Confucianism Flashcards
junzi
ideal man
nobility derived from personal commitment to vertious conduct:loyal devotion, humaneness, ritual decorum
analects
Mengzi/Mencius
1st sucessor of confucious
questioned the power of the political structure and inquired who could unite all peoples “under heaven”
Advanced ideas of education, social policy, & benevolence
Believed that human nature is good
xiao
“filial piety”
tian
Higher deity- heaven
Universalized concept more than deity possesed intelligence and will
leads to mandate of heaven
rites
collection of texts describing the social forms, administration, and ceremonial rites of the Zhou dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
Hight god associated with heaven
Higher deity- heaven “tian”
a time of intellectual and artistic awakening.
5 relationships
ruler to ruled father to son husband to wife elder brother to younger brother friend to friend
Principles of li, xiao, and ren
oracle bones
Shang Dynasty
Divination- hot poker on a bone, form of legitimation plus royal prayer
King soul person who can communicate with powers
li
Heart of “propriety” is “filial piety” 孝 (xiao) directed to parents and ancestors
Acting with propriety 禮 (li) externally, one cultivates “benevolence” 仁 (ren) internally
propriety
conventional norms
social roles
yin yang
ying- negative
yang- positive
Everything in the world can be identified with either yin or yang. Earth is the ultimate yin object. Heaven is the ultimate yang object.
Xunzi
second successor to confucious
Held opposite view to Mengzi
Humans are innately bad
tianming
Mandate of Heaven
have approval of heaven to rule, people who have significant amount of virtur, if lose virtue (plague, disaters) lose power
Zhou
tian
tianzi
Yijing
ancient Chinese divination text
one of the 5 classics
tianzi
Son of Heaven
Lunyu
analects
Series of conversations with a philo “confucius and his disciples
Interpersonal relationships- personal cultivatyion of your own vertue and character
Based around the concept of a “gentelman”- nobility derived from personal commitment to vertious conduct:loyal devotion, humaneness, ritual decorum
Conf teachings
Humans have basic goodness
One should study ancient traditions for peace & prosperity
Following them, one can become like them
Students should study classic literature
5 classics
Provides a “humanistic” education
transforms individuals into “noble men” 君子 (junzi)
Classic of History 書經 (Shujing): Collection of speeches & documents from c. 6th cent. BCE
Classic of Poetry 詩經 (Shijing): Poems, folk songs, eulogies, probably compiled by Confucius
Classic of Changes 易經 (Yijing): Book of divination
Classic of Rites 禮記 (Liji): Ancient rites & court ceremonies
Spring & Autumn Annals 春秋 (Chunqiu): History of Lu region
ren
benevolence
cultivated by proproity (li)
de
virtue
Shang Dynasty
1554-1045 BCE
Highly stratified
ruler - theocracy
Religion and polotics
