Chinese Philosophies and Life

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Get your 2 handouts from the back counter

• Chinese Philosophies and Life
• pp. 178-183

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Vocabulary

• What is important about these words in the
  Chinese Culture?
• Philosophies
• Duty
• Filial piety

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Objectives

• SPI 6.33 Analyze the structure of the Zhou
  Dynasty and the emergence of Daoism,
  Confucianism, and Legalism
• SPI 6.34 Identify the political and cultural
  patterns prevalent in the time of Confucius and
  how he sought to solve them

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Review Period of Warring States

• Rulers and aristocrats fighting amongst the
  territories
• War for decades
• Needed to stop the killing
• Wanted to bring order to society

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Part 1 Chinese Philosophies

• Chinese thinkers develop
• 3 major philosophies
• Confucianism
• Daoism (Taoism)
• Legalism
• All 3 Main Goal was to create a well-run and
  peaceful society

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What Ideas Did Confucius Teach?

• Confucianism was based on teaching of Confucius
• Criticized kings
• Urged people to follow ancestors
• Tried to bring peace and harmony to China
• Duty is central idea of Confucianism
• Parents love children
• Children respect parents
• Seek knowledge
• Rulers should rule justly

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The Influence of Confucius

• Confucius believed the government service should
  be open to men of ability, not just nobles
• Book Sayings of Confucius called The Analects
• His ideas continued to shape Chinese society
  until 1900s

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The Philosophy of Daoism (Taoism)

• Daoism promoted a peaceful society
• Began with the ideas of Laozi the Old Master
• Believes people should free themselves from
  worldly desires and live simply
• Turn to nature and the Dao-the spiritual force
  that guides all things
• This will cause people to live a happy life

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Confucianism vs Daoism (Taoism)

• Confucius taught people should work hard to make
  the world better
• Daoism taught people to turn away from worldly
  affairs and live in harmony with nature

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Legalism

• Legalism-School of Law
• Believes humans are evil
• Strict laws and harsh punishment were necessary
  to force people to do their duty
• EMPHASIZED FORCE

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Part 2 Chinese Life

• Chinese society was divided into 4 classes
• Landowning aristocrats
• Farmers
• Artisans
• Merchants

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Lives of Aristocrats

• Aristocrats were wealthy
• Owned large plots of land
• Familys land was divided equally among all of
  the male heirs

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Lives of the Farmers

• 9 out of 10 Chinese farmed
• Lived in rural villages surrounded by mud walls
• Rented the field
• Paid taxes
• Farmers forced to serve as soldiers

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Lives of the Artisans and Merchants

• Artisans are skilled workers
• Wealthy
• Not respected members of society
• People believed merchants worked for their own
  gain and not for the good of society

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What were Chinese Families Like?

• Family was at the center of early Chinese society
• Practiced filial piety-peoples responsibility to
  respect and obey their parents
• Required people to take care of their parents

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Roles of Men and Women

• Men were respected because of their jobs
• Considered the jobs of men more important than
  the work of women
• Women raised children and saw to their education
• Women managed household and family finances

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Ancient Chinese Philosophies
Confucianism Legalism Daoism
Founder Confucius Hanfeizi Laozi
Beliefs Family values Knowing your place in society Positions in government should be based on merit not hereditary People are born wicked Must be taught proper behavior through punishment and rewards Aristocrats favored this belief In search of the Dao Finding peace with nature Searching for harmony with nature
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Compare and Contrast Social Hierarchies of Many
CivilizationsDraw the pyramids.

• Egypt India
• China United States