A core concept in Confucianism is the idea of an ideal personality. As can be inferred, this ideal personality is what followers of Confucianism strive for. This ideal personality, or ‘Gentleman(君子, jūnzǐ)’ as it is referred to in Confucianism, is someone who possesses ‘Goodness(仁, rén)’ and virtue. Rén is the idea that all human beings can feel sympathy and empathy for others. For example, when someone sees a child in danger they feel an urge to reach out and help the child; This person might be completely safe and not even know the child, yet they still feel a sense of urgency and alarm at the sight of the child in danger. This ‘caring’ is called rén in Confucianism and is found in jūnzǐ (Li, Jan. 18, 2016).
Contrary to this ideal personality is the ‘Petty person(小人, xiăorén)’; This person is one of low virtue and is only concerned with personal gain. A jūnzǐ is a person of principle, respect and learnedness. This means he/she is not
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She obtains harmony with the dào. Wu wei in Daoism is not the same as in Confucianism even though they share the same name. This is because of the process one goes through to obtain it. In Daoism, wu wei is obtained through naturalness and emptiness. People must ‘un-train’ themselves and remove all social constructs from their lives. They should be free like water in a river. In contrast, Confucianism states that wu wei is obtained by ‘training’ oneself; wu wei can only be obtained through thorough understanding and ritualization.
After many years, the daughter-in-law manages to achieve wu wei. This is because she has realized that in order to be happy and find peace, she must live a simple life; She has let go of her anxieties and worries, and as a result is now ‘free’.
Early chinese thought was dominated with ideas of cyclical characteristics, separation of heaven and earth, and
She also considered this help in finding her strength and independence in against the Chinese society. Through harsh events, she had learned to become a free woman and not become property of her husband which she believed she had to follow whatever he ordered her to do. Yu-I had grown up with parents that were very traditional customs and this that would determine Yu-I’s life. Chang Yu-I’s view on liberation came from her knowledge and experience she gained from being raised in traditional China. Instead of having to stick with the traditions of china, she began to question and learn to become
Her unfazed attitude towards society’s expectations of women shocked the country – from marrying more than one man to killing her child to poisoning her family – she became a figure no one else would ever replace. Only her legacy will live on, as well as all the effort she has put into pushing away the boundaries and limits for women, in order to show the world, that women can be just as cruel. Historian C.P. Fitzgerald wrote, “Without Wu there would have been no long enduring Tang dynasty and perhaps no lasting unity of China,” and just with this simple quote, it can be observed that throughout her shocking tactics she used in order to become emperor of China, she indeed succeeded and showed the entire country just how dangerous and cruel a woman can be – completely opposite to the stereotypical expectations in their
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
Empress Wu’s rise to power was due to her unwavering determination and ruthless spirit. She first entered the palace as a thirteen year old concubine and from an early age she realized the importance of raising her status. Wu was ‘not just another imperial consort… she was very much a political fig...
The Buddhist brought with them the concept of multiple gods and Buddha’s “spiritual state to provide the power for humans to make the transition into death and the afterlife successfully” (Corduan, 2012, p.410). Confucianism brought the obedience of the child to the parent into Chinese mainstream life, plus the “social stratification and codes governing dress, actions and communication” (Corduan, 2012, p.409). Taoism introduced the balance of forces in harmony in spirits in the form of yin and yang, thus creating that balance of nature and humans (Corduan, 2012). Christianity influenced Chinese life both socially and economically by introducing the concepts of “love for one’s neighbor, self-discipline, and trust” (Lu, 2014, p.2) as both essential and beneficial (Lu, 2014). All of these together with the traditional Chinese religion, give the Chinese culture it’s popular religion
As was the case in China, Cao depicts the two forms of belief existing alongside one another, and not necessarily practiced exclusively to one another. Confucianism involves the concern for worldly affairs and order within a rigid social hierarchy, with importance placed on filial piety and family relations. Daoism is a way of thought that encompasses ideas of transcendental worlds of spirit through observation of simplicity, a comprehension of natural law and order, and a desire to lead with compassion, rather than force.
The geneses of the three philosophies were based on the teachings of Confucius, and show how the nature of Chinese history is cyclical. Confucius was born in 551 BCE during the Chao dynasty, about 100 years after a period known as the Warring States. Political unity was unstable during Confucius’ time and consequently, China had broken into small states that were constantly at war with one another. Confucius wanted to solve these political problems and help restore order in his country and therefore created his “school of thought” ...
Filial piety is as closely associated with Confucius teaching as it is one of the virtues of Confucianism. Confucius once said, “Among human practices, none is greater than xiao” (Chan, Alan Kam-Leung; Tan, Sor-hoon). There is no doubt that filial piety remained the important aspect of Chinese society, where as the philosophers such as Confucius strongly pushed forward the idea of filial piety. A ...
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 Shang Dynasty was very influential in the formation of Confucianism. This dynasty was a theocracy; the rulers at that time were considered divine. As a matter of fact, the term Shang-di arose, meaning the supreme ruler in heaven, or the lord above. The Shang-di was said to have human like qualities but was still considered divine. This term brings to mind the idea of a form of monotheism, but that is not exactly what it was going to turn into. Also during this time, ancestor worship became important. There was a belief that there were ancestral and nature spirits that could influence the material world that the worshipers lived in. It was believed that if the spirits were unhappy, bad things would happen to the worshiper. Another common practice during that dynasty with a religious tone to it was scapulimancy. Scapulimancy was divination, or a type of fortune telling that involved animal bones. This early Chinese dynasty laid a good early foundation for the development of the more religious aspects of Confucianism.
Human nature is one of the most core concerns of every Chinese philosopher we have studied this semester. Each one holds a particular stance when they address human’s natural state, and this very much contributes to their philosophy overall. For example, Confucius, Mencius and Han Fei Tzu all differ in their ideas of human nature, and this shaped each one’s particular philosophy.
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.
Hong, Andrew. "Confucianism and Filial Piety." Andrew Hong, Reformed Second Generation Chinese Ministry. N.p., 5 May 2008. Web. 2 Nov. 2013. .
Even though Taoism and many other folk religions have shaped the Chinese mind, Confucianism remains, by any historical measure, its chief mentor” (Novak 113). Therefore, since the two religions grew up together, there are similarities, such as their views on humans, attempting to find harmony in life and in nature, and serve as guides for their followers through self-cultivation and improvement techniques. Confucianism believes that their congregation should have human conduct over the idea of God in their lives, whereas Taoism is formed on the belief that its congregation should create a relationship with nature. This is pointed out by Smith in Experiencing the World’s Religions, “Confucius represents the classical, Lao Tzu the romantic; Confucius stresses social responsibility, Lao Tzu praises spontaneity and naturalness; Confucius focus is on the human, Lao Tzu’s on what transcends the human” (Smith 218).
At times, Confucius has been nicknamed the Socrates of the East because there are countless comparisons in their lessons. Both stressed the value of education and the function it plays in the shaping the character of an individual. This shaping of personality may be viewed as the development of good features upon the environment of human nature (Legge, James and Trans 47). This description essay will discuss the evidence that Confucius gives to ascertain that human nature is correct. Confucius said that by personality, human beings are born with comparatively the same faculties and needs.