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Madison Dever
Confucius Lives Next Door Book Review
World’s Religions: East to West
Confucius Lives Next Door is about a fascinating experience told by the author about his move from America to Japan with him and his family. He is culture shocked. Everyone in Japan seems so peaceful and polite. The reason why the people are the way they are in Japan is because of Confucius teachings that has been embedded in Japanese culture for hundreds of years. The religion of Confucius first was developed in China but according to Reid, “Confucius has actually fared better in other East Asian nations than in his native land for most of the twentieth century.” (Reid 117). Confucius believes things should be how they are in the early days. “He wanted to
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take his word back to the days when China was a stable, civil, unified, and virtuous community.” (Reid 101) Confucius ideals can be found anywhere in Japan, either in human interaction, living environment, and even children’s schools.
Confucius believes that people should be respectful and polite with one another. Bowing is a show of respect, if the person is of higher stature, the they need to bow lower. Personally, I worked a dinner party for some Japanese quests, and it was quite interesting to physically see men bow to each other. When the CEO of the company was being introduced to others. They would both bow but the employees would bow lower. When Reid enrolled his children in Japanese elementary school, he saw how devoted the children were. They were taught the basic Confucian lessons “working hard, following rules, respecting authority, taking responsibility, and getting along with the group.” (Reid …show more content…
152) There are some key factors that I found very interesting about Reid’s experience. The idea of meiwaku, which is something “that causes shame or trouble for other members of a group you belong to.” (Reid 75). An example is when Reid explained it was the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. And while he was watching television, they announced with sincerity that they were sorry for the sneak attack. That the miscommunication done by the soldiers caused meiwaku on all of Japan. The message wasn’t directed toward Americans but to the Japanese citizens. But the concept of meiwaku, is if one person does wrong the whole group has done wrong. Another example by Reid, if a child has stolen a bike, and the family saw the new bike and knew he had done wrong, they would all be shamed causing meiwaku. The Five Confucian Key Relationships are “(1) the relationship between ruler and people; (2) the relationship between parent and child; (3) the marital relationship; (4) the relationship between older and younger sibling; (5) the relationship between older members of any group and their juniors.” (Reid 107) These relationships are mutual according to Reid.
This ideal is set to where the lower status subjects must give respect and obedience to the higher-ranking members of society. It’s just like the saying “respect your elders”. While living in Japan, Reid’s neighbor Matusda was on the elderly side. Even after years of knowing each other Reid still calls his neighbor Matusda-san, which is his last name. This is a sign of respect for the elderly. Opposite of how in America, we use first names for almost everyone. These relationships must be mutual, while the younger or lower subject must show respect, so does the older or higher subject to the lower. “the superior has a duty of benevolence. He is required to protect and educate his subjects.” In my personal experience, that I mentioned earlier. Both the CEO and the employee bowed to each other when they first met. The CEO showed his respect so he too bowed. He wasn’t superior to him as a human being so he showed so as he also
bowed. Jen is the combination of a few different attributes and is seen as a struggle to describe. “it combines kindness, charity, civility-every aspect of treating people decently.” (Reid 111). In the book, Reid was met with nothing but kindness and decency when he moved to Japan. Even the lady at the ticket counter couldn’t refuse to serve them even though she was out of tickets. Confucius said conveyed by Reid, “jen was too deep a concept to convey in words. It was something a person had to see in others, or feel in the heart.” If Western culture was able to adopt Confucius’s beliefs, I feel our country would grow stronger physically, economically and mentally. He taught the Japanese people to work hard and to respect others. Because of these teachings, crime and drug use are down, and families are a lot stronger. Japan was able to get out of a recession by using these teachings. If America was able to use these beliefs we can become more of a unit and citizens would feel so much safer. Reid explained in the last chapter, of how at a Japanese theme park, their model of lower Manhattan depicted armed robbers. If this is all what Americans are known for, I want to improve this. Maybe following Confucius teachings can lead to a safer America.
To begin, Confucianism is a system of philosophical and ethical teachings founded by Confucius. Confucianism was the code of ethics accepted as the certified religion of most of the immense empires in the territory since the Han Dynasty. Confucianism provided an outline of ethical and religious beliefs that most of the Chinese expanded to make other religions such as Daoism and Legalism. To expand, Confucianism was founded by Confucius and his beliefs on the political and social order of China. Confucius believed that everything would fall into place if children had respect for their parents and if the rulers were honest. In Confucianism, specific roles were followed by each person in the family. The head of the family, the father, was the one primarily in control and then it was the oldest son that was next in line. Confucius had the belief that a ruler has to be everything he wants
4) Confucius was a big influence and explained the region?s low rates of crime and
Confucius’ impact on Chinese culture has withstood numerous generations and continues to be one of the most prominent philosophies found in Chinese culture. Firmly rooted in years of education, Confucius spent considerable time developing his set of values and principles. In his article entitled “Confucius and the Effortless Life of Virtue”, author Hagop Sarkissian adds to this by saying, “Confucius set his mind on a course of study or cultivation at the age of fifteen, and pursued such studies for a span of fifty-five years, and was thereby able to cultivate a state of being such that he could follow his immediate inclinations in all of life’s predicaments without transgressing social norms” (Sarkissian 1). Confucius’ extensive studies only added to the philosophy represented in the Analects. This includes the pas...
Confucianism became popular during the Han Dynasty as it was the state religion and had a great impact on East Asia (Confucianism 1, pg. 7). Born in 551 BCE in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, Confucius himself absorbed the teachings of Mahavira and the Buddha (Confucianism 1, pg. 2) He had a set of virtues that he believed a functioning society should stand by such as benevolence, love and rites. Confucius wanted China to return to the old days when people were loyal to their rulers and rulers were polite and caring towards their people. He believed rulers s...
Confucianism is a philosophy and way of life formed in China by Confucius, an early Chinese philosopher. It began as a simple concept with ideals of personal virtue, simple filial piety, and basic gender distinctions and social inequalities. But, over time with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism it began to transform into a way of life that was degrading towards women with certain hostilities towards rivaling religions. In its early period, from around 500 B.C.E to the Common Era, Confucianism changed in that it became the leading belief system and a major part of Chinese tradition. From the transition into the Common Era to the end of the Classical time period, Confucianism was altered because of a loss of popularity following the collapse of the Han dynasty and the corruption in the governing political system. In its ending period, the post-classical era, Confucianism underwent perhaps its biggest adjustments with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism. The ideas and virtues presented in the “rebirth of Confucian philosophies” of intolerance of foreign religions and extreme filial piety...
The teachings according to Confucius refer to Confucianism. Confucianism is the multifarious classification of ethical, collective, political and pious philosophy developed by Confucius and the old Chinese practices (Bertrand, 1999). Confucianism aim is actually making an individual honorable but also making such an individual the character of learning and of proper manners. The ideal and faultless man has to combine the characters of a saint, an intellectual and gentleman. Confucianism is a religious conviction whose adulation is focused on offerings to the dead. The idea of responsibility is extensive beyond the precincts of morals and holds close to the minutiae of daily living.
Buddhism acknowledges in its teachings that it is not to physically run from the world, although living a pure life is important in understanding how to live in a society. It is written, “the one who lives a pure life in the village or town is definitely far superior to, and greater than, the one who lives in the forest.” This shows that seclusion is not needed to have a pure life. “Buddhism aims at creating a society where the ruinous struggle for power is renounced” The relationships are shown in Buddhism in the six cardinal points of the heaven. East: parents; South: teachers; West: wife and children and so on. In all the relationships; honor, devotion, respect, obedience, caring, faithfulness, high morals, integrity, and many more are embedded in both teachings. Confucius also had similar beliefs. “Min Tzu looked respectful and upright; Tzu-Lu looked unbending; Jan Yu and Tzu-kung looked affable. The Master was happy.” He believed that traits like respect, upright, unbending, sociability were important. Unlike Buddha, however, he believed “Let the ruler be a ruler, the subject a subject, the father a father, the son a son.” In these quotes, the difference in how Buddha wants to break the cycle of power while still in the cast system while Confucius expects and demands the limitation of your station to be harmonious is shown. Both teachers agreed that respect, obedience, benevolence, high morals led to a harmonious society where everyone can live in peace with one
The members of theses higher levels are seen as groups of people that commonly interact with each other and in take each other’s opinions and concerns into account when formulating a decision. They are seen as a whole as the “upper class.” They are all a part of this social class and because of this treat people of diverse social classes differently. The people of the upper class gain an understanding of what they have in similarity to each other and use their stature to close ranks against outsiders, or people of different social
Japan is a very homogenous society made up of about 98% ethnic Japanese. They tend to put a lot of emphasis on family and communities, and value the group more than the individual (Aliasis, 2013). The social hierarchy important and members of the society are expected to conform. One way is showing respect for one’s elders, for example the oldest member of a group is served first and their drinks are poured for them (AngloINFO, 2014). This mentality is common in the business world as well. Promotions are usually based on seniority and people often work at one company their entire lives. This way of life brings satisfaction and pride to the people (Aliasis, 2013). When greeting others it is customary to bow, although the Japanese are familiar with our ways and would expect us to want to shake hands rather than bow (Bazzel, 2013; Angloinfo, 2014). Also, being too direct about what one is really thinking is not socially acceptable. The Japanese use subtle language and rely heavily on non-verbal forms of communication (Aliasis, 2013).
Confucianism is a moral and religious system of China. Its origins go back to the Analects, the sayings attributed to Confucius, and to ancient writings, including that of Mencius. Confucius was born a mandarin under the name Kongzi. It was developed around 550 B.C. In its earliest form Confucianism was primarily a system of ethical concepts for the control of society. It saw man as a social creature that is bound to his fellow men by jen, or “humanity.” Jen is expressed through the five relationships—sovereign and subject, parent and child, elder and younger brother, husband and wife, and friend and friend. Of these, the filial relation is most important.
Confucian ideals had a prominently drastic impact and influence in Japanese society. The Confucian ethical system stressed the utopian idea of a society in which a hierarchal structure is maintained. The hierarchal structure’s foundation is based upon the subservient and submissive idea of subordinates’ obedience to superiors and male dominance over women and children (Yoko and Katsurada, 2002).... ... middle of paper ...
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” (qtd. in "Quotes by Confucius"). Confucius was an exceptionally prominent character around 551 BCE until his death in 479 BCE, although records are unclear. He was greatly influential back in that time, and still remains so to this day; especially in Eastern countries such as China. Through his teachings and ideologies, he founded the Ru School of Chinese Thought, which today has been given the name of Confucianism. Confucius impacted political and sociological standpoints; much of which still helps to shape the Chinese thought.
Confucian culture, also known as Confucianism, was founded by Confucius during the Spring and Autumn Period, which was developed gradually after the Han Dynasty with benevolence as the core. Since the Han Dynasty, Confucianism was the official ideology and the basis of mainstream ideology in the vast majority of historical periods of China, and it also influenced many southeast Asian countries in history. After a variety of shocks, Confucianism was still the core values of China's social public, and represented the Chinese culture and national tradition in the world (Littlejohn, 2010). In the contemporary society, the Confucian culture in China increasingly spread, at the same time, its modern value is excavated by many countries in the world, and its international influence is also growing with the rise of China.
What is human nature for Confucius? What evidence does he give to show that his views about human nature are correct?
One could, from watching anime, notice the characters’ behavior are different and food and customs are different from American or western cartoon. Strangely, these differences in the anime, eastern media features, appeared in the philosophy of Confucius. Confucianism has played an important role in creating and maintaining the social values and order such as forgiveness, manner, respect, loyalty, and honesty since the sixth century. While Japanese society has become so much different since the early postwar era, these same principles are still highly valued as they are in some other forms. Recent shônen anime, anime for pre-teen and teen-age boys like Naruto and Bleach, is hooking their viewer with interesting storylines and action scenes while Confucian values spread. As this culture value mixed in, anime became interesting and seem to attract a wider audience every day because of its ability to make its audiences to see themselves in the show.