Post 8
Confucius also known as Kung Fu-tzu or Kung the Master was named The First Teacher and highly revered throughout China. Confucius was not actually the first person to try to create Chinese culture although he was the single person that perfected it. Confucius was born in 551 B.C. in Shantung province. As he grew older Confucius believed that the only way to have people listen to what he believes was to become a politician and demonstrate that his beliefs were in fact practical. Although in the end he proved that his teaching skills were much further developed than his political career ever was.
China during Confucius time was a very complicated nation. The social structure that Confucius was attempting to change had multiple rivals attempting to do the same as Confucius. In order to change a social structure two conditions are needed. The first requirement was to continue to have visible signs that the old way would still affect the society and the second requirement was that the new way must show how the original way was unsuccessful. Confucius did exactly that by “shifting tradition from unconscious to conscious status”.
Confucius had five main ideals that he proposed and taught. The first ideal was Jen. Jen refers to the relationships between human beings and being able to care for one another unconditionally. The second ideal was chun tzu. Chun tzu is the actual approach of how we interact with others. Confucius compares chun tzu to the ideal housewife, one who is so comfortable in her surroundings that she attempts to accommodate her guests before anything else. The third ideal is known as li. The first part of li is following Confucius’ teachings regarding family, one’s age, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Five Constant Relationships and the Recertification of Names. Each of these demonstrates how one individual should act toward another in order to create harmony in a society. Once all of these are adhered to the actions become a sort of ritual by habit and become a “sacred dance” in Smith’s opinion. The fourth ideal is known as te or power. Power more specifically means leading by example. When people in power rule with ethical standards then the people below will adhere to the same standards; this philosophy leads to a moral society in which everyone is fair and just. The fifth and final ideal, wen, eludes to the fact that whatever nation contains the most culture, will also have the most political power.
The Confucian Project is a task that lacks expiration. The entire purpose of the Confucian Project is to create a society based on life. In order to define life it must first be explained that life is the meeting point that adjoins every human relationship. Relationships are the purpose of life itself. Each relationship a person has throughout their life will bring them closer to the self. The difference here between most other religions and Confucius’ beliefs is that the self is “a center of relationships” therefore there is no actual self that one is searching for. People grow simply by having positive relationships with other people and many as many as possible. Now there are Five Constant Relationships that every person must experience. The five relationships are between a parent and child, a husband and wife, elder sibling and junior sibling, elder friend and junior friend, and ruler and subject. Each of these relationships are similar by the latter should show respect to the elder or person of higher stature. The problem is that the person in the higher position must understand that the respect that they should receive must be earned. The ultimate goal of the Confucian Project is for every individual in a society to become a chun tzu, “a fully realized human being, through expanding one’s empathy indefinitely”.
Taoism was also introduced during the same time frame as Confucius. The man that started Taoism is known as Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu spent most of his life trying to show his community how to live a righteous life. The problem was that no one would adhere to Lao Tzu’s teachings. One day Lao Tzu became so tired of his community that he exiled himself into solitude for his remaining days. As Lao Tzu was leaving the town gates the guard requested that if Lao Tzu had to leave to at least leave a written record of his teachings for the people. Lao Tzu fulfilled this request and three days later returned with a written work of his teachings titled the Tao Te Ching. Not until after the disappearance pf Lao Tzu were his words fully respected and understood. This was the beginning of the division of Taoism.
The word tao contains three different meanings. The word tao actually means path or the way. The problem is that the word way can be defined as multiple things. The first meaning of way is the way of ultimate reality which cannot be fully comprehended. It includes everything the ground, the atmosphere and even the unknown. The second tao is the way of the universe which is described as the spirit that is found in all of nature. This spirit or energy is never ending. The third tao is the way of human life. Tao in this last sense means that every human is striving for the center or nirvana as Buddhists refer to it. The difference is that the center revolves around the relationships held with other human beings.
There are also three types of Taoism that are still present today. All three types of Taoism have differences between them and not until the differences have been explained can the similarities be noted. The first type of Taoism is known as philosophical Taoism. This form of Taoism attempts to stretch te (or power) as far as possible by being efficient. Philosophical Taoism is also known as school Taoism because the Chinese believe that philosophy seeks power and that power is knowledge. School Taoism teaches the ideas of wu wei which means pure effectiveness. The next kind of Taoism is known as Ch’i which means vital energy. This second form of Taoism absorbed some of the ideals of raja yoga in attempting to control mind, matter and movement. The third and final form of Taoism is the most widely known, religious Taoism. Religious Taoism believes in helping everyone that cannot find the magical powers that the mind possesses themselves. Religious Taoism believes that there is an energy that can be trained or controlled.
Taoism shares many of the same beliefs that Confucius had. They both highly regard nature, and other people and relationships. Together these two religions have created the Chinese nation and helped form Chinese politics. Through hard work and faith the Chinese have created themselves a nation full of culture unlike any other Nation. It is sad to see that when other nations realized the power that the Chinese had they felt it was necessary to break the Chinese down. Although the Chinese culture has gone through many changes over the past years, they are on the right path again.
Confucius also known as Kung Fu-tzu or Kung the Master was named The First Teacher and highly revered throughout China. Confucius was not actually the first person to try to create Chinese culture although he was the single person that perfected it. Confucius was born in 551 B.C. in Shantung province. As he grew older Confucius believed that the only way to have people listen to what he believes was to become a politician and demonstrate that his beliefs were in fact practical. Although in the end he proved that his teaching skills were much further developed than his political career ever was.
China during Confucius time was a very complicated nation. The social structure that Confucius was attempting to change had multiple rivals attempting to do the same as Confucius. In order to change a social structure two conditions are needed. The first requirement was to continue to have visible signs that the old way would still affect the society and the second requirement was that the new way must show how the original way was unsuccessful. Confucius did exactly that by “shifting tradition from unconscious to conscious status”.
Confucius had five main ideals that he proposed and taught. The first ideal was Jen. Jen refers to the relationships between human beings and being able to care for one another unconditionally. The second ideal was chun tzu. Chun tzu is the actual approach of how we interact with others. Confucius compares chun tzu to the ideal housewife, one who is so comfortable in her surroundings that she attempts to accommodate her guests before anything else. The third ideal is known as li. The first part of li is following Confucius’ teachings regarding family, one’s age, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Five Constant Relationships and the Recertification of Names. Each of these demonstrates how one individual should act toward another in order to create harmony in a society. Once all of these are adhered to the actions become a sort of ritual by habit and become a “sacred dance” in Smith’s opinion. The fourth ideal is known as te or power. Power more specifically means leading by example. When people in power rule with ethical standards then the people below will adhere to the same standards; this philosophy leads to a moral society in which everyone is fair and just. The fifth and final ideal, wen, eludes to the fact that whatever nation contains the most culture, will also have the most political power.
The Confucian Project is a task that lacks expiration. The entire purpose of the Confucian Project is to create a society based on life. In order to define life it must first be explained that life is the meeting point that adjoins every human relationship. Relationships are the purpose of life itself. Each relationship a person has throughout their life will bring them closer to the self. The difference here between most other religions and Confucius’ beliefs is that the self is “a center of relationships” therefore there is no actual self that one is searching for. People grow simply by having positive relationships with other people and many as many as possible. Now there are Five Constant Relationships that every person must experience. The five relationships are between a parent and child, a husband and wife, elder sibling and junior sibling, elder friend and junior friend, and ruler and subject. Each of these relationships are similar by the latter should show respect to the elder or person of higher stature. The problem is that the person in the higher position must understand that the respect that they should receive must be earned. The ultimate goal of the Confucian Project is for every individual in a society to become a chun tzu, “a fully realized human being, through expanding one’s empathy indefinitely”.
Taoism was also introduced during the same time frame as Confucius. The man that started Taoism is known as Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu spent most of his life trying to show his community how to live a righteous life. The problem was that no one would adhere to Lao Tzu’s teachings. One day Lao Tzu became so tired of his community that he exiled himself into solitude for his remaining days. As Lao Tzu was leaving the town gates the guard requested that if Lao Tzu had to leave to at least leave a written record of his teachings for the people. Lao Tzu fulfilled this request and three days later returned with a written work of his teachings titled the Tao Te Ching. Not until after the disappearance pf Lao Tzu were his words fully respected and understood. This was the beginning of the division of Taoism.
The word tao contains three different meanings. The word tao actually means path or the way. The problem is that the word way can be defined as multiple things. The first meaning of way is the way of ultimate reality which cannot be fully comprehended. It includes everything the ground, the atmosphere and even the unknown. The second tao is the way of the universe which is described as the spirit that is found in all of nature. This spirit or energy is never ending. The third tao is the way of human life. Tao in this last sense means that every human is striving for the center or nirvana as Buddhists refer to it. The difference is that the center revolves around the relationships held with other human beings.
There are also three types of Taoism that are still present today. All three types of Taoism have differences between them and not until the differences have been explained can the similarities be noted. The first type of Taoism is known as philosophical Taoism. This form of Taoism attempts to stretch te (or power) as far as possible by being efficient. Philosophical Taoism is also known as school Taoism because the Chinese believe that philosophy seeks power and that power is knowledge. School Taoism teaches the ideas of wu wei which means pure effectiveness. The next kind of Taoism is known as Ch’i which means vital energy. This second form of Taoism absorbed some of the ideals of raja yoga in attempting to control mind, matter and movement. The third and final form of Taoism is the most widely known, religious Taoism. Religious Taoism believes in helping everyone that cannot find the magical powers that the mind possesses themselves. Religious Taoism believes that there is an energy that can be trained or controlled.
Taoism shares many of the same beliefs that Confucius had. They both highly regard nature, and other people and relationships. Together these two religions have created the Chinese nation and helped form Chinese politics. Through hard work and faith the Chinese have created themselves a nation full of culture unlike any other Nation. It is sad to see that when other nations realized the power that the Chinese had they felt it was necessary to break the Chinese down. Although the Chinese culture has gone through many changes over the past years, they are on the right path again.
posted by Renee Kangas at 12:45 PM
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