Midterm Flashcards
Qi
Qi is the energy that flows through the universe and all things. It has four levels: dense, animate, spirit, and spirit only. It also has five phases: water, fire, wood, metal, and earth. These phases also correspond with our organs, senses, sounds, colors, and planets. It is our responsibility as humans to cultivate the spirit qi and balance out yin (darker qi) and yang (lighter qi) to undestand the universe and live harmonious lives.
Western Zhou
The Golden Age of China. Spanned from 1028 to 771 BC. This is the dynasty that Confucius associated with China’s glory days. He valued this period because he believed that the rulers at that time followed the rites and attained the mandate of heaven, creating immense success.
Heaven’s Mandate
The Mandate of Heaven is a leader’s divine right to rule. One who follows the rites are granted this and are therefore able to set the universe and everything in their domain in order. Confucius attributes the success of the Western Zhou to their rulers having this heavenly favor.
Confucius (Kongfuzi)
Chinese philosopher from the Spring and Autumn Period, from 551 to 479 BC. He originally was a political advisor, but in the end he became a scholar with many disciples. He aimed to create political and societal reform inspired by the Western Zhou through three things: implementation of rites, education on the classics, and cultivation of virtue.
Rites/rituals (li)
The rites/rituals (li) are a formulaic code that regulates your behavior and creates inner virtues, working from the outside in. The rites include offerings and social decorum, outlined in the five different types of prime relationships that should have order. The goal is to create good people, and the rites teach the good behavior necessary to cultivate this goodness (ren).
Confucian Classics
These are the Books of Poetry, History, Rites, Music, Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Annals. Each classic is associated with different ideas such as emotions, records, behavior, harmony, the supernatural, and what is divinely right. These books illustrate the core values and belief systems in Confucianism.
Gentleman (junzi)
People who master the rites and have cultivated moral excellence become a gentleman (junzi). They embody humanity. Confucius taught that becoming a gentleman is a goal we must aim for but it is a lofty goal.
Humane (ren)
Humaneness is a core virtue, representing the essence of a virtuous human being. It is not a learned concept, but an innate one. Everyone is born with the sense of ren. Ren can also be translated as “perfect virtue” which was taught by Zhu Xi in Neo-Confucianism.
Mencius (Mengzi)
Confucius’ grand-disciple. Mengzi was known for arguing for Confucian rites and the idea that humans are goof by nature. Taught that humans must nurture our sprouts of goodness. If that is combined with practicing rites, virtue will manifest.
Xunzi
Confucius’ most successful supporter. He argued for Confucian rites. His writings discuss the human nature and the character of heaven. He believed that education and ritual were the key to self-cultivation and thus the method to circumvent one’s naturally evil nature.
Neo-Confucianism
Challenges the idea that traditional Confucianism isn’t a religion. It ditched the classics in favor of the Four Books. Teaches “Learning of the Way” and has a goal to transcend being a gentleman and become a sage, where one cultivates their inner being so they can give their virtues to the world and then gain omniscience and powers to change the universe.
The Four Books
Neo-Confucianism ditched the classics in favor of these. The Analects, the Book of Great Learning, Maintaining Perfect Balance, and Mencius. They fall in a direct lineage that tell the story of Confucius learning the old ways directly from the Zhou, and then him passing his knowledge down the line.
Zhu Xi (Zhufuzi)
Neo-Confucian philosopher. His philosophy was about Perfect Virtue (mingde) and the Investigation of Things. Taught that all humans have natural perfect virtue and must work to express it. In order to obtain perfection, we must balance our qi through great learning and study the principles of all things.
Perfect Virtue (mingde)
Zhu Xi’s belief of a nature that we are born with. However, we don’t express it because our emotions (qi) cloud it. Through Great Learning, we can clarify our qi and manifest de.
Laozi
Founder of Daoism. The oldest biography of Laozi says that he was the archivist of the Zhou and Confucius’ teacher. He cultivated the Way and its virtue, and composed the Daodejing to teach how this is possible. There are various versions of him: old master, immortal, cosmic, messianic, and the creator.
Daodejing
Composed by Laozi, this is the Classic of the Way and Virtue. Dao and de are two concepts, the first being the nature of reality, the second being virtue. This book is directed at rulers, giving them a guide to promote a stable social order.
Purposive Daoism
Follows Laozi’s teachings. Purposive Daoism views Daoism as serving a purpose to better human society and its governments. Uses the Daodejing as a guide for this.
Zhuangzi
A contemplative philosophical Daoist. A critique of Confucius, rejecting his emphasis on absolutism and hierarchical societies. Some of the Zhuangzi texts predate parts of the Daodejing. Their themes cover perspectives on values and identity, contemplative practices, heaven, and the dao. It shares some ideas with the Daodejing such as wuwei and its meditation practices.
Contemplative Daoism
Emphasizes a state of being in harmony with the dao, achieved through practices like meditation and self-reflection, aiming for effortless action and a natural way of being. Unlike purposive daoism, it has no use for government and points more towards a hermit-like lifestyle.
Mysterious Learning
From around 200 AD. Early Daoist teaching that combines teachings from Laozi and Zhuangzi, and uses the daodejing, Zhuangzi, and the Book of Changes. Seeks to understand the nature of the dao, the concept of nothingness, and reinterpret the classics to find deeper insights into the universe.
Inward Training
Follows the Guanzi text, which bears a lot of similarity to the daodejing. It teaches how to train what is inside us. Talks about physiology in terms of vital energy (qi), vital essence (jing), and spirit/numen (shen). Also discusses practices to control posture, breath, and emotions. When someone can utilize de to merge with the dao and convert their qi to jing, they will be gifted with power over qi and a perfected mind.
Religious Daoism
This form of daoism is geared towards the average person instead of rulers. It draws from philosophical daoism, but adds elements like deities and rituals. Laozi portrayed as a creator and savior, having existed in the beginning of the universe. There is a discussion of heaven and deities, and there are hierarchies of both of these things. Three different schools of religious daoism emerged based on revelations from Laozi from particular heavens: celestial masters revelations, mysterious jewel, and numinous jewel.
Celestial Masters
Revealed to Zhang Daoling, the celestial masters revelations can be summed up into two main ideas: the gods do not require material sacrifices, and religious professionals should not be paid to make offerings for us. It encourages communion with the gods through inner cultivation, which is done through contemplative exercises that can be compared to meditation. Uses the daodejing as a meditation manual and liturgy.
Zhang Daoling
The celestial masters revelations were revealed to him. He peacefully seceded from the Han Dynasty and formed a daoist community with the goal of getting rid of immorality and creating a place where people follow the same daoist principles. These principles are the basis for the Families of the Great Dao, and after the dispersion of his communities daoism was effectively spread all throughout china.
Complete Perfection (Quanzhen)
12th-13th century type of daoism led by Wang Chongyang. It is concerned with longevity and immortality through practicing inner alchemy, harmonizing with the dao, understanding the five elements, and balancing yin and yang.
Inner Alchemy
Lives of Confucius
Analects
Spring and Autumn Annals
Mengzi (Mencius)
Xunzi
The Four Books
Guanzi Selections from Inward Training (Neiyi)
Commands and Admonitions for the Families of the Great Dao
