Legalism+and+Confucianism

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Confucianism 儒家
= = //**Time and place of origin:**//
 * began with the life of Confucius (Kongfuzi) c. 551-479 B.C.
 * ======originated as Chinese philosophy in both government and society======

//**Confucius's Life**//**:**
 * once aristocratic family that happened on hard times
 * never held political office despite education
 * goal to spread knowledge, contribute to world
 * used employment under ruler to travel to feudal states, gain audience for teachings
 * only later in Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.) was Confucius recognized for teachings
 * become basis of Chinese education system, selection of government officials until 20th century
 * ideas became central to lives of common Chinese, guided life
 * "[Confucius's teachings] gave structure and focus to the Chinese sense of what it means to be human." (2)


 * //Confucian Beliefs://**
 * natural order of universe is reflected in human relations
 * five social relationships are models for all others: sovereign-subject, husband-wife, parent-child, elder brother-younger brother, friend-friend
 * most central social unit is family (three of five relationships)
 * //filial piety:// devotion of child to parents, foundation of all superior and subordinate relations
 * //jen//: humaneness, compassionate relation to all other human beings
 * //guo-jia//: "nation-family", notion that state follow familial social pattern, stressing ruler-citizen (father-child) relationship
 * //perfectibility of man//: humans can approach perfection through self-cultivation and practice of ritual
 * constant search for higher sympathy for others

//**Other Key Figures:**// Mencius:
 * lived from 372-289 B.C., known as "Second Sage" of Confucianism
 * more concerned with political side of Confucian thought
 * travelled to feudal courts hoping rulers would follow his teachings
 * based teachings on //jen// or "humaneness/humanity"
 * believed that the amount of //jen// a person shows depends on the person's relationship with another as well as his own position in society (family deserves more //jen// than the Poet Laureate)
 * added to this the concept of //i// or "righteousness/duty"
 * maintained that "duty" to treat people with //jen// comes from social relation, not divine instruction
 * advocated through his book //The Mencius// the "Doctrine of Good Nature"
 * believed person should expand innate good nature through education and morality, will in turn help them understand fate & human nature
 * considered at times as dangerous author, believed revolts against government were valid if ruler was ineffective

Hsun Tzu (Xunzi):
 * lived from 310 B.C. - 220 BC, towards end of Warring States era (453 B.C. - 221 B.C.)
 * work known as "The Xunzi", 25 of 32 books are authentically authored by him, others are representations of thoughts
 * known for philosophy of Way (proper means of conduct), and believed that sages pass down Way until a peaceful society eventually formed (if people practice this good governance)
 * maintained the opposite of Mencius, that human nature is innately bad, and conflict/disorder is inevitable unless reformed through the Way
 * supported moral education, help people follow Way as if it were second nature through studying
 * saw three stages of studying: scholar (wants to study Way), gentleman (knows way but must think before acting correctly), and sage (acts unconsciously in accordance with Way)
 * believed, like Mencius, that the ruler must take care of the people, and the people must be loyal in return (like a family)

media type="youtube" key="sDA4yGOVtM8" height="364" width="445"
 * //Divine entities://**
 * none outside of Confucius and other key figures
 * guiding texts exist, ancestral worship and ritual also present
 * no relationship with a god is stressed, only those between humans
 * Confucius believed //ming//, or destiny, was completely beyond the human intellectual capacity
 * Is Confucianism a religion? See the video below to see which side of the debate you fall on.

//Classics of Confucianism// The Four Books
 * //Texts://**
 * The Great Learning. A chapter from The Classic of Rites
 * The Doctrine of the Mean. Another chapter from The Classic of Rites.
 * The Analects of Confucius.
 * The Mencius. A book of conversations between Mencius and some kings of his time.

The Five Classics
 * I Ching. A manual of divination.
 * Classic of Poetry. A compilation of 305 poems. Confucius is generally credited with this compilation
 * The Three Rites. Three ancient ritual texts of Confucianism
 * 1) The Classic of Rites
 * 2) The Rites of Zhou
 * 3) The Yili “Etiquette and Rites”
 * The Classic of History. A collection of documents and speeches of the Xia, Shang and Western Zhou and period before.
 * The Spring and Autumn Annals. Records the events of the State of Lu from 722 BCE to 481 BCE.

The Analects
 * Small book
 * Recorded some of Confucius’s conversations with his students
 * Lun-yü in Chinese. Means “discussions” or “conversations”
 * In English Analects means “selection” or “choice”
 * Lacks a single central philosophy
 * Compiled by his students
 * Comprised of what they felt was most important

Confucianism doesn't really have its own mythology. Any mythology that might be attributed to it generally falls into the category of Chinese mythology anyways because Confucianism is so ingrained in Chinese history and culture. Even so, Confucianism is less focused on myths like creation and much more focused on guidelines for living and life philosophies. Confucianism " does not include gods and never developed a mythology of its own. Confucianism is concerned primarily with human affairs rather than with the spirit world or the afterlife." It does, however, emphasize devotion to elders and ancestors.
 * //Confucian Mythology//**

Obviously, Confucianism originated in China. This section details how Confucianism in Korea and Japan differs from Confucianism in China.
 * 5. Differences between China, Korea and Japan**

Korea
 * Became the primary system of belief among the aristocracy and military during the Joseon dynasty, around 1392
 * Unlike China, Confucianism was by no means the majority religion or philosophy in Korea
 * In fact, before Confucianism Korea had Buddhism and shamanism, both of which Koreans retained with the addition of Confucianism
 * For Korea, Confucianism was less a complete way of life and more a way of integrating a civilized society in a cultural transference from China
 * The Korean Confucian curriculum contains 13 to 15 major works, while the Chinese curriculum has all of them
 * Also, Korean Confucianism broke down and went underground when Korea encountered western countries
 * Koreans today do not regard Confucianism as a religion. You can have confucian beliefs and still be a Christian, muslim, buddhist etc.
 * Today, the Confucian system of school has been minimized. It has mostly just historical significance now.
 * While ideas of Confucianism have had and still do have profound effects on the minds of Korean people, the facilities and establishments of Confucianism have faded away.

Japan
 * Again, Confucianism in Japan was not practiced as a religion the way it was in China
 * As in China, it is used as a guide for daily living
 * Confucianism, or "neo-Confucianism" in this case, was introduced to Japan in the twelfth century
 * This form of Confucianism was also influenced by Buddhist and Taoist ideas
 * Its most prominent teaching is that family stability and social responsibility are human obligations
 * The Japanese Confucian school system, Shushigaku, heavily influenced Japanese political policy, much like in Korea and China

media type="youtube" key="4dJrpAirPxQ" height="344" width="425" Listen to the distinctive Confucian twang. Confucian music is all about the twang. You might say it's the twangiest of all musical forms, excluding underground Russian rap.
 * Confucian Music**

Confucius was actually a very skilled musician. He was proficient in a whole bunch of intruments. He pursued the spirit of the melody, and regarded musical excellence as the ability to feel that spirit.

**//Works Cited://** 

Bloom, Irene. "Introduction to Confucian Thought | Asia for Educators | Columbia University." Asia for Educators | Columbia University. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/china_1000bce_confucius_intro.htm (accessed February 9, 2010).

Bloom, Irene. "What Did Confucius Say? | Asia for Educators | Columbia University." Asia for Educators | Columbia University. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/china_1000bce_confucius_say.htm (accessed February 8, 2010).

Brians, Paul. "Confucius: Analects." Washington State University - Pullman, Washington. http://www.wsu.edu/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_1/confucius.html (accessed February 9, 2010).

"Chinese Mythology - Myth Encyclopedia - god, story, ancient, snake, world, creation, represent, life, people, children, culture, Roots of Chinese Mythology, Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism." Encyclopedia of Myths. http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Ca-Cr/Chinese-Mythology.html#ixzz0f3U8Gaig (accessed February 9, 2010).

Hooker, Richard. "Mencius." Washington State University - Pullman, Washington. http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CHPHIL/MENCIUS.HTM (accessed February 10, 2010).

"The Mencius - China culture." Chinese Culture. http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/History/en/37History574.html (accessed February 10, 2010).

"The Spiritual Sanctuary Celebrates Confucianism ." The Spiritual Sanctuary: freedom to explore your spirit in all paths of faith. http://www.thespiritualsanctuary.org/Confucianism/Confucianism.html (accessed February 11, 2010). "Xunzi." Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. http://www.iep.utm.edu/xunzi/ (accessed February 8, 2010).