Confucianism

• Ren (humanness; humanity)

- the central confucian virtue. - Confucius used the word "ren" to capture the virtues of respect, liberty, trustworthiness, earnestness, and kindness. - In his view, the most effective way to cultivate "ren" was through careful observance of the "rites", which he meant mont (include religious rituals, social etiquete, and everyday courtesy);

• The four books

- the core text for official civil service examinations ♣ The Great learning ♣ The Doctrine of the Mean ♣ The Analects of Confucius ♣ The Mencius

• Kongzi (Kongfuzi, Confucius) (September 28, 551 - 497 B.C.E)

o "Master Kong", founder of Confucianism o a chinese teacher and philosopher o He wanted to bring peace, stability and values to China's kingdoms, concerned about relationships between human beings

• Ren, yi, li, and zhi

o "Ru" (the doctrine, or tradition of scholars) emphazied the virtues of humaneness: ♣ Ren (humanity), ♣ Yi (righteousness), ♣ Li (propriety), ♣ Zhi (wisdom)

• Zhong shu (loyalty and reciprocity)

o "Zhong" (loyalty): Confucian Golden Rule o "Shu" (reciprocity) (sự nhân nhượng lẫn nhau): Confucian Silver Rule

• Xiao (filial piety) (dao lam con)

o A child's love for its parents is expressed in respect and duty o The cornerstone of confucianism considered a virtue by all chinese religions.

• Junzi (nobleman, gentleman, superior man)

o A person of exemplary behavior in Confucianism; implies virtues of the upper class; a superior person, or one of virtue and exceptional behavior.

• The five classics

o Complier of many ancient texts and transmitter of the classic learning 1. The Book of Poetry 2. The Book of History 3. The Book of Rites 4. The Book of Music (lost) 5. The Book of Changes 6. The Spring and Autumn Annals --> characterize "ru"

• The four beginnings (PAEI order)

o Mencius' view on humans innate (bam sinh) closeness to goodness. Individual effort was needed to cultivate oneself, but one's natural tendencies were good to begin with. ♣ The feelings of commiseration (thuong xot) is the beginning of humanity ♣ The feelings of shame and dislike is the beginning of righteousness ♣ The feeling of deference and compliance (su bang long) is the beginning of propriety ♣ The feeling of right or wrong is the beginning of wisdom.

• Wang Yangming (1472-1529)

o Neo-confucianism o Ming Dynasty, the learning of the heart and mind o Regared as the most important Chinese Neo-confucian philosopher, he denied the rationalist dualism of the orthdox philosophy of Zhu Xi.

• Zhu Xi (1130-1200)

o Neo-confucianism o Song Dynasties, the learning of the principle o Argues for making the Confucian 'Five Classics' and the Four Books the standard textbooks for educating public officials (this status then lasted until the 20th century)

• The six art (confucian learning)

o Rites (nghi lễ) o Music o Archery o Charioteering (chom sao Ngu xa) o Calligraphy (nghe thuat viet chu dep) o Mathematics

• Xunzi (c. 314-c. 217 B.C)

o Taught that human nature is inherently evil, base or depraved, and that people need to taught or trained against their evil natures through education and ritual. o The debate between Mencius and Xunzi and their followers may be seen as being parallel to some of the 'nature/nurture' debates of modern humanities and social sciences.

• Mengzi (Mencius) (403-221 B.C.E)

o The most significant Confucian teacher after Confucius. o Like confucius, he tries to share his wisdom with the embattles rulers of his time, who take no interest. o Understand human nature to be good (as opposed to Xinzu who argued that human nature is inherently evil) o Writings focus on good government if a ruler is morally good, his subjets will be morally good. If a father is morally good, his family will be morally good.

• Wulun (the Five human relationships)

o The ruler and subject o The father and son o The husband and wife o The elder brother and younger brother o The friend and the friend

• The parable of the ox mountain

o argued that "bad" human natures were produced just as the bad conditions of Ox Mountain had been produced, so the answer to "bad" humans was to protect and nurture them from birth. Punishment does not do much good. it does not cure the root of the problem.

The parable (truyen ngu ngon) of the kid on the verge of falling into a well

o to show innate goodness, Mencius used the example of a child falling down a well. o Witnesses of this event immediately feel "alarm and distress, not to gain friendship with the child's parents, nor to seek the praise of their neighbors and friends, nor because they dislike the reputation [of lack of humanity if they did not rescue the child]..."the feeling of commiseration is the beginning of humanity; the feeling of shame and dislike are the beginnings of righteousness; the feeling of difference and compliance is the beginning of propriety; and the feeling of right and wrong are the beginnings of wisdom