taoism and confucianism

Four Confucian Classics

1. Lunyu (analects) 2. Da Xue (Great learning) 3. Zhung Yung (Doctrine of the Mean) 4. Mengzi (Book of Meniscus)

Yin

In chinese religion one of the two fundamental cosmic forces of the universe; considered the negative principles of dark, wetness, cold, passivity, and femlenss

yogic breathing

originally a hindu discipline of seeking to control breath as part of the overall practice of yoga; means "extension of the life force," used by many south asian religions and new religious movements

Tao Te Ching

"Classic of the way and its virtue", chinese classic text, ascribed to laozi: fundamental text for both philosophical and relgious taoism

Falun Gong

"Dharma Wheel Practice"; a spiritual practice first introduced in China in 1992, combining meditation, slow-moving qigong(balancing intrinsic life energy), and moral philosophy

Six Classics of Confucianism

1. Shi-Ching (classic of poetry) 2. I Ching ( classic of changes) 3. Shu-Ching (Classic of History) 4. Li Qi (Book of ritual) 5. Ch'un-iu (Spring and Autumn Annals) 6. Yueh Ching (Classic of Music)

Laozi

Chinese philosopher credited as founder of philosophical taoism and author of tao te ching; revered as a deity in most religious forms of Taoist philosophy

Mozi

Chinese philosopher during early war warring states period; founded school of mohism, strongly arguing against confucianism and taoism by emphasizing self-relflection and authenticiy rather than obedience to ritual;advocated "universal love"

School of the Heart/Mind

Neo-confucian school started by wang yangming, that emphasized that one should look to ones own heart or mind to understand morality; regarded as heterodox by some confucians

Legalists

One of the major traditional schools of philosophy; upholds the rule of law as a means to restore harmony in society; notion that a ruler should govern his subjects by the law, method, and charisma

t'ien

One of the oldest chinese terms for the cosmos; a key concept in chinese mythology, philosophy, and religion; in taoism and Confucianism T'ien means "heaven"

Yin-Yang Cosmologists

One of the six major chinese schools of philosophy that emerged during the warring states period, it promoted the investigation of the art of yin and yang; based rituals, actions, and divination on natural rhythms of the universe, particularly the patterns of the four seasons.

axial age

Term coined by German philosopher Karl Jaspers to describe a period in which revolutionary thinking emerged in Persia, India, China, and the west

Zhu Xi

a song dynasty confucian scholar who led the school of principle; the most influential neo-confucian in china

Chi

an active principle forming part of any living thing;life energy; life source; energy flow; central energy underlying traditional Chinese medicine

alchemy

art of transmutting common metals, often into gold, for use in the attempt to achieve perfection, longevity or immortality; the practice of the attempt to create an elixir of immortality

tao

chinese concept signifying "path", "way", or "principle": metaphysical concept originating with Laozi that became the basis for religious and philosophical Taoism as well as Confucianism and Zen Buddhism

xin

chinese confucian concept of mind; refers to one's disposition or feeling, since ancient chinese people believed the heart was the center of human cognition

tai chi chuan

chinese martial art practiced for defense and health benefits

feng shui

chinese system of geomancy, method of divination that interprets markings on the ground or patterns on the earth, to improve life; "wind-water", used to orient the human environment on sports with good chi (qi), life force

Analects

collection of the words and actions of confucius and his disciples as well as the discussions they held; most important text in confucianism

li

confucian concept of ritual and behavioral protocal; customs, etiquette, morals; rule of proper behavior

junzi

confucian notion of ideal human being; "superior person" or "exemplary person"; a ruler animated by superior ethics and morality who serves as a role model by acting virtuously

jen

confucian virtue of "fellow feeling", the good feeling a virtuous person experiences when being altruistic: as an expression of confucian ideals, an inner virtue from which all other confucian virtues emanate

filial piety (xiao)

confucian virtue of respect for one;s parents and ancestor; to be to one's parents and ancestors; engage in good conduct inside and outside the home in order to reflect favorably on one's parents and ancestors

men

door, referring to the door that leads to long life, enlightenment, and immortality

Confucius

emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness in human relationships, and justice

nonbeing

emptiness; forms of reality that do not have substance, particularly important in Buddhism and Taoism

boston confucianism

group of "new confucians" from boston, of whom the best known are tu wei-ming, of harvard university, and robert neville, of boston university; the perspective attempts to adapt confucianism to western culture

Yang

in chinese religion, one of two fundamental cosmic forces of the universe; considered the positive principle of light, warmth, dryness, maleness, and activity

T'ien Shih

in religious taoism, "celestial master" or "Heavenly lord" applied to Chang Lu, who introduced the role of taoist priests, the schoalrs and ritual functionaries of religious taoism who organize taoist comminities and are sometimes marked by a monastic lifestyle

yanban

korean concept of ruling class or nobles during joseon dynasty

Zhuangzi

master zhuang, a defining historical figure in chinese taoism and writer of the boo zhuangzi

Neo-Confucianism

moral, ethical, and metaphysical chinese philosophy based on confucianism, originating in the Tang dynasty, that emphasized rationalism over against superstitious and mystical elements of taoism and buddhism that had influenced confucianism during the Han dynasty

School of Principle

neo-confucian school, started by zhu-xi, that saw knowledge as a preparation for action

nonanthropomorphic

not comparable in form to a person or human being

warring states period

period in ancient china that culminated in the unification of China under the Qin Dynasty; a period of violent civil disorders when smaller states disappeared and seven larger states remained to fight ruthlessly for supremacy

Wang yangming

regarded as the most important chinese neo-confucian philosopher, he denied the rationalist dualism of the orthodox philosophy of zhu xi

tai chi

seeks a healthy balance of yin and yang forces; also tai chi chuan

Sages

spiritual guides, holy teachers, learned persons, pious persons

Taoshi

taoist priests; the scholars and ritual functionaries of religous taoism

yi

the confucian virtue of righteousness and justice; the moral disposition to do good