...Erik Thomas Chinese Civilization 10/24/12 Jingyu XUE Compare the attitude towards education in Confucian, Taoist, and Legalist thought There were several salient schools of philosophy that arose during early years of the development of Chinese civilization. The era was subject to not only political fragmentation and excessive warfare, but also the birth of unique intellectual foundations as well. Confucius rallied together a school of thought that underscored the utmost importance of humanism and virtue. Han Fei and the legalist movement advocated for a centralized, domineering government that subordinated all citizens to absolute obedience. Taoism insisted on a spontaneous, free-spirited, and laissez-faire approach to life. These three prominent philosophies of the time were very different. For instance, they all placed radically different values on education. In particular, Confucianism promoted intellectual pursuit for both the individual and the populace, whereas Legalism and Taoism had a diverging attitude that was strongly against education. The Confucian ideology is the only one of the aforementioned schools to place a heavy emphasis on intellectual cultivation for both personal purposes and for the sake of a virtuous government. The philosophy looks down on those with faith in intuition and natural understanding, which is a notion that is present in Taoism. They believe that genuine understanding derives primarily from studying a subject; it does not necessarily...
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...#33 Rasul, Nashwina A. February 24, 2014 2ASN2 Confucian Philosophy of Man More than a million years ago, primitive human beings lived on a land known as China. China is recognized as one of the four greatest ancient civilizations of the world, together with ancient Egypt, Babylon, and India. It is known for its rich history based on the written records that were found nearly 5,000 years ago. From 475 BC to the end of the 19th century, China went through a long feudal period. It experienced two seemingly contradictory and paradoxical phenomena. Knowing that it was the most violent and chaotic period in ancient Chinese history due to the conflict between the collapse of the traditional Chinese culture and the establishment of a universal empire, it was also considered to be the most creative and innovative one since it was indeed an age wherein philosophers tried to give their personal opinions regarding the world and attempted to contribute something in the history of Chinese philosophy. All the competing Chinese philosophical traditions – Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism and Mohism, among others – trace their origins back to this period which is closely identified with the wellspring of Chinese philosophical, political, and social thought. The battle of ideas among the fabled numerous masters and hundred schools of thought that lasted for more than three centuries, was fought, but at the same...
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...Wang Fuzhi (1619–1692) was a Chinese philosopher of the late Ming, early Qing dynasties. Wang Fuzhi inherited and further developed the materialism of his predecessors and established the system of Simple Materialism. He believes that the world is material; material is primary and eternal. Wang Fuzhi (1619–1692) was a Chinese philosopher of the late Ming, early Qing dynasties. Wang Fuzhi inherited and further developed the materialism of his predecessors and established the system of Simple Materialism. He believes that the world is material; material is primary and eternal. Zhu Xi (1130 – 1200) was a Song Dynasty Confucian scholar who was the most influential rationalist Neo-Confucian in China. His synthesis of Neo-Confucian thought long dominated Chinese intellectual life. He assigned special significance to the The Four Books and emphsized on the investigation of things (Gewu), and the synthesis of all fundamental Confucian concepts. Zhu Xi (1130 – 1200) was a Song Dynasty Confucian scholar who was the most influential rationalist Neo-Confucian in China. His synthesis of Neo-Confucian thought long dominated Chinese intellectual life. He assigned special significance to the The Four Books and emphsized on the investigation of things (Gewu), and the synthesis of all fundamental Confucian concepts. Huang Zongxi (1610 – 1695) was a Chinese thinker during the latter part of the Ming dynasty and the early part the Qing Dynasty. Huang was well-known for being one of the first...
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...Ashley Colvin Confucianism and Daoism (Taoism) REL 212: World Religion Instructor: Professor Joel Goldstein Daoism is one of China’s major religions indigenous to the country. The primary belief is in learning and practicing “The Way” (Dao) which is the ultimate truth to the universe. Confucianism and Taoism are both ancient Chinese styles of living. Confucianism believes in setting good examples for others to follow primarily in 5 key relationships: ruler & subject, wife & husband, older & younger sibling, friend & friend, father & son. While Daoism (Or Taoism) was a way of living in which there were not many rules and believes in the dialectical philosophy of inaction. Through nature and harmony you can be happy. This is where yin and yang come from. Daoism is also known as Taoism, Daoism traces its beginnings to Sixth Century BC when Chinese philosopher Laozi wrote the iconic book Dao De Jing on the tenets of the Dao. Laozi’s successor, Zhuangzi, further developed Daoist principles. Daoism is an organized religious tradition that has been continuously developing through China, Korea and Japan for a little over two thousand years. Daoism has now spread around the globe from Sydney to Toronto and includes among its followers people from a whole range of ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. Day by day, Daoism is truly becoming a...
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...History and Beliefs Joseph R Batson Regis University Taoism is one of the “Three Doctrines”, along with Buddhism and Confucianism that has helped to shape Chinese culture and history (Molloy, 2013.) Taoism is based on the earliest beliefs of the Chinese people, and includes several elements of the ancient indigenous religion. These include a belief in spirits, both good and bad; the concept of T’ien, translated as Heaven, and described as an impersonal divine force and a cosmic moral principle; the discernment of patterns in nature, some easy to see like the progression of seasons, others not so much like the ripple of waves; and Yin and Yang, two opposing yet complimentary principles such as light and dark or hot and cold (Molloy, 2013.) The actual origins of Taoism are shrouded in mystery. The founder was Lao Tzu, meaning “old sage” (Chebucto.ns.ca, 2014) a legendary figure who may or may not have existed, and possible may be the blending of several historical figures (Molloy, 2013.) Lao Tzu, according to traditional stories, was born in the early sixth century BCE (circa 600 BCE) and worked as an archivist at the imperial court. Eventually Lao Tzu tired of his position and travelled to Western China, where he was stopped by a guard and asked to write his teachings down. This writing, which consisted of five thousand Chinese characters, became the Tao Te Ching (The Way and Its Power, considered to be one of the central scriptures of Taoism (Chebucto.ns.ca, 2014.) In many of the...
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...dominant states were in consistent struggles to take power over the others. Even though they all put much emphasis on military and warfare, the state of Qin was the one who concluded the period with the wars of conquest, annexing other contender states through exceptionally cruel administration. On the background of the rise of Qin existed the two most eminent administrators, Lord Shang and Han Fei zi, whose philosophies are demonstrated as Legalism. The Legalists emphasized an establishment of effective institutional structures based on impersonal and objective norms and standards: “laws, administrative regulations, clearly defined rules of promotion and demotion, and the like” (Watkins). Through the strict legislation, the Legalists “sought to attain a ‘rich [and empowered] state with powerful army’” (Pines). Adopting their philosophies and practicing them through reformation, the Qin administration could conquer its competitors; we can recognize the influence of Legalism on the state administration by analyzing the laws of Qin before the empire and comparing them to the philosophies of the two prominent Legalists. During the regime of Duke Xiao, the state of Qin went through a series of reforms successfully conducted by Lord Shang, and the characteristics of the reformation are well reflected on the laws of the state. First and foremost, Lord Shang emphasized on a powerful government with a centralized power and strict authorities. As he believed that powerful subordinates hinder...
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...THE CHINESE MANAGEMENT Confucius on Management History has shown that China is a significant creator and repository of great philosophies, yet we know little of Chinese philosophies on leadership. With China becoming a global economic and political force, we need to learn from and to understand Chinese leadership philosophies. We must also consider that China is now in the process of blending its tradition, customs and practices with Western concepts and ideas. In the business world, it is the blending of its wisdom and Western practices. Successful leadership behavior of today's more culturally diverse workforce is one of the most important challenges organizations face. CHINA The People's Republic of China today seems to be entering the modern world, coming out of the shadow of the warlords, the 20-year struggle between communism and nationalism, and the Cultural Revolution. Moves are afoot to shift the Chinese economy more toward the market-oriented end of the spectrum. China’s 1978 open door policy initiated rapid economic development, and consequently exposed china to a flood to Western management practices. CHINA 2 China is a country of old and new and one that is in transition. With the rise of China in the global economy, it has never been more important for business leaders to understand Chinese leadership philosophies and practices. Ancient Chinese thinking and Western ideas have shaped the development of leadership styles in China. Leadership theories (paternalistic...
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...ASIAN RELIGIONS NARRATIVE ROUGH DRAFT: TAOISM I am Taoism, also known as Daoism. I am considered both an indigenous Chinese religion and philosophy due to the diversity of Taoist belief. My philosophical side accepts death as a natural returning to the Tao while my religious side is magical and emphasizes health and healing as ways to gain immortality. The root word in my name is Tao, which means “way”, is the central harmony. Tao is part of all things yet greater than all things. It refers to the road extending in one direction. For example, a road with many forks and or directions is not considered Tao. Tao is not a substance nor can it be perceived. It is often described as formless, nameless and defying convention. You could say it is...
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...Virtue Ethics and Consequentialism in Early Chinese Philosophy is a book by Bryan W. Van Norden that presents an encompassing view of Confucianism in light of virtue ethics and of Mohism in light of consequentialism. Throughout the book, Van Norden makes excellent and understandable bridges to compare the philosophies of the East and the West. He takes the perspectives presented by Aristotle’s virtue ethics and other western philosophers and contrasts them with the conceptions that Confucianism offers towards leading a virtuous life and the process of the ethical cultivation of one's self, as well as drawing analogues between Mohism and consequentialism through obviously thorough archaeological and philosophical research into Chinese history....
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...Introduction and General Remarks for Ancient China Ancient civilizations of the Egyptians and Mesopotamians have long disappeared, but Ancient Chinese civilization and its transformation to modern times has lasted as the largest and most enduring one in human history. This is even more remarkable when observing the numerous leitmotifs of the Chinese society that were inaugurated so long ago, and many of these themes still resonate today. Ancestral worship, the Mandate of Heaven, and the numerous philosophical ideas, especially of Confucius, have been practiced or used for thousands of years. Remote and mysterious are two adjectives that Western Society has applied to China until recently. China is the only civilization where western thought had no influence until modern times, and also practically the only large region in the world where western men never ruled. For westerners, Chinese customs seem reversed to theirs. White is the color of mourning for the Chinese not black, and for them the left side is one of honor not the right side. Writing is read vertically from the top right-hand corner downward. These few differences reveal that Chinese culture evolved independently of western influences. One can only marvel at the longevity of Chinese civilization. Influence of Geography 2 Geography has played an important role in Chinese History as in most ancient, medieval, and modern cultures. While 85% of China is arid or inaccessible steppes, deserts or mountains, this...
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...In the midst of the chaos caused by political instability and the period of the Seven Warring States that marked the decline of the Zhou Dynasty, emanated an assortment of philosophical intellectuals who would present solutions to the numerous political, religious, and philosophical issues that the government was facing. Respected philosophers such as Confucius, Laozi, and Han Feizi each proposed their own ideas for an idealistic political system and lifestyle (Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism, respectfully), and the influence that these three main philosophies left on society still occur today in the modern world. Consequentially, Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism were vastly diverse in terms of regulating government affairs and the perception...
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...Negotiation: the Chinese style Tony Fang School of Business, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden Abstract Purpose – To examine the nature of Chinese business negotiating style in Sino-Western business negotiations in business-to-business markets involving large industrial projects from a social cultural point of view. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual approach developed from personal interviews. Findings – This study reveals that the Chinese negotiator does not possess an absolute negotiating style but rather embraces a mixture of different roles together: “Maoist bureaucrat in learning”, “Confucian gentleman”, and “Sun Tzu-like strategist”. The Chinese negotiating strategy is essentially a combination of cooperation and competition (termed as the “coop-comp” negotiation strategy in this study). Trust is the ultimate indicator of Chinese negotiating propensities and role choices. Research limitations/implications – The focus of this study is on Chinese negotiating style shown in large B2B negotiations with Chinese SOEs. Originality/value – Differing from most other studies on Chinese negotiating style which tend to depict the Chinese negotiator as either sincere or deceptive, this study points out that there exists an intrinsic paradox in Chinese negotiating style which reflects the Yin Yang thinking. The Chinese negotiator has a cultural capacity to negotiate both sincerely and deceptively and he/she changes coping strategies according to situation and context...
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...Laura Galan (DRAFT) Introduction to Philosophy Philosopher Paper - Chuang-Tzu "The Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu (ca. 369-ca. 286 BC), also known as Chuang Chou, was the most brilliant of the early Taoists and the greatest prose writer of his time." http://www.bookrags.com/biography/chuang-tzu/ "Not much is known of the life of Chuang Tzu. The Shih Chi (Historical Records, written about 100 BC) tells us that he was a contemporary of King Hui of Liang (370-319) and King Hsüan of Ch'i (319-301). Thus Chuang Tzu seems to have been a contemporary of Mencius (372-289), but neither was mentioned by the other in his extant writings. The Shih Chi also says that Chuang Tzu was born in Meng on the border of Shantung and Honan and that he held a petty official post for a time in Ch'iyüan. However, he seems to have lived most of his life as a recluse, "to be intoxicated in the wonder and the power of Nature." http://www.bookrags.com/biography/chuang-tzu/ It is said that Chuang Tzu did not desire material things and had little interest in occupying positions of high status. He rather cared, enjoyed and was mystified by dwelling in natures surroundings as well as the personal freedoms that it offered. He cared little for anything relating to positions of higher office. "When Chuang Tzu was about to die, his disciples expressed a wish to give him a splendid funeral. But Chuang Tzu said, With the heavens and earth itself for my coffin and shell; with the sun, moon, and...
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...Lee Skinner ( Person # 37646847 ) World Civilization 1 William Newsome Ramya Sreenivasan The Treatment of Confucianism and Daoism The treatment of Confucianism and Daoism are seen abundantly throughout The Chinese Maize Murders. Many social values of Confucianism are portrayed through Judge Dee, the hero of the novel. The novel portrays the Confucians as having rulers with impeccable intellect and knowledge. The Daoist is viewed as people that do not value thought and education,” Knowledge is bad because it creates distinctions.”( Craig textbook, pg 54) This is supported by the Dragon and Worm analogy in the story. The novel ultimately endorses the values of Confucianism. This is exemplified through the main character Judge Dee and is supported by the fact that the three main conflicts of the story are solved by Confucian thinking and reasoning. The relationship between these two philosophies is seen as Confucianism learning from the thoughts of Daoism. Judge Dee is the ideal Confucian. He rules with rich morals and deeply thought out justice. The Confucian idea that the smartest men should rule is shown through Judge Dee. He is a brilliant man that uses his wit and knowledge to solve case after case. He uses violence when he has to but he prefers to outsmart his opposition to resolve conflict, just as the thoughts of Confucianism state. He demonstrates the Confucian ideas of proper conduct, compassion, generosity and righteousness. Throughout the story he holds up to these...
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...Nadine Couto LIT-211 03/03/2014 The book Tao Te Ching was originally called Laozi, the author’s name. When people mentioned Laozi, they were referring to the book as well as the man. The Tao Te Ching is translated as The Classic of the Way and Its Virtue, or simply The Way of Life. Laozi was a quiet and secluded person, and no one would have known him had he not written the Tao Te Ching. No details are known with certainty about his life. The introduction has the purpose to describe the concept and structure of Tao. Lao Tzu was trying to explain something that was inexpressible with language. According to the text Laozi (Lao Tzu) “One of the difficulties of the poems in the Dao De Jing is that they do not provide explanations or definitions, The Dao De Jing begins with what seems to be a series of conclusions about the dao, a word and concept for which we have no English equivalent. “ (Crawford et al. 1603) With that being said, Tao is something that is beyond whatever we could possible describe. The first two lines on the introduction “ The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao/ The name that can be named is not the eternal name.” can be described as the Tao that can be completely explained or expressed in words is not the constant, eternally unchanging and true Tao. The main idea here is that the Tao is a concept beyond reason and logic. If the name of this Tao can be defined with words, then it is not the constant, eternally unchanging name of the...
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