Confucianism Flashcards
Who was Confucius?
Philosopher and a teacher who lived from 551 to 479 BCE
Kong Zi
What is Confucianism?
A philosophy and belief system that from ancient China, which laid the foundation for much of Chinese culture
Believes in ancestor worship and human-centered virtues for living a peaceful life
Golden rule: do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you
Best understood as an ethical guide to life and living with strong character
Debate on whether its a religion or not (people refer to it as both a religion and a philosophy)
Main idea: importance of having good moral character, which can then affect the world around that person through the idea of cosmic harmony
What were the analects? (lunyu)
Confucius’ thoughts on ethics, good behaviour, and moral character written down by his disciples
Words of his disciples included too
What are the 5 levels of people?
- Shengren (sage) highest ideal character
- Shanren (good man) seems to apply to men in government
- Junzi (gentleman) ideal moral character, superior person
- Xiao ren (small person) petty person, concerned primarily with profit
- Min - the common people
What are the 5 confucian virtues?
-Benevolence (ren) an act of kindness to ourselves and other without expecting them to get anything in return
-Righteousness (yi) justice, moral and having the ability to choose to act rightfully in any given situation
-Trustworthiness (xin) if you’re trustworthy, other people will be more likely to rely on you
-Propriety (li) politeness or the quality of conforming to conventionally accepted standards of behaviour or morals
-Wisdom (zhi) having knowledge, experience and good judgement in any given situation
What are the 3 Confucian virtues?
Filial piety, humanness, and ritual
What does zhengming refer to?
The rectification of names
the notion that all phases of a person’s conduct should correspond to the true significance of “names”—e.g., marriage should be true marriage, not concubinage
Everyone should fulfill their duty to the utmost in accordance with their individual roles
What is filial piety?
An attitude of respect for parents and ancestors
To be good to one’s parents, to take care of one’s parents, to show love, respect and support
What does the Way refer to?
Dao (a way or a path)
The way human beings ought to behave in society
An ethical or moral way
Who was Mencius?
Confucian philosopher (4th century BCE)
Referred to as the “second sage” of Confucianism (second in importance to Confucius himself)
His claim “human nature is good”
The 4 virtues
What are the 4 virtues?
Benevolence (ren) the feeling of compassion
Righteousness (yi) the feeling of disdain
Wisdom - (zhi) the feeling of approval and disapproval
Propriety - (li) the feeling of respect
What does mandate of heaven refer to?
Although the ruler had been given great power, he also had a moral obligation to use it for the good of his people.If chaos or a natural disaster occurred then the people believed that god was displeased with the rule and a more serving candidate should be chosen. Mencius was a great example of a ruler whose every decision was based on the interests of his people.
Who was Xunzi?
A high official in the states of Qi & Chu
Teacher of Han Feizi & Li Si (Legalists School)
Wrote a series of expository essays found in the Xunzi
Attacked belief in magic, omens and portents of his time
Rational & naturalistic view of the universe & humankind
What is Neo Confucianism?
Influence from Taoism and Buddhism brought about Neo Confucianism, which combined ideas from all 3 religions
In Qing dynasty, scholars looked for a return to older ideas of Confucianism, prompting a Confucian revival
Who was Zhu Xi?
Influential in the development of Neo Confucianism
Fundamentally changed Chinese worldview
sought to reestablish the fundamental concepts and values of Confucianism to restore China’s cultural and political integrity as a Confucian society, especially since people in search of spiritual guidance and solace were increasingly looking to Daoism and Buddhism rather than Confucianism
