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"The Master [Confucius] said, 'While a man's father is alive, look at the bent of his will; when his father is dead, look at his conduct. If for three years he does not alter from the way of his father, he may be called filial.' "[ Confucius & others. Analects, Book 1, 142. The Chinese Classis. Second Edition. Vol 1. Trans: James Legge. Taipei: Literature, History and Philosopny Press, 1960. Print] The verse in Book I of the Analects turned me away from the masterpiece again and again in my teenage years. My intuitive criticism seems obvious; apart from the patriarchal implication, what if the father is someone not worth learning from, such as a thief or a murderer? Does Confucius advocate for the child's blind obedience to parents, especially to the father, as part of filial piety which he considers to be the foundation of politics?[ " '...You are filial, you discharge your brotherly duties. These qualities are displayed in government,' This then also constitutes the exercise of government." Ibid., Book 2, 153.] Today, the puzzle whether filial piety requires blind obedience becomes not only a personal concern of "rebellious" teenagers, but also an essential problem in the re-interpretation and practice of Confucianism in contemporary China.
It is justifiable that the child should learn from the father. In Lacan's theory of paternal metaphor, Lacan introduces the father figure into the mother-child relationship. "The mother's respect for the name-of-the-father causes the child to question itself"[ W. Ver Eecke. Phenomenology and Paternal Metaphor, 113. Phenomenology and Psychoanalysis, the 6th Annual Symposium of the S.Silverman Phenomenology Center. Pittsburgh: Duquesne University. 1988. Print.], and the child may radically co...
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... York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc. 1948) in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). The term then extends to all people who practice the Confucian missions in society, who are educated, kind, honest, curious, diligent, cautious, serious, lenient, loyal, responsible, etc., and thus who meet the Confucian standards of "a gentleman".
W. Ver Eecke. Phenomenology and Paternal Metaphor, 111.
"The Master said, 'he who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it." Analects, Book 2, 145.
Ibid., Book 12, 256. The feudal implications of "prince" and "minister" can be transformed into contemporary ideas of government and citizens. The "prince" responsible for organizing the society is the government, and the "minister" working for the country's development is the citizens.
Machiavelli’s, “The Prince” is the ideal book for individuals intending to both govern and maintain a strong nation. Filled with practical advice, he includes numerous religious references to support his claims. He devotes a chapter within the book to speak about the ancient founders of states. In the chapter called, “On new principalities that are acquired by one’s own arms and by virtue”, Machiavelli discussed the importance of a prince to have their own talent in governing a nation, rather than having relied on fortune to rule. The latter is a risk no leader should take and he cited past leaders as a guide for both the current and future princes.
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
Confucius was a philosopher, political intellect and an educator whose philosophies have significantly prejudiced not only the Chinese principles but the entire world evolution. He lived through the “Spring” and “Autumn” epoch of Chinese history, when east central China was separated over a dozen fighting states. The inordinate ailment and grief he saw swayed his political thoughts, which highlighted command, grading and the rule of a compassionate self-governing state.
The government within the monarchical society was populated by the aristocracy. It was they who were depended upon for directing the course of governmental affairs. The controls of all co...
All through time, successive generations have rebelled against the values and traditions of their elders. In all countries, including China, new generations have sought to find a different path than that of their past leaders. Traditional values become outdated and are replaced with what the younger society deems as significant. Family concentrates on this very subject. In the novel, three brothers struggle against the outdated Confucian values of their elders. Alike in their dislike of the traditional Confucian system of their grandfather, yet very different in their interactions with him and others, begin to reach beyond the ancient values of Confucianism and strive for a breath of freedom. Their struggles against the old values lead to pain, suffering and eventually achievement for the three of them, however at a harsh price for two brothers.
The relationship between ruler and subject is that the ruler must work to protect and govern, while subjects must provide their ruler with loyalty. The father is responsible for caring for his son and providing him an education, while the son must show his father obedience and honor. In the husband and wife relationship, the husband is to provide for his wife, while the wife shows obedience and takes care of the home. The older brother has the responsibility to take care of his younger brother and look after him, while the younger brother must show obedience. Lastly, the relationship between elder and younger places the elder with the responsibility of taking care of the younger. The younger must then show respect and obedience toward the elder. In the even that the elder is unable to care for themselves, as in the case of aging parents, it is the younger’s responsibility to care for the elder. The idea is that when each person is doing their duty in each relationship, society will run much more smoothly and harmoniously. While Confucianism focuses on social aspects, it does not consider the
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...
For those individuals that choose to look into the philosophy of Confucius, Confucianism recognizes that the quest for virtue is ordinary and providential. However, in this quest of moral aptness Confucius tried to offer other people the fervent self love that he had greatly embodied. To actually make oneself as perfect as possible was the central concern of life. Al...
Bloch, Marc. Feudal Society Volume 1 – The Growth of Ties and Dependence. Translated by L.A. Manyon. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1961.
Confucianism and Daoism are two influential schools of thoughts that have existed in ancient China around the 6th century BCE. The former, led by the politician and philosopher Confucius, proposed that humans live in society according to a set of predefined rules and that they transform society through political action. Whereas the latter, led by the philosopher Lao-Tzu, promoted the idea of inaction; people should go with the flow instead of taking action to control their lives and dominate their surroundings. Although, at first glance Daoism and Confucianism seem to be two opposing philosophies, a more in depth analysis of two of their key ideas –filial piety and education—reveals that they do share some similarities.
What has happened to Confucianism. For a long time, Confucian was accepted as the idea that a healthy society depended on a solid traditional family. Confucius himself, for example, called for people to put principle above selfish desires. People supported hierarchy. The rulers moral example would inspire the people to live good lives. But one begins to detect a new theme emerging in society especially amongst the Chinese reformers: the theme of individualism oppose to familialism. Today, would the Confucian family be more and more aware of abuse to women and children? The rituals and traditions can be seen as both positive and negative. The ways in which women suffered affirm that some rituals were abusive. There are multiple signs indeed that something has gone badly wrong with the Chinese family traditions that led to family instability.
Hong, Andrew. "Confucianism and Filial Piety." Andrew Hong, Reformed Second Generation Chinese Ministry. N.p., 5 May 2008. Web. 2 Nov. 2013. .
Machiavelli’s The Prince was written more than 500 years ago and it is “one of the most influential and controversial books published in Western literature.” (Article A) It was about Machiavelli’s political philosophies and the basic principles of what he believes a politician or “prince” should be. The three main ideas of the Prince were “Liberality and Stinginess”, “Cruelty and Mercy: Is It Better to Be Loved Than Feared, or the Reverse?”, and “How a Prince Should Keep Their Promises” and for the most part many of his concepts should or are already instilled in our government.
In Machiavelli’s perspective, a prince was a man of the citizens.... ... middle of paper ... ... Web.
The teachings of Confucius put order, hierarchy and social harmony over individual egoism, that is, the person is subject to the strict system of laws, obligations and rituals. Social relations are based on the criteria of age, sex and generation: in the political sphere, the governed render their maximum loyalty to the governor, while in the family, the children obey the father, the younger brother obeys the older one and, finally, the wife obeys the husband. In the different stages of life, women are always under masculine authority. As a young girl, she must obey her father, when she marries, her husband, and finally, when she becomes a widow, her