The Shaping of Chinese Traditions

“When the perfect order prevails, the world is like a home shared by all. Virtuous and worthy men are elected to public office, and capable men hold posts of gainful employment in society; peace and trust among all men are the maxims of the living. All men love and respect their own parents and children and children of others. There is caring for the old; there are jobs for adults; there are nourishment and education for children. There is a means of support for the widows, and the widowers; for all who find themselves alone in the world; and for the disabled. Every man and woman has an appropriate role to play in the family and society. A sense of sharing displaces the effects of selfishness and materialism. A devotion to public duty leaves no room for idleness. Intrigues and conniving for ill gain are unknown. Villains such as thieves and robbers do not exist. The door to every home need never be locked and bolted by day or night. These are the characteristics of an ideal world, the commonwealth state.”

K’ung Fu-Tze

Confucius

Chinese thinker, philosopher and teacher

“If a ruler himself is upright, all will go well

without orders. But if he himself is not upright, even though he gives orders he

will not be obeyed”

“Lead the people by laws and regulate them by penalties, and the people will try to keep out of jail, but will have no sense of shame.

Lead the people by virtue and restrain them by the rules of

decorum(good taste), and the people will have a sense of shame, and moreover will become good.”

The Five Classics

The Classic of History The Classic of Poetry

or Book of Odes The Classic of Rites The Book of Changes

or I Ching The Spring and Autumn Annals

The Shu Ching

The Book of Historical Records.

This text describes events dating back to the third millenium B.C.E., and was written down during the Han dynasty (23-220 C.E.).

The Shih Ching

The Book of Odes.

This contains poems dating back to 1000-500 B.C.E.

The I Ching

The Book of Changes.

Dating to approximately 3000 B.C.E., this famous oracular book is one of the oldest sacred texts in the world.

The Li Ki

The Book of Rites.

This text describes Chinese religious practice from the eighth to the fifth century B.C.E.

The Ch’un Ch’iu

The Spring and Autumn Annals

was the chronicle of the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period, from 722 BC to 481 BC. Traditionally attributed to Confucius as writer or at least editor, it covers not only annual events of Lu itself but also of the major states of Qi, Jin, Qin and Chu that dominated the politics of these three centuries. The naming of this article reflected some characteristics of agricultural society, as only first three seasons were useful to the peasants - sowing in spring and harvest in autumn. Winter was basically a resting season, thus not counted into a year.

The Four Books

The Analects of Confucius The Doctrine of the Mean; The Great Learning; The Higher Learning;and The Works of Mencius.

The natural is the essenceof all that must be known,

and the placewhere all must return

 

What is Taoism?

Taoism is philosophy. It is spirituality. It is religion. It is logic. It is intuition. It is science. It is myth. It is archetype. It is all of these things and none of these things - and can be so because it transcends, yet includes each of them.

Lao-Tse The origins of Taoism are lost in

obscurity. The basis for it is usually ascribed to a master teacher, Lao-tzu, who is supposed to have written the basic text, also known as the 'Lao-Tzu' or 'Tao-te Ching'. The word tao means "the way," as in the work's English title, 'Classic of the Way and Its Power'. Fundamental to early Taoism was the belief that the Tao is the eternal reality and source of all existence. The goal of individual lives is to avoid earthly things and to live in harmony with the Tao and with nature in hopes of achieving immortality. Taoism has continued to influence Chinese thought and culture up to and including the present day.

                                                               

Taoist Advances

Taoist priests invented gunpowder for use in firecrackers.

Firecrackers were originally designed to frighten away evil spirits and ghosts

Feng Shui Compass (Lou Pan)

The magnetic compass was invented in order to ensure that human affairs were in line with the natural order

The bodies of the dead also needed to be buried in proper alignment

                        

Taoist Philosophy

The thinking of Lao-Tse has survived in the Tao Te Ching

These writings are also known as The Way and Its Power

Han Fei Tzu

Han Fei Tzu (280?-233BC) was a prince of the ruling house of the small state of Han. A representative of the "Fa-chia", or Legalist, school of philosophy, he produced the final and most readable exposition of its theories.

Chinese Legalism

Legalism is a political philosophy that does not address higher questions pertaining to the nature and purpose of existence. It is concerned with the most effective way of governing society.