Unit 6

DAOISM (TAOISM) AND CONFUCIANISM

(Chinese Traditional Religions)
Daoism (Taoism)
I. Introdution
A. Number of Adherents: 300 million (?)
B. Location: China
C. Began as a philosophical sstem primaril concerned !ith go"ernment and ethics
(#o! a societ should function).
$. %ncretistic !ith Confucianism and Buddhism
II. !istor" o# De$elo%ment
A. &arl" Chinese Religious and 'olitial !istor"
&. 'ndigenous Chinese religions( before the &&
th
centur BC)( !ere poltheistic
!ith an emphasis on ancestor !orship. *arents !ere to be honored both in old
age and after death.
+. B the && centur BC)( belief in a supreme god called Shang-Ti de"eloped.
,his god !as a righteous god !ho e-pected societ to be .ust and moral. (#e
!as not identified as the creator god.)
3. Bet!een the &&
th
and 3
rd
centuries BC)( China !as go"erned !ith a feudal
sstem( some!hat similar to the )uropean /iddle Ages. *easants !or0ed the
land for a noble (lord) !hile the noble protected the peasants.
1. Bet!een the 2
th
and 3
rd
centuries BC)( the feudal sstem !as slo!l
disintegrating( gi"ing rise to both political and religious instabilit.
(. )i#e o# )ao*i ()ao+t*u) (. 6,, + -,, (C&.)
&. 3er little is 0no!n of his life. %ome doubt his actual e-istence.
+. ,radition indicates that he !as emploed as the curator of the roal librar
(Chou dnast)( ser"ing in the roal court.
3. #e gre! tired of the instabilit and attempted to lea"e China. #o!e"er( he !as
recogni4ed b the guard at a !estern mountain pass. #e !as not allo!ed to
lea"e until he recorded (!rote do!n) all of his !isdom.
1. ,his !ritten !or0 is called the Tao-te Ching (Daode jing)
a. Contains the principles of $aoism
b. 5e concept: All of societ6s achie"ements are !orthless 7 especiall
elaborate go"ernment
c. Nothing is mentioned concerning ma.or religious themes such as life after
death.
d. ,he !ritings initiall attracted little attention outside of a small group of
intellectuals
C. Searh #or the /e" to Immortalit" (0
rd
1 2
nd
enturies (C&)
&
&. A faction inside of $aoism called the #sien (immortals) began to search for
the 0e to phsical immortalit (ho! to li"e on earth fore"er).
+. Basic Concepts
a. Life is the greatest of all possessions.
b. 8ne !ho li"es properl !ith the $ao can li"e a long life.
c. ,o find immortalit one must adhere to strict dietar la!s and the use of alchem.
()-ample: preser"ing the li"ing bod b ingesting gold( similar to the !a meat
is preser"ed !ith salt.)
d. )"entuall( the belief de"eloped that the attainment of immortalit could be
attained b adding the practice of good deeds and obser"ing correct morals.
e. All of the abo"e concepts found a recepti"e audience among the Chinese( !ho
alread had a strong tradition of solid moral "alues and respect for the elderl.
D. In later enturies (C&)3 Daoism 4as in#luened 5" Maha"ana (uddhism. The t4o
religions in#luened eah other and it 5eame (as still is) %ossi5le to %ratie 5oth
religions at the same time.
III. Distinguishing (elie#s
A. Dao (Tao)
&. ,he $ao is the basic unit behind the uni"erse. 't is the principle that underlies and
controls the uni"erse.
+. 't is a msterious force that cannot be defined. 't does not communicate. ($aoism is
essentiall 9nontheistic: meaning there is a belief in an ultimate realit but this realit
is not seen as a god.)
3. ,he $ao is the 9;a: or the 9;a of Nature: or 9,he ;a ,hings Are:.
'llustrations: ,he $ao is li0e a gentle( flo!ing ri"er that e"entuall con<uers
e"erthing in its path.
1. ,he $ao is the source of the uni"erse. )"en the gods come out of the $ao.
(. 6in and 6ang
&. ,he $ao produced the yin and the yang. ,hese are the negati"e and positi"e forces in
nature. 't is the interaction bet!een the in and the ang that produces life.
+. Yin 7 negati"e force in nature described as female( dar0( cool( damp( and the earth.
3. Yang 7 positi"e force in nature described as male( light( !arm( dr( and the sun.
1. Both the =in and the =ang are re<uired. 8ne is not better than the other. ,he $ao
operates through the balanced interaction bet!een the t!o.
>. ;hen these t!o forces (=in and =ang) are in harmon 7 life is !hat it should be.
C. !o4 to )i$e One7s )i#e (&this)
&. All of humanit6s accomplishments !ill e"entuall be destroed b the $ao. (,his is
not to impl that the $ao is e"il. ?ather it is simpl the !as things are 7 nothing
lasts fore"er.)
+. 8ne should not struggle against the $ao( but see0 to blend !ith it and to be guided b
it. ,hus( one should li"e a simple and <uiet life !ithout stri"ing for attention or
achie"ement.
+
3. Life( itself( is the greatest of all possessions.
a. All other possessions (material things( !ealth( fame( po!er( education( etc.) are
doomed to deca.
b. 'f one is not distracted b the attempt to attain( one can gi"e full attention to the
enrichment and the lengthening of life.
1. Life is to be li"ed simpl.
a. %ince life originated from the $ao and since the $ao !ill e"entuall destro
humanit6s achie"ements( there is no need for a comple- ci"ili4ation or sstem of
go"ernment. (,he less go"ernment 7 the better)
b. A small "illage is the ideal unit of societ 7 !ithout comple- structure.
c. 'nnocence is the ideal state of e-istence. ,rees (plants) are content !ith !hate"er
the $ao has ordained for them( so should humans be content !ith their position in
life.
>. $isplas of pride( pomp( and glor are to be despised.
a. *ride in"ites destruction. (,he tree that stands the tallest is the first to be cut do!n
b the !oodsman.)
b. 'f each person !ere content to li"e as the $ao intended( !ithout see0ing to place
himself abo"e others( then life !ould be as it !as intended.
@. No belief in life after death.
a. No belief in reincarnation( nor of an 0ind of e-istence after phsical death.
b. $eath is the passing to a ne! phase 7 li0e the changing of the seasons.
I8. Current Trends
A. The In#luene on China7s 'ast
&. $aoism had the effect of turning china in!ard( ma0ing it a nonAprogressi"e nation for
centuries.
+. ,hough Chinese societ !as much more stable than )uropean societ( China produced
no great scientific ad"ances( e-perienced no industrial re"olution and 9slept: through
the ad"ance of the &@
th
through the +0
th
centuries. ,hus China found itself ill
e<uipped to deal !ith the modern !orld.
(. Future o# Taoism
&. ,he practice of $aoism is discouraged b the current Chinese (communist)
go"ernment.
a. 3ie!ed as passi"e and lac0ing in ambition.
b. 3ie!ed as an ancient superstition.
+. $aoism continues to be practiced but is limited to remote( rural regions in China.
3. $aoist principles are becoming increasingl popular in the ;estern ;orld as an
alternati"e to our aggressi"e( materialistic lifestle.
3
Con#uianism
I. Introdution
A. Number of Adherents: +>0 million (?)
B. Location: China( ,ai!an
C. Began as a *hilosophical %stem
$. %ncretistic !ith $aoism and Buddhism
II. !istor" o# De$elo%ment
A. The )i#e o# Con#uius (. --9 + :;< (C&)
&. Confucius (5ong) !as born into an aristocratic famil that lost its !ealth and position.
As a child he li"ed in po"ert !ith his !ido!ed mother. #o!e"er( he did recei"e a
Considerable education. #e !as married and had t!o children.
+. #is career in"ol"ed ser"ing in go"ernmental positions and teaching.
3. At age >0( he ser"ed as prime minister for the $u0e of Lu. ,he region !as so !ell
go"erned that crime !as almost nonAe-istent.
1. At age >>( he left his position to teach his principles of go"ernment (ho! people in
societ should relate to each other.)
(. De$elo%ment o# Con#uianism
&. Bor +00 ears after his death( onl a small group of students remained a!are of his
teachings.
+. Beginning in the 3
rd
centur BC)( t!o students of the !ritings of Confucius( /encius
(/eng ,4u) (3C+A+2D BC))( and #sun ,4u (Eun4i) (3+0A+3>)( populari4ed his
teachings.
a. /encius taught that people are basicall good and that if the en"ironment is
positi"e( people !ill act correctl.
b. #sun ,4u taught that people are basicall selfishF therefore la!s and education are
needed to encourage people to act correctl.
c. ,hough these t!o Confucian teachers disagreed concerning the human condition(
the agreed that a .ust and courteous societ !ould produce .ust and courteous
people.
3. ;ith the coming of the #an $nast (c. +00 BC))( the teachings of Confucius !ere
incorporated into Chinese thought. ,hese teachings remained dominant until
earl in the +0
th
centur.
a. ,hough Confucius has ne"er been !orshipped as a god( he has been highl
re"ered.
b. Confucian temples ha"e been popular since the @
th
centur C).
1. B &D&+( China !as not longer ruled b an emperor and had adopted a republic form
of go"ernment. ,his resulted in a decreased emphasis on Confucianism.
>. Confucianism has been se"erel repressed under China6s communist go"ernment 7
that came to po!er in &D1D.
1
III. Distinguishing (elie#s
A. Origin o# the Uni$erse
&. )ssentiall adopted the $aoist position: ,he interaction bet!een the in and the ang
created the phsical !orld.
+. ,here is no concept of a %upreme Being.
3. ,here is no belief concerning life after death.
(. /e" Cone%t= Li
&. Li is the course of life as it is intended to go. ,he !ord can be translated as 9proper
conduct.:
+. 'n practical terms( Li e-presses itself in eti<uette( rituals( and courtes.
3. ;hen societ li"es b Li( all is calm and peaceful.
C. Soial Relationshi%s
&. #umans are essentiall social beings bound to one another b jen.
a. Jen can be defined as 0indness( smpath( respect( lo"e( bene"olence
b. Jen is e-pressed through the fi"e basic relationships in life (see belo!).
c. ;hen Li (proper ritual) is present in these relationships( the social order is ideal.
+. ,he Bi"e ?elationships
a. Bather to %on: the father is to be 0ind to the sonF the son is to be de"oted to the
father.
b. )lder Brother to =ounger Brother: the elder brother is to be 0ind to the oungerF
the ounger is to e-press humilit to the elder.
c. #usband to ;ife: the husband is to beha"e righteousl (pro"ide( protect( lo"e( be
faithful) to!ard his !ife( the !ife is to obe and be de"oted to her husband.
d. 8lder *erson to =ounger *erson: the older person is to be considerate of the
ounger( the ounger is to submit (defer) to the older.
e. ?uler to %ub.ect: the ruler is to be 0ind to the sub.ectsF the sub.ects are to be loal
to the ruler.
D. Cone%t o# >o$ernment
&. ,he go"ernment is to ta0e the form of a patriarchal famil. )"erone in the nation is
part of a large famil.
+. ,he emperor is to be a father figure to the people( e-pressing 0indness and bene"olent
care.
3. ,he emperor is to be assisted b "arious administrators( accorded ran0 based on their
responsibilities 7 all ultimatel responsible to the emperor.
1. ,he best sstem of go"ernment is the feudal sstem. ()mperor 7 Nobles 7 *easants)
&. Morals (&this) 1 as de$elo%ed 5" Menius (Meng T*u)
&. 't is the responsibilit of the go"ernment to promote a .ust societ.
+. All people are good b nature.
3. 'f people are e"il it is because of their en"ironment. (An e"il en"ironment produces
e"il people.)
a. Gi"en the proper en"ironment all people !ill do good.
>
b. ,hus a .ust go"ernment is a necessit for societ to function properl.
1. ,he Bi"e 3irtues (that all should de"elop)
a. Lo"e (0indness) 7 the root of all other "irtues
b. Hustice (uprightness) 7 each person has an assigned status in life !ith certain duties
to perform
c. ?e"erence (decorum) 7 duties are to be performed !ith re"erence and respect
d. ;isdom 7 abilit to distinguish good and e"il
e. %incerit (faithfulness) 7 imparts realit and allo!s all the other "irtues to function
properl
>. %ummar of )thic ,eachings
a. All people should lo"e one another( practicing respect and courtes
b. 9$o not do to others !hat ou do not !ant others to do to ou:
I8. Current Trends
A. Confucianism has been in decline for most of the last centur. 't is designed to !or0 !ith
a feudal sstem of go"ernment that is not in use toda.
B. ,he Buture of Confucianism: Confucian ethics and moral teachings (in China) remain
some!hat popular in light of their practical "alue for human relationships.
@