASTY (SHEE-AH') C2000-C1520 B.C.
1.
LAST OF 5 EMPERORS, YU, FOUNDED HSIA DYNASTY AROUND 2000 B.C.
2.
USED TO THINK IT MYTHICAL BUT NOW ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
3.
YU CALLED "GREAT ENGINEER" OR "GREAT"
4.
HE 1ST TO BUILD LARGE-SCALE WATERWORKS TO CONTROL FLOODING OF
YELLOW RIVER
5.
& HSIA DYNASTY FIXED LUNAR CALENDAR OF 366 DAYS A YEAR
6.
TODAY CHINESE STILL CALL LUNAR CALENDAR ON WHICH THEIR
TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS ARE BASED
a.
HSIA CALENDAR
7.
DURING THIS TIME CHINA CHANGED FROM NEOLITHIC TO BRONZE AGE
CULTURE
8.
DURING HSIA DYNASTY SILK CULTURE INVENTED
9.
CHINESE LEGENDS SAY EMPRESS HSI LING-SHI DISCOVERED SILK AROUND
2700 B.C.
a.
SECRET OF MAKING SILK REMAINED W/CHINESE FOR OVER 2000
YRS
b.
TO DISCUSS SILK MAKING W/BARBARIAN OR OUTSIDER WAS
PUNISHABLE BY DEATH
c.
NOT UNTIL AD 550 WHEN 2 MONKS SMUGGLED SILKWORM EGGS &
MULBERRY SEEDS OUT OF CHINA DID SECRET OF SILK MAKING
REACH WEST
d.
MORE ON SILK & SILK ROAD LATER LECTURES
e.
B.
C.
D.
III.
IV.
3
SHANG DYNASTY C. 1523-1027 B.C.
A.
INTRODUCTION
1.
BEGINNINGS OF DOCUMENTED CHINESE HISTORY
2.
SOMETIME IN 16TH C B.C. E. HSIA DEFEATED BY NEIGHBORING TRIBE
CALLED SHANG
3.
SHANG DYNASTY MARKS BEGINNING OF DOCUMENTED CHINESE HISTORY
4.
UNLIKE HSIA DYNASTY SHANG DYNASTY LEFT SOME WRITTEN RECORDS IN
ADDITION TO ARCHAEOLOGICAL ONES
B.
CHINESE WRITING
1.
KEY DOCUMENTS GIVE US UNDERSTANDING OF SHANG DYNASTY
a.
20,000 INSCRIBED ORACLE BONES
2.
MODERN CHINESE WRITING EVOLVED FROM SCRIPT INCISED INTO
a.
SCAPULA BONES OF OXEN
b.
OR INNER SHELLS OF TORTOISES
3.
WE KNOW SHANG SCRIBES KEPT OTHER GOVT RECORDS TOO
a.
ON BAMBOO OR WOOD
b.
BUT THESE HAVE LONG PERISHED
4.
ORACLE BONES ORIGINALLY USED FOR DIVINATION
a.
ART OF TELLING FUTURE EVENTS THROUGH CONSULTING
SUPERNATURAL
5.
SHANG KING'S DIVINER WROTE DOWN QUESTION ON BONE OR SHELL
6.
THEN HOLES DRILLED IN BONE
7.
WHEN HEATED OR STABBED WITH HOT POKER INTO HOLES FURTHER CRACKS
APPEARED
8.
INTERPRETED AS ANSWER FROM GODS OR ANCESTOR
C.
SHANG SOCIETY
1.
RULER OF SHANG DYNASTY - KING
2.
BUT KING NOT CONSIDERED DIVINE LIKE EGYPTIAN PHARAOH
3.
ONLY KING COULD CONSULT & OFFER SACRIFICES TO HIS ANCESTORS &
OTHER SPIRITS
4.
ANCESTORS & THEIR LIVING DESCENDANTS HAD RECIPROCAL OBLIGATIONS
5.
THEREFORE FOR HEALTH & SAFETY OF STATE KING HAD TO OFFER
CORRECT SACRIFICES TO PARTICULAR ANCESTOR AT APPROPRIATE TIMES
6.
THEY BELIEVED PROPER OFFERING WOULD SECURE DESIRED RESPONSE
FROM ANCESTRAL SPIRIT
7.
KING WOULD THEN MAKE ANOTHER OFFERING TO ANCESTOR IN
THANKSGIVING
8.
THIS CONCEPT OF RECIPROCAL RESPONSIBILITY IS ESSENCE OF
ANCESTOR WORSHIP PRACTICED BY CHINESE
9.
NEXT IN LINE AFTER KING - ARISTOCRATIC FAMILIES
a.
ORGANIZED ACCORDING TO PATRILINEAL CLASS
10.
BOTH ROYALTY & NOBILITY PRACTICED POLYGAMY
11.
NEXT CAME PEASANTS
a.
BACKBONE OF CHINESE SOCIETY
12.
AT BOTTOM SLAVES
a.
PRISONERS OF WAR
b.
VICTIMS IN SACRIFICIAL BURIALS
c.
AS WELL AS BURIED IN BUILDING FOUNDATIONS
13.
GREAT GAPS EXISTED BETWEEN RULERS & RULED IN SHANG SOCIETY
D.
SCIENCE, ARTS & CRAFTS
1.
MANY ORACLE BONES OF SHANG RECORDED SOLAR & LUNAR ECLIPSES
2.
SHANG ORACLE SPECIALISTS BECAME MEMBERS OF BOARD OF ASTRONOMERS
3.
MOST REMARKABLE PRODUCTS OF SHANG DYNASTY BRONZE RITUAL
VESSELS
a.
ART HISTORIANS CONSIDER UNEQUALED IN TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE
& BEAUTY
4.
BRONZE MAKING FROM C. 2000 B.C.E.
5.
MANY PIECES SURVIVED BECAUSE BURIED W/DEAD
6.
SHANG ARTISANS ALSO WORKED EXTENSIVELY IN JADE
a.
FOR CHINESE JADE IS MOST PRECIOUS OF ALL STONES
CHOU DYNASTY
A.
POLITICAL HISTORY
1.
PEOPLE OF CHINA HEARD THEIR NEW CHOU RULERS JUSTIFY THEIR
CONQUEST OF SHANG (YIN] DYNASTY AS MANDATE OF HEAVEN
2.
CHOU TOLD HOW LAST SHANG KING HAD FORFEITED HIS RIGHT TO RULE
BY HIS PERSONAL IMMORALITY & TYRANNICAL GOVT
3.
TI OR HEAVEN CUT OFF SHANG'S MANDATE TO RULE
4.
& TRANSFERRED IT TO DESERVING HOUSE OF CHOU
5.
THIS CONCEPT OF MANDATE OF HEAVEN HAS REMAINED CORNERSTONE OF
CHINESE POLITICAL THINKING TO THIS CENTURY
6.
B.
CHOU ESTABLISHED LONGEST-LASTING DYNASTY IN CHINESE HISTORY
a.
12TH C TO 3RD C. B.C.E.
7.
ALTHOUGH CHOU RULERS HELD TITLE OF EMPEROR
8.
MOST OF THEM POLITICAL FIGUREHEADS
9.
WITHIN FEW CENTURIES AFTER CONQUEST OF SHANG
10.
BARBARIANS FROM OUTSIDE REALLY DE FACTO POWER
11.
CHOU RULERS ONLY DE JURE POWER
CHOU RELIGION
1.
KINGS & COMMONERS ALIKE WORSHIPED SPIRITS OF THEIR ANCESTORS
2.
MOST OF COMMEMORATIVE BRONZE VESSELS CAST & INSCRIBED BY CHOU
LORDS CONTAINED FOLLOWING SENTENCE:
a.
MAY MY SONS & GRANDSONS FOREVER TREASURE & USE THIS
VESSEL
b.
IN OTHER WORDS, MAY THE LINE CONTINUE & DESCENDANTS
SACRIFICE TO HIS SPIRIT FOREVER
3.
EVERY FAMILY'S LIFE CENTERED AROUND ITS ANCESTRAL TEMPLE OR
SHRINE
4
V.
CHINESE PHILOSOPHY
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
DURING CHOU DYNASTY
a.
CLASSICAL AGE OR AGE OF PHILOSOPHERS
2.
MOST REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS IN THIS REALM
3.
CHINESE PHILOSOPHY PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH ETHICS & PROPER
CONDUCT IN LIFE
4.
& NOT TO ANY GREAT DEGREE WITH ABSTRACT QUESTIONS DEALT WITH IN
WESTERN METAPHYSICS
5.
ALTHOUGH NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS:
a.
BUDDHISM, COMING FROM INDIA
b.
& TAOISM
6.
BUT PRACTICAL, THIS-WORLD TENDENCY IS INHERENT IN CHINESE
RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY
7.
& FINDS ITS FULLEST EXPRESSION CONFUCIANISM
8.
CONFUCIANISM HAS DOMINATED CHINESE THOUGHT FOR LAST 25
CENTURIES
9.
CONFUCIANISM, PHILOSOPHY BASED ON TEACHINGS OF CONFUCIUS
10.
HAS PROBABLY INFLUENCED LIVES OF MORE PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER
BODY OF THOUGHT IN ALL HISTORY
B.
CONFUCIUS 551-479 B.C.
1.
BORN IN NORTHEAST CHINA PROBABLY ABOUT 551 B.C.
2.
CONFUCIUS LIVED LESS THAN A CENTURY BEFORE SOCRATES
a.
GREAT PHILOSOPHER OF ANCIENT GREECE
3.
& ABOUT SAME TIME AS THE BUDDHA
a.
INDIA'S GREAT PHILOSOPHER=TEACHER
4.
DURING HIS BOYHOOD, CONFUCIUS STUDIED EXTENSIVELY
5.
AS YOUNG MAN BECAME GOVT EMPLOYEE
6.
BUT ALSO SPENT MUCH TIME TEACHING
7.
AFTER REFLECTING ON CONFUSED STATE OF CHOU SOCIETY
8.
CONFUCIUS REACHED SOME CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHAT HE THOUGHT TO BE
CAUSES OF DISORDER
9.
& HE HAD SOLUTIONS TO PROPOSE
10.
BUT HIS EFFORTS TO PERSUADE FEUDAL PRINCES TO ADOPT HIS IDEAS
WERE UNSUCCESSFUL
11.
SO CONFUCIUS SPENT REST OF HIS LIFE TEACHING SMALL & LOYAL
GROUP OF FOLLOWERS HIS IDEAS
VI.
CONFUCIANISM
A.
GENERAL TENETS
1.
CONFUCIUS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH BEHAVIOR OF HUMAN BEINGS IN
THIS WORLD
2.
HE PAID LITTLE ATTENTION TO SUCH MATTERS AS
a.
SIN, SALVATION & NATURE & FATE OF THE SOUL
3.
HE BELIEVED NOT UNTIL MEN LEARNED TO BEHAVE PROPERLY IN THIS
LIFE COULD THEY TURN THEIR MINDS TO PROBLEMS OF AFTERLIFE
4.
IF PEOPLE IMPROVED THEMSELVES THEN BOTH INDIVIDUAL & SOCIETY
WOULD BENEFIT
5.
CONFUCIUS HOPED THAT IF PEOPLE KNEW WHAT EXPECTED OF THEM IN
THEIR RELATIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE THEY WOULD BEHAVE CORRECTLY
6.
HE SINGLED OUT 5 PRINCIPAL RELATIONSHIPS IN WHICH PEOPLE MIGHT
BE INVOLVED
7.
& THAT IF EVERYONE ACTED IN THE RECOMMENDED WAY IN EACH OF
B.
C.
D.
5
THESE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS,
a.
PEACE & HARMONY WOULD RESULT
5 RELATIONSHIPS
1.
1ST RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RULER & MINISTERS
a.
RULER EXPECTED TO BE OUTSTANDING EG OF PROPER SOCIAL
BEHAVIOR
b.
IF HE ACTED PROPERLY THEN HIS OFFICIALS OR MINISTERS
WOULD BE INSPIRED TO BEHAVE SIMILARLY
c.
IF ON OTHER HAND RULER WAS WICKED, BRUTAL & DISHONEST NO
ONE COULD EXPECT HIS MINISTERS OR PEOPLE TO BEHAVE
PROPERLY
2.
2ND RELATIONSHIP - FATHER & SON
a.
CONFUCIUS CALLED ON FATHERS & SONS TO UNDERSTAND THEIR
OBLIGATIONS TO EACH OTHER
b.
1 OF FOREMOST DUTIES OF FATHER - WORTHY MODEL FOR HIS
CHILDREN
c.
FATHER TO GUIDE THEIR BEHAVIOR
d.
& TO DEVELOP THEIR CHARACTER ALONG RIGHT LINES
e.
THUS FATHER COULD JUSTLY CLAIM CREDIT FOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OF HIS CHILDREN
f.
BUT HE COULD ALSO BE CALLED TO ACCOUNT IF HIS SONS &
DAUGHTERS NAUGHTY
g.
AS FOR SON, HIS DUTIES (1)
HONOR HIS PARENTS WHILE THEY LIVED
(2)
& TO RESPECT THEIR MEMORY AFTER THEIR DEATH FILIAL PIETY
(3)
HIGHEST VIRTUE IN CONFUCIUS IDEAL OF GOOD BEHAVIOR
3.
3RD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUSBAND & WIFE
a.
HUSBAND HEAD OF FAMILY
b.
HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO SEE MEMORY OF ANCESTORS RESPECTED
c.
& GOOD REPUTATION OF FAMILY PRESERVED
d.
ALSO HUSBAND'S DUTY TO INSURE FAMILY NAME PASSED TO NEXT
GENERATION
e.
THIS MEANT 1ST DUTY OF WIFE - TO BEAR SONS
4.
4TH RELATIONSHIP - ACCORD BETWEEN OLDER & YOUNGER BROTHERS
a.
OLDER SON SOMEDAY BE HEAD OF FAMILY
b.
HAD TO LEARN TO BE MODEL OF BEHAVIOR FOR HIS YOUNG
BROTHERS
c.
IN TURN BROTHERS EXPECTED TO ACCEPT W/O COMPLAINT SPECIAL
POSITION OF OLDEST SON
5.
5TH & FINAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY
a.
CONFUCIUS HAD "GOLDEN RULE" TO COVER OTHER RELATIONSHIPS
b.
"DO NOT DO TO OTHERS WHAT YOU WOULD NOT WANT THEM TO DO
TO YOU
COMPILATIONS OF CONFUCIUS' IDEAS
1.
AFTER CONFUCIUS' DEATH HIS SAYINGS COMPILED INTO BOOK CALLED
ANALECTS
a.
BY HIS FOLLOWERS
2.
CONFUCIUS RECOGNIZED STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES OF HUMAN CHARACTER
3.
& IT IS EVIDENT BY HIS MANY "SAYINGS' IN ANALECTS
4.
PASSED ON DOWN OVER MORE THAN 2000 YRS
5.
MANY OF HIS RICHEST PIECES OF WISDOM ARE PITHY & WITTY
STATEMENTS:
a.
KNOWING WHAT HE KNOWS AND KNOWING WHAT HE DOESN'T KNOWN
IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE PERSON WHO KNOWS
b.
MAKING A MISTAKE AND NOT CORRECTING IT, IS MAKING ANOTHER
MISTAKE
c.
THE SUPERIOR MAN BLAMES HIMSELF; THE INFERIOR MAN BLAMES
OTHERS
6.
IN ADDITION TO ANALECTS
7.
5 OTHER BOOKS DEALING WITH MORE OF CONFUCIUS IDEAS
8.
GENERALLY CALLED
a.
FIVE CLASSICS
b.
ACCEPTED BY ALL CHINESE OF THEIR HERITAGE FROM ANCIENT
TIMES
MENCIUS
1.
MENCIUS (MEN'SHI-US) BORN ABOUT CENTURY AFTER DEATH OF
CONFUCIUS
2.
GREATEST DISCIPLE OF FAMOUS SAGE
3.
LIKE CONFUCIUS, MENCIUS HAD FAITH IN BASIC GOODNESS OF PEOPLE
4.
& HOPED TO RESCUE THEM FROM EVIL WAYS OF SOCIETY
5.
6.
7.
E.
MENCIUS SAID MEN NOT OBLIGED TO BE LOYAL TO WICKED RULERS
HE MAINTAINED OPPRESSIVE & INCAPABLE RULERS HAD NO RIGHT TO
RULE
HE FELT PEOPLE HAD RIGHT TO REVOLT AGAINST MONARCHS WHO ABUSED
THEIR POWER & NEGLECTED THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES
THUS CARRYING CONFUCIUS' IDEAS ONE STEP FURTHER
6
8.
TAOISM
1.
CONFUCIANISM HAD MANY RIVALS
2.
OTHERS DID NOT AGREE WITH CONFUCIUS' IDEAS ON WHAT WRONG WITH
SOCIETY
3.
OR WHAT MIGHT BE DONE TO REMEDY INDIVIDUAL & SOCIAL PROBLEMS
4.
SOME OF THESE PHILOSOPHIES HAD MANY FOLLOWERS
a.
EITHER IMMEDIATELY OR IN LATER TIMES
5.
2 OF MOST SUCCESSFUL WERE TAOISM (DOW'IZM) & LEGALISM
6.
ACCORDING TO TRADITION FIRST GREAT TEACHER OF PHILOSOPHY OF
TAOISM LAO-TSU (LOW'DZUH')
a.
"OLD MASTER"
b.
SOME DOUBT WHETHER LAO-TSU REAL PERSON
7.
TAO'S IDEAS EVENTUALLY SUMMED UP IN SMALL BOOK CALLED
a.
TAO TE CHING OR
b.
BOOK OF THE WAY & ITS POWER
8.
TAOISM IS NOT EASILY UNDERSTOOD BECAUSE ITS TEACHINGS CANNOT BE
CONVEYED BY WORDS ALONE
9.
LIKE ART, WHICH MUST BE APPRECIATED RATHER THAN EXPLAINED
10.
TAOISM MUST BE SENSED OR FELT
11.
THUS IT IS OFTEN CALLED A MYSTICAL PHILOSOPHY
12.
DIFFICULTY OF MAKING CLEAR MEANING OF TAOISM ONCE INSPIRED A
POET TO WRITE THE FOLLOWING VERSE ABOUT LAO-TSU AND THE BOOK OF
THE WAY
a.
THOSE WHO SPEAK KNOW NOTHING
b.
THOSE WHO KNOW ARE SILENT
c.
THESE WORDS, I AM TOLD
d.
WERE SPOKEN BY LAO-TSU
e.
IF WE ARE TO BELIEVE THAT LAO-TSU
f.
WAS HIMSELF ONE WHO KNEW
g.
HOW IS IT THAT HE WROTE A BOOK
h.
OF 5000 WORDS
13.
TAOISTS BELIEVED THAT MAN, IN HIS EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND THE
UNIVERSE
14.
DIVIDES IT INTO MANY PARTS
15.
MAN GIVES EVERYTHING A NAME OF ITS OWN
16.
IN DOING SO HE FORGETS NATURAL WORLD IS INTEGRATED WHOLE
17.
BECAUSE PHENOMENA OF UNIVERSE SO NUMEROUS & DIFFERENT
18.
"ONENESS" OF UNIVERSE IS OVERLOOKED
19.
MAN HIMSELF, IS MERELY ONE ELEMENT,
a.
NO MORE & NO LESS IMPORTANT THAN ALL OTHER ELEMENTS OF
NATURAL WORLD
20.
SINCE MAN IS CONFUSED OR IGNORANT ABOUT HIS OWN PLACE IN
UNIVERSAL PLAN
21.
HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO THINK & BEHAVE PROPERLY
22.
HE HAS NO PEACE OF MIND,
23.
THEREFORE SOCIETY IS IN A TROUBLED STATE
24.
IF MAN IS IGNORANT OF HIS BEST INTERESTS IN LIFE TAOISTS CLAIM
THAT SOCIETY IS LARGELY RESPONSIBLE
25.
SOCIETY DOES NOT PERMIT HUMAN BEINGS TO ACT IN A COMPLETELY
NATURAL WAY
26.
INSTEAD, IT DISTORTS PERSONALITY OF MEN BY COMPELLING THEM TO
CONFORM TO UNNATURAL STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR
a.
& MAN-MADE LAWS
27.
TO ESCAPE FROM THIS TRAP SET BY SOCIETY,
28.
MAN MUST FIND TAO OR WAY OF UNIVERSE
29.
HE SHOULD REJECT FORMAL KNOWLEDGE & LEARNING
30.
& RELY MORE ON HIS SENSES & INSTINCTS
31.
HE SHOULD SEEK TO REDISCOVER HIS NATURAL SELF
32.
MAN SHOULD FLOW WITH WAY
33.
RULERS DID NOT LOOK KINDLY ON TAOISTS
34.
TAOIST TEACHING THAT GOVT & LAWS SHOULD BE IGNORED DANGEROUS
35.
SUBJECTS SHOULD BE OBEDIENT
36.
BECAUSE OF DISAPPROVAL OF FEUDAL STATES,
37.
TAOISTS FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO PRACTICE THEIR BELIEFS WITHIN
ORGANIZED SOCIETY
7
FOLLOWERS OF LAO-TSU THEREFORE WITHDREW TO MOUNTAINS & FORESTS
BECOMING HERMITS, THEY SOUGHT TO LIVE IN NATURE
IN THIS WAY THEY TRIED TO UPHOLD FOLLOWING TEACHING OF LAO-TUS:
a.
MAN FOLLOWS THE WAYS OF THE EARTH
b.
THE EARTH FOLLOWS THE WAYS OF HEAVEN
c.
HEAVEN FOLLOWS THE WAY OF TAO
d.
TAO FOLLOWS ITS OWN WAYS
41.
TAOISM HAD LASTING INFLUENCE
a.
IN THINKING & BEHAVIOR OF GENERATION AFTER GENERATION OF
CHINESE PEOPLE
b.
USUALLY A STRONG DASH OF TAOISM
LEGALISM
1.
CONFUCIUS, MENCIUS & OTHER PHILOSOPHERS BELIEVED IN BASIC
GOODNESS OF MAN & UNIVERSE
2.
BUT CONTRARY BELIEFS HELD BY LEGALISTS
3.
LEGALISTS BELIEVED MAN BAD BY NATURE
4.
LEGALISTS HAD NO INTEREST IN ADVANCING WELFARE OF INDIVIDUAL
5.
FOR LEGALISTS, WISE RULER DEVOTED HIS ENERGIES TO CRACKING WHIP
& KEEPING MEN IN LINE
6.
SEVERE LAWS BACKED BY FORCE NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE RULER'S GOAL
7.
MINOR CRIMES & ANY FAILURE TO CARRY OUT GOVT DECREES TO BE
RUTHLESSLY PUNISHED
8.
LEGALISTS ARGUED THAT IF MEN STERNLY DEALT WITH FOR SMALL
CRIMES
9.
WOULD THINK SERIOUSLY BEFORE COMMITTING MAJOR VIOLATIONS OF LAW
10.
IT WILL BE OVERTHROWERS OF CHOU DYNASTY WHO WILL USE LEGALISM
AS THEIR METHODOLOGY OF RULING
38.
39.
40.
F.