Confucius Kung FuTzu 551479 BC

1
Confucius (Kung Fu-Tzu)(551-479 BC)
Modified 8/29/08

• Confucianism

Reading from the Analects (Online Anthology)
Family name Kung (Kong) Personal name Zhon
g-ni Kung Fu-Tzu (Kong Fu-zi) Master Kung
Confucius Latinization of Kung Fu-Tzu
2
Confucius claimed to derive his teachings from
the Ancients, whose wisdom is embodied in The
Five Classics (Wu Jing)
The primary sources of Confucian thought

• The I Jing (Book of Changes)
• The Shu Jing (Book of History)
• The Shih Jing (Book of Odes poetry)
• The Li Ji (Book of Rites)
• The Chun-chiu (Spring Autumn Annals)

3
The further expression of Confucian thought
The Four Books (Ssu-chu)

• Analects (Lun-Yu)
• The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong)
• The Great Learning (Ta-hsueh)
• The Book of Meng-Tzu

(Meng-Zi, Mencius, 371-288 BC)
4
The ancient State of Lu
Thats where Confucius was born spent most of
his life.
5
Confucianism originated in China, but its
influence spread to Korea Japan over the
centuries.
6
Chronology of Chinese History

• c. 6000 BC Prehistory (belief in life after
  death bone divination) - legendary Hsia Dynasty
  (c. 1994-1500 BC)
  
• c. 1500-1040 BC Shang Dynasty (polytheism
  spiritism ancestor veneration bone shell
  divination)
  
• 1040-256 BC Zhou (Chou) Dynasty (feudal era
  classical age rise of Shang-Ti Mandate of
  Heaven ancestor veneration divination
  practices continued belief in spiritism
  interest in life-prolongation immortality
  8th-5th centuries BC - period of disorder
  emergence of classical Chinese philosophies
  Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism, etc.) -
  Era of Warring States (475-221 BC)
• 221-207 BC Qin (Chin) Dynasty (The Burning of
  the Books in 213 BC) - Legalism enthroned
  Confucianism attacked
  

7
Chronology, continued

• 206 BC-25 AD Former Han Dynasty (beginnings of
  official state Confucianism)
  
• 25-220 AD Later Han Dynasty (rise of Chinese
  Empire imperial state religion Confucianism
  established as the official philosophy of the
  Chinese state the coming of Buddhism)
• 220-280 AD The Three Kingdoms - Wei (220-266)
  Shu (221-263) Wu (222-280) (decline of
  Confucianism rise of Daoism Buddhism)

• 266-316 AD Jin (Chin) Dynasty
• 316-589 AD Era of North-South Division - 16
  Northern Kingdoms (301-439) 5 Southern Kingdoms
  (317-589) (rise of Daoist religion continued
  spread of Buddhism)
• 581-618 AD Sui Dynasty
• 618-907 AD Tang Dynasty (high point for
  Buddhism Daoism 9th century Confucian reaction
  against Buddhism)

8
Chronology, continued

• 907-960 AD Five Northern Dynasties Ten
  Southern Kingdoms
  
• 960-1127 AD Northern Sung (Song) Dynasty
• 1127-1279 AD Southern Sung (Song) Dynasty
• 1264-1368 AD Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty (established
  by Kublai Khan) (development of popular religious
  sects)
  
• 1368-1644 AD Ming Dynasty(Mongols out, Chinese
  emperors in Confucianism reestablished Roman
  Catholicism arrives)
  

10th-13th centuries AD Rise of Neo-
Confucianism spread of Chan (Zen) Buddhism
Anti-Confucian policy
9
Chronology, continued

• 1644-1911 AD Qing (Ching) (Manchu) Dynasty -
  peak of Confucian (bureaucratic) authority
  increasing influence of the West
  
• 1911-1912 AD Chinese Revolution
• Republic of China (1912-1949 mainland
  1945-present Taiwan)

• Peoples Republic of China (Communism)
  (1949-present)

Confucianism in decline
10
Central concepts in Confucian thought
Metaphysics (vision of reality)
Cosmology

• DAO (Way) - the Ultimate the One the
  Absolute the underlying Power the Source
  
• Chi (Ch'i, Qi) primordial vital matter and
  energy, the stuff of which all is made
  
• Yin/Yang - the dual expression of DAO neither is
  superior to the other (see next slide)
  
• The Plural World - the universe Heaven Earth
  an ever-changing expression blend of Yin Yang

(Heaven is Yang in relation to Earth and Earth
is Yin in relation to Heaven but each is, in
itself, a blend of both Yin Yang.)
11
Yin Yang
female dark cool earthly soft changeable moi
st
passive negative evil
Heaven sun
male bright hot heavenly hard steadfast dry
active positive good
Earth moon
12
"A basic difference between the

• Chinese conception of yin and yang and other
  classical philosophical dualismsis that whereas
  most dualisms are forever in conflict, yin and
  yang always act in harmony, and both are
  considered to be necessary to maintain the order
  of the universe." (Bilhartz 262)

13
Theology
Confucian metaphysics, continued

• Shang-Ti (God), the original ancestor (after the
  11th century BC)
  
• Heaven (Tian, Tien) - the divine realm (Human
  beings who have died live on with Shang-Ti as
  ancestors (ti) in Heaven.)
  
• Continuity interchange between Heaven (the
  divine realm) and Earth (the human realm), i.e.,
  between the ancestors those living on Earth.
  

(The ancestors are to be worshipped, and
sacrifices are to be offered to them they, in
turn, will guide and protect us, especially with
regard to our futures (divination practices).
When we die, we will join the ancestors in Heaven
and become ancestors ourselves.)
Spiritism (spirits every-where, good shen
evil gui).
No hell(s)? See next slide.
14
Before the arrival of Buddhism in China,

• it seems that Chinese religions did not contain a
  well-developed idea of an afterlife.
  
• The souls of those who had lived in accord with
  the Mandate of Heaven (will of Shang-Ti) would
  become ancestors in Heaven whereas
  
• the souls of those who had not followed Heavens
  decree would, after death, continue to live on
  for a time in a dark underworld area (called the
  Yellow Springs) then fade away into
  nothingness.

• The idea of multiple levels of hell entered
  Chinese religion through Buddhism, which arrived
  in China in the 1st century AD.
  
• The religious Daoists accepted this idea (but
  modified it in various ways).
  
• Apparently, the Confucianists continued to show
  little interest in this subject.

15
Is Hell temporary or permanent?

• In Buddhism, it is temporary.
• Confucianism has no clear answer to this question
  (because the Confucianists refuse to speculate on
  these matters).
  
• What is the Daoist view?
• (To be continued?)

16
Anthropology(Human Nature the Human
Predicament)
Confucian metaphysics, continued

• Human nature
• naturally inherently good - need for
  cultivation via education
  
• naturally social political - development
  perfection of human nature within the social
  political realm

• The human predicament
• suffering as a result of failure to follow the
  Way of the Ancestors
  
• Disharmony conflict between Heaven Earth,
  between the ancestors us and between humans
  here on earth
  
• Solution of problem of suffering reestablish
  harmony

17
Confuciuss primary goal

• order, harmony, peace, happiness in this life
  here on earth

(He had only a secondary interest in
transcendental salvation.)
18
Theory of Value

• The value of art (aesthetics) - the moral
  political purposes of art (especially music)
  
• Right conduct (ethics) - the center of Confucian
  philosophy (see next slide)
  
• Social political theory (theory of government)
  - the need for morally intellectually virtuous
  rulers civil servants

19
Central themes in Confucianethical theory

• The Chun-Tzu (Jun-Zi) - the ideal of the Superior
  (self-actualized, virtuous, perfected) Person
  (Analects, 201-3) page references are to the
  Online Anthology

• Ren (jen) - virtue
• Positive formulation cultivation of feeling
  (respect, empathy, compassion, love) for all
  humanity
  
• Negative formulation the Silver Rule
• (Analects, 203-5)

Sometimes translated as humanity
20
Li - Propriety (proper conduct)
Confucian ethics, continued

• The Five Constant Relationships
• parent-child
• husband-wife
• elder sibling-younger sibling
• elder friend-younger friend
• ruler-subject

• The Rectification of Names (Zheng-ming) (proper
  use of language) (Analects, 205)
  
• The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong) Avoid the
  extremes of too much and too little.

21
Filial Piety (Xiao, Hsiao)(devotion to
reverence for parents family)
Confucian ethics / Li, continued

• The institution of the family is the foundation
  of a well-ordered civilized society (grounded
  mainly on respect of children for parents)
  
• Respect for age (experience wisdom)

(Analects, 205-6)
22
Religious Propriety
Confucian ethics / Li, continued

• proper practice of traditional rites
• (worship of God, ancestors, Heaven, Earth,
  spirits funeral services sacrifices in honor
  of parents)

23
Wen(learning the arts)
Confucian ethics ( aesthetics?), continued

• The importance of culture in the creation
  maintenance of a well-ordered society

• Studying learning
• The arts - especially music

(Confucius composed a Book of Music Yueh
Jing, which is sometimes referred to as a sixth
classic.)
24
Confuciuss Political Philosophy
Confucian value theory, continued

• Te - the union of power virtue
• The characteristics of a good ruler (or civil
  servant)
  
• moral goodness (virtue propriety)
• rationality
• moderation
• benevolence

(Analects, 209-11)
25
The End(for now)