2015 Test 1 Questions

Question 1

What are the two meanings of “virtue” according to Confucius?

Answer 1

1. Excellence of natural good abilities;
2. And harmonization of relationships.

Question 2

What are the “four sprouts” or “four beginnigs” (siduan) according to Mencius?

Answer 2

1. Feelings of commiseration;
2. Feelings of shame and dislike;
3. Feelings of respect and reverence;
4. And feelings of right and wrong.

Question 3

What the the three (good subjective) attitudes for Xunzi in public debates (or arguments)?

Answer 3

1. The humane mind/heart (renxin) [in explaining one’s ideas to others];
2. The learning mind/heart (xuexin) [in listening to others’ words];
3. And the impartial mind/heart (gongxin) [in making one’s judgment].

Question 4

What are the three meanings of wu (non-being) in Laozi?

Answer 4

1. Ontologically, it means non-being, possibilities, and potentiality.
2. Spiritually, it means freedom and transcendence.
3. Ontically, it means void or absence.

Question 5

Fung Yu-lan says that Confucius was “the first teacher.” Is this statement true? Why? Who was the first to call the school founded by Confucius rujia (Ru School)?

Answer 5

No, Confucius was only one of the many ru, or teachers, during his time. The ru taught many students and coordinated rituals. Sima Qian, the Grand Historian, was the first to call Confucius’s school rujia.

Question 6

What are the three kinds of philosophical discourse used by Zhuangzi?

Answer 6

1. Consigned words, or yuyan;
2. Repeated words, or chongyan;
3. And goblet words, or ziyan.

Question 7

What are the special characteristics of Chinese philosophy in comparison with Western philosophy?

Answer 7

• Language: Western uses languages based on alphabetical systems and is more abstract. Chinese uses pictograms and ideograms, which express ideas through images.
• Image Ideas vs. Pure Ideas: Western philosophy focusses on pure ideas, expressed by well-defined concepts and the relation of concepts with others to logically form arguments. Chinese philosophy uses metaphors and narratives.
• Pragmatic Interest vs. Theoretical Interest: Western philosophy was born from curiosity during a time of relative freedom and leisure. They looked for the universalizable in their theories. Chinese philosophy deals more with the relations among people and the state, how to live a good life and be virtuous, and maintaining harmony in society.

Question 8

Compare Mencius’s Theory of Human Nature as Good and Xunzi’s Theory of Human Nature as Evil.

Answer 8

On the surface, it may seem that Xunzi and Mencius’s theories are opposed to one another, but upon a close reading one will find that there is no contradiction between the two thinkers, and their ideas are in fact complimentary.

The terms “xing” and “good/evil” are used to express entirely different thigs between Xunzi and Mencius. Xunzi emphasizes human nature’s “desire,” which produces social disorder and chaos if not limited. Mencius emphasizes the human potential for moral goodness, the four beginnings (siduan), which become moral virtues when fully developed.

For both Mencius and Xunzi, human nature needs cultivation in order to flourish. Mencius mentions culture and institution, while Xunzi mentions education and civilization. Mencius’s conception of human nature is encouraging to those who are self-abandoned, while Xunzi’s coception can be motivational for the lazy person to cultivate himself and flourish.