Taoism and Confucianism

9. What would a person who kept a balance between yin and yang achieve?

According to Taoists, a person who kept a balance between yin and yang could avoid death and achieve immortality.

2. Briefly describe these elements of Chinese religion: ancestor worship, divination, astrology, and yin and yang.

Ancestor worship refers to various ways of showing respect and reverence for family members after their deaths. Worshippers bring offerings to their ancestors in order to obtain protection and guidance. Divination is the attempt to discover what underlies a present situation or what the future holds through the use of spiritual practices like Tarot card reading or the casting of bones. Astrology is a common form of divination. The configuration of the stars and planets were omens for either good or evil. Solar eclipses were usually particularly bad signs since the covering of the sun created darkness, an evil omen. Literally, yin and yang means "shaded" and "sunny" respectively. Yin is the female, dark, negative force in the universe while yang is the male, bright, positive force in the universe. Yin and yang are opposite, but complementary extremes in Chinese culture.

1. Why are ancestors so important to the Chinese?

Ancestors are important to the Chinese because they are considered older, wiser members of the family unit. The older a person was at the time of death, the more honored.

8. How is Buddhism linked with Taoism?

Buddhism was closely tied with Taoism with its various ascetical practices, the use of magic, and the emphasis on the attainment of immortality.

7. How has Buddhism influenced Chinese religion?

Buddhist temples, monasteries, and the monastic lifestyle have influenced Chinese religion. In addition, the Buddhist notion of immortality has greatly influenced Taoism.

28. Define feng-shui.

Feng-shui is the art of divining a place or date that has a positive spiritual aura.

31. In what creed is the belief in the "communion of saints" professed?

In the Apostles' Creed, Catholics profess their belief in the "communion of saints," the belief that both the living and the dead are bound together as children of God and brothers and sisters in faith.

25. Why is the birth of a boy preferred over the birth of a girl in Chinese culture?

In the Chinese culture, it is a boy who carries on the family name, takes care of the parents in old age, and sees to it that ancestors are cared for.

19. Why is it believed that Taoism predates Confucianism?

It is believed that Taoism predates Confucianism because the Tao Te Ching, the Taoist sacred writings, is drawn from writings that were in existence centuries before Confucianism.

29. Why are feng-shui masters used by families upon the death of a loved one?

It is believed that feng-shui principles will assure a favorable or auspicious placement of the grave and a fortuitous time for the deceased's funeral. It is commonly believed that if the burial environment or time is not proper, misfortune will befall the family and its descendants.

13. Who likely authored the Tao Te Ching?

It's likely that the followers of Lao-tzu, rather than Lao-tzu himself, drew on ancient writings as well as his own work to create the Tao Te Ching.

16. Explain the meaning of li and jen. How do they compliment one another?

Li has to do with the proper way to live. Li calls for courtesy, etiquette, formality, and respect. Li also calls for sincerity in these gestures, teaching that they should flow from the basic goodness of the person. Li focuses on an ideal way of behaving for five common relationships in Chinese society. Jen refers to "humanity" or "benevolence." While li points outward toward behavior, jen points inward to one's heart. A person who combines li with jen is in position to be a chun-tzu, a "superior one."

24. Explain why most Chinese may not be able to explain the origins of their religion or the differences between it and another religion.

Many Chinese may not be able to explain the origins of their religion or the differences between it and another religion because there is great integration in Chinese religion, especially among Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. The integration of these three religious traditions is so interwoven that the average Chinese could not distinguish one from another, for all are part of the tapestry of their lives.

17. Define Tao.

Tao literally means "the way;" it is considered the driving force of the universe.

11. What is Tao?

Tao refers to the nature of things. Those who live in harmony with Tao learn to live a life of simplicity.

15. What are some steps a Taoist might take to achieve immortality?

Taoists believe that physical immortality is an achievable goal. It is achieved through union with Tao. Taoists engage in special practices such as breath control, good hygiene, certain elixirs, meditation, and rituals that contribute to immortality. They also often refrain from eating certain foods such as grains and meat.

21. How do Taoists picture immortality?

Taoists believe that physical immortality is attainable. Life, they believe is a delicate balance between yin and yang, and if that balance could be maintained, death could be avoided and immortality achieved. To achieve that balance, Taoists engage in breath control, good hygiene, certain elixirs, meditation, and proper rituals. Taoists might also refrain from eating certain foods like grain and meat.

12. What makes up the Analects?

The Analects are the sayings of Confucius.

23. Describe the Chinese New Year's celebration.

The Chinese celebrate the Chinese New Year with family members exchanging small gifts, often money wrapped in a red packet. Another traditional part of the festival is "Kai Nien" or "Squabble Day," so called because it is believed that if you argue on this day, many arguments will follow during the rest of the year. On the fourth day of the festival Tso Kwan ("Slave Master") is welcomed back, and a new picture is hung in the kitchen. On the fifteenth day of the festival, a three day lantern celebration begins. Lanterns are hung in homes promoting good fortune, health, and happiness. The celebration of lanterns ends the New Year's festivities.

32. List similarities and differences between Chinese ancestor veneration and Catholic veneration of saints.

The Chinese veneration of ancestors is similar to the Catholic veneration of saints in many ways. Both often honor the remembered person by decorating the burial site with flowers and lit candles. Veneration also typically involves prayer. Catholics, however, ask saints to intercede for them to God. Chinese tradition assumes that ancestors have some independent power to affect their fortunes—negatively or positively. The Chinese also believe that the violent or sudden death of an ancestor can bring misfortune to the family and community.

30. What is the Ching Ming Festival?

The Ching Ming Festival is an annual celebration for the ancestors. Families take special care to decorate and care for the graves of loved ones. They bring flowers, light candles, and gather to honor and remember their deceased family members.

4. What was the Confucian ideal of education?

The Confucian ideal of education was not merely an accumulation of knowledge, but an important means to build character

20. What is the Tao Te Ching?

The Tao Te Ching, meaning the "Book of the Way," is the main body of sacred writings of the Taoists. The Tao Te Ching is the source of the Taoist beliefs, that is, that Tao is the nature of things, that all that emanates from Tao returns to Tao, the power of wu-wei (non-action), and the call to live a life of simplicity in harmony with Tao.

6. What did the celestial masters of Taoism emphasize for temporal and spiritual matters?

The celestial masters of Taoism emphasized for temporal and spiritual matters both political renewal and self-perfection.

22. How does the saying "Chinese are Confucian in public, Taoists in private, and Buddhist with regard to death" help to describe the Chinese integration of religion?

The saying helps to describe the Chinese integration of religion in that the Chinese have a broad spectrum of beliefs and practices that are woven so tightly into Chinese culture that the only way to make distinctions is to take the threads out piece by piece. However, systematically removing the threads would weaken the fabric of society.

26. Name the six stages of a typical Chinese marriage.

The six stages of a typical Chinese marriage are proposal, engagement, dowry, procession, wedding, and morning after

10. What are the two main categories within the Confucian Classics?

The two main categories of the Confucian Classics are the Five Classics and the Four Books.

27. Why are there fewer Confucian temples in China now than there were prior to 1949?

There are fewer Confucian temples in China now than there were prior to 1949 because that was the year of the Communist revolution in China. That take-over introduced many anti-religious sentiments and policies, including the destruction and closing of many religious buildings.

5. What are two common relationships on which li is focused?

Two examples are the relationship between emperor and subject or the relationship between father and son.

14. How does the ultimate goal for a Confucian compare with the ultimate goal of a Taoist?

While the ultimate goal of a Confucian was to be a chun-tzu, the goal of a Taoist is immortality.

3. Explain wu-wei.

Wu-wei means "action without action." For example, an adult looking at an infant evokes a smile on the face of the adult, but the infant did nothing to solicit that reaction.

18. Explain wu-wei by giving at least one example.

Wu-wei means "without action"; it centers on allowing nature to evolve without human action. For example, the emotions a painting can evoke just by hanging in a gallery are a form of wu-wei.