East Asian Traditions:

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East Asian Traditions

• Science and Secularism

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Symbol of Confucianism
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Confucius 551-479 BCE
Rule by the power of moral example.
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Confucius

• Kong Fu Zi, known in the Western world as
  Confucius lived in the 6th century BCE into the
  early 5th century BCE
• Confucius was a moralist and Confucianism can be
  viewed as a body of moral teachings originating
  from the 6th and 5th century BCE
• But Confucianism didnt begin with Confucious but
  rather a more ancient tradition that he
  transmitted in a new light for his time
• he thought of himself as a teacher who had a
  great love of learning, Confucius later became
  known as a sage
• His concern with morality and society went
  against popular beliefs of spirits and the
  supernatural

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Confucian Teachings

• For Confucius, one of the most important concepts
  was Li or Rite, comparable to Right Action he
  believed this was concept would civilize human
  behaviour and provide a framework for organizing
  society
• the Analects, a compilation of teachings made
  shortly after Confucius death, are also
  concerned with Humaneness (jen or ren),
  reciprocity (shu), loyalty (chung), learning
  (hsueh), and music (yüeh) and the Five
  relationships

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Concepts in the Analects

• Li (Rite)
• Jen or ren (Humaneness)
• Shu (Reciprocity)
• Chung (Loyalty)
• Hsueh (Learning)
• Yüeh (Music)

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The Confucian Social Ideology

• the Confucian society was based on these Five
  Relationships
• when society adhered to this system and respected
  its tenets, everyone within society and the state
  would benefit
• These relationships hierarchal and were
  determined first by gender, seniority in the
  family and status in the empire
• but there was an understanding that they were
  reciprocal. For example, the child respect the
  parent but in turn the parent cares for the child
• the familial basis of all the 5 relationships
  provided a model for social behaviour

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The Five Relationships

• ruler and minister
• father and son
• husband and wife
• elder and younger brother
• friend and friend

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Confucianism the State

• During the Han Dynasty, Confucianism was adopted
  as the official state religion and became the
  basis for Chinese education
• Confucianism was seen as a ideal choice because
  of its hierarchal social ideology
• studies in the Confucian classics became required
  for state officials
• Confucianism was seen as a ideal choice because
  of its hierarchal social ideology
• when it came to state, it was another sage and a
  disciple of Confucius, named Mencius who
  developed the theory of the Mandate of Heaven
• if a state is ruled by virtue, its ruler is given
  the Mandate of Heaven, but his legitimacy can be
  revoked if he ceases to be virtuous

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Confucianism Science

• Confucius teaching was based on the Analects or
  six classics Yi (Changes), Shi (Poetry),
  Shang-shu or Shu (History), Li (Rites), Yue
  (Music) and Chun Qiu (Springs and Autumns)
• the Yi-Jing or the Book of Changes which came
  from the Zhou Dynasty was later expanded by
  Confucian scholars
• the Book of Changes instructs the manipulation of
  sticks made from yarrow stems, 64 hexagrams can
  be produced, corresponding to all the structures
  and changes in the universe
• the calculations that were involved in
  deciphering the hexagrams stimulated the
  development of mathematics and science in China
• because confucianism was a way life, and
  concerned with the secular aspect of life to be
  specific scientific findings and advancement
  were not emphasized as being contradictory to
  Confucius teachings

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The Confucian Analects

• Yi-ching (Book of Changes)
• Shang-shu (Book of History)
• Shih-ching (Book of Poetry)
• Li-ching (Book of Rites)
• Yue (Book of Music)
• Chun Qiu (Book of Springs Autumns)

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Dao

• From the Dao comes one. From one there comes
  two. From two there comes three. From three there
  comes all things. Dao De Jing

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Origins of Daoism

• Taoism is believed to be have been founded by Lao
  Zi, who is thought to have possibly been a
  legendary figure due to the lack of reliable
  information about his life
• Lao Zi literally means old master
• Taoism is considered the rejection or anthesis of
  Confucian thought
• Taoists reject society and emphasize personal
  development
• The central principle of Taoism is the Dao, the
  metaphysical concept that motivates and guides
  the whole universe
• The religion reached its peak during the Tang,
  Song and Yuan Dynasties 618-1368 CE

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Lao Zi
Do nothing and there is nothing that will not be
done.
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Daoism the State

• While Confucians were concerned with organizing
  the state out of chaos, Daoists believed that
  society should not put effort into organization
  and categorization
• Dao De Jing, the preeminent scripture in Daoism,
  teaches that the basic way to conform to nature
  is to practice wu wei (non-action) or rather
  allow events to occur as they would in nature
• the writing in the Dao De Jing suggests that a
  sage or ruler can achieve much by doing nothing
  in particular and teach a great deal by remaining
  silent
• the state and people will develop on their own
  Do nothing and there is nothing that will not be
  done.
• ruler must not attempt to educate his people
  because knowledge would increase their desire
  which would lead to problems like greed and
  conflict

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Daoism Immortality

• Daoist sought individual perfection, greater
  understanding of nature and union with the Dao
• Dao De Ching stressed harmony with natural
  process
• in historical Daoist belief, death was simply a
  part of nature
• later on, legendary tales of Daoist sages that
  could live on virtually nothing and perform
  supernatural powers developed
• stories of the fabled sages developed into the
  belief of xian, individuals who achieved
  immortality through yoga and alchemy

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Daoism Alchemy

• but in the 3rd century CE the Daoist scholar Ge
  Hong revived the practice of alchemy, which had
  existed since the 2nd century BCE
• alchemy is the pseudo-science that seeks to
  transform base metals into gold and to discover a
  life-prolonging elixir
• Ge Hong rejected the belief that death was simply
  part of nature
• chief elements to elaborate concoctions were
  gold, cinnabar and red mercury ore
• gold included for its incorruptibility, cinnabar
  for its colour and capacity to change to mercury
  when heated and back to to cinnabar when heated
  again
• external alchemy as it was called, produced the
  important by-products of Chinese science and
  technology
• blending of sulphur and saltpetre with carbon by
  the 9th century resulted in the invention of
  gunpowder

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The Vinegar Tasters
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• To Lao Zi, the harmony that naturally existed
  between heaven and earth from the very beginning
  could be found by anyone at any time, but not by
  following the rules of the Confucianists. When
  abstract and arbitrary rules were imposed from
  the outside, struggle was inevitable. Only then
  did life become sour