Outline of Confucianism and Taoism

I. What is a religion, what is a philosophy? Where do ethics and morals come from?

A. Does China have religions? Four main phases of historical-religious development:

1. Earliest times until Shang dynasty

a) polytheism, ritualized basic religion, some ancestor worship.

2. change to Zhou dynasty

a) Monism (emphasis on one god): The Supreme God, Shang-ti, Ti'en.

b) Pantheon of lesser gods and spirits.

c) During this time you will see the emergence of Philosophers.

3. 4^st c. ce/AD to 11^th c. ce/AD, Buddhism and religious Taoism

4. 11^th c. to present day: Syncretic mix of everything until 1949.

II. Early religions

A. Cosmological, cosmogonic myths, polytheism, gods who control the universe and elements. Animistic, terrestrial and heavenly gods.

B. Key to this: Yin-Yang [

1) Originally Shen & Kuei, polarity, dualism: Yin is positive force in nature, associated with light, warmth, sun, bright, dry, male. Yang is negative (evil) dark, cool, moon and earth, shadows, wet, dark, female.

2) You must achieve balance between the Yin and Yang and all will be harmonious. Sacrifices will be performed to appease shen and defend against kuei.

C. Ancestor worship: Veneration fo the elderly, life begins at 60.

1) Patriarchy.

D. Divination: Reading of symbols: can be tea leaves, numbers, patterns in various materials.

E. Dragon bones/Oracle bones; I ching.

III. Second Phase: One Supreme God, Shang Ti, Ti'en, mixed with politics.

A. Shang dynasty was unworthy, therefore Zhou were appointed to uphold the Mandate of Heaven.

B. Feudalism.

C. One step away from ethical monotheism? Some argue yes.

D. Within this step: Confucianism, arguing for order, specific ways of how to do and be in society, know your place, know your duty, be a good citizen. This is Yin. Ultimately you receive positive joy from being a good citizen, and this is reciprocal; all society will be a good and harmonious place. Emphasis on correct relationships:

1) father to son.

2) elder to younger brother

3) husband to wife

4) elder to junior

5) ruler to subject

E. These maintain li – propriety, courtesy, ceremony, rite.

F. The other concept is that of Jen - li is external, Jen is internal - love, goodness. Reciprocity.

G. Confucius was born 551 bce in the state of Lu, worked as teacher, worked in govt, died 479.

H. Analects of confucius.published about 70 years later, 409 bce. Spread by his students, including Mencius.

I. Became part of the traditional Chinese scholasticism, including preparation for civil service exam, until 1905.

J. Some veneration of Confucius came around 195 bce, with Han dynasty's veneration, but NOT deification.

IV: Taoism: The other side of the coin, the yang. "Let it be."

A. There is no real definition; best is "the way/of nature" – a force that unifies the cosmos.

B. There is no right way to be or do. It is the way of "non-way." It is the other part of the dualism in the yin-yang.

C. Lao-tzu, Tao te Ching. Contemporary to Confucius, perhaps. Little known.

D. His student, 100 years later, Chuang-tzu spread Taoism in competition with Confucianism, which argued for an extremely orderly society.

1) Taoism argues that strong govt is bad, the best form is a small village, war is bad because it wastes energy.

E. No human accomplishment will last; compare with Buddhism. "All is suffering, all is temporary."

F. Life is the greatest possession you have.

G. Live it simply.

H. Avoid ceremony.

I. These are not theologies, these are just tenets. There are no gods, there is no structure.

J. Transformation into full-fledged religion: Age of Philosophers.

1) If living simply promotes longer life, immortality can be achieved.