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Philosophy & Religion in China. Chinese Folk Religion Confucianism Taoism. By Laura Ellen Shulman. Chinese Folk Religion. Belief in spirits Reverence for ancestors Priests perform blessing rituals: purifying space Exorcising evil spirits (“hungry ghosts”) Astrology Divination. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Philosophy & Religion in
China
Chinese Folk ReligionConfucianismTaoismBy Laura Ellen Shulman
Chinese Folk Religion Belief in spirits Reverence for ancestors Priests perform blessing rituals:
– purifying space – Exorcising evil spirits (“hungry
ghosts”) Astrology Divination
Chinese Religious 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
ConfucianismA political and social philosophy seeking
social harmony on all levels:Within the self…the family…the community...the state…the nation…the world…the cosmos
Learning from the past to improve the future
Confucianism - OriginsKung-Fu-tzu (Confucius) “Master Kung” 551 - 479 BCE Education Good Government Good Relations
Meng-Tzu (Mencius) (4th century) continues to develop teachings of Confucius
Confucianism - Texts The “Five Classics” (of the past):
– I-Ching– The Book of History (Shu Ching)– The Book of Poems (Shih Ching)– The Spring and Autumn Annals (Ch’un Ch’iu)– The Book of Rituals (Li Chi)
The “Four Books” (Confucian)– Analects (Lun Yu)– Doctrine of the Mean– The Great Learning– The Book of Mencius (Meng-Tzu)
Goal of ConfucianismTo develop one’s Jen: Human
Heartedness - the innate goodness of humanity
Thus becoming a Chun Tzu: the “Great Man” or “Gentle Man”
Jen is developed through intentional living by Confucian virtues…
Confucian VirtuesJen – Human Heartedness
Li (rites, ritual) – the inherent “pattern” in things–For Confucius, Li is especially significant in a social context – propriety or etiquette, the “pattern” of humane behavior
Rectification of names – a person or thing should be true to its name
Recipricity (shu) – the Golden Rule:–“Do not do to others what you would not want others to do to you”
The Five RelationshipsFilial Piety (Hsiao) - respect for the five
constant relationships:– Parent and child– Husband & wife– Older & younger sibling– Older & younger friend– Ruler & subject
Human-heartedness is developed only within the context of human relationships
TaoismOrigins 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
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
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
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
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