Confucius (Kung Fu-Tzu)* (551-479 BC)

1. Confucius (Kung Fu-Tzu)*(551-479 BC) *Family name = Kung (Kong) Personal name = Zhong-ni Kung Fu-Tzu (Kong Fu-zi) = “Master Kung” “Confucius” = Latinization of “Kung Fu-Tzu”

2. Historical backdrop in Confucius' China Confucius lived in the “warring states” period of China. Wandering warlords of little virtue were overthrowing legitimate kings. Confucius was concerned about where his society was going; leaders weren’t caring well for society. Petty wars were constantly erupting. Society was emphasizing less education, writing, the arts. Families were in discord.Peasantswere being unjustly burdened with heavy taxes to support their own life of luxury.

3. 1. Confucian beliefs start with human experience and immediate human relationships: family, work and station in life. The main goal in Confucian thought is to live a moral and responsible and fruitful life within this context. 2. Education: learn your past, your culture, your history, great heroes, sages. 3. Cultivate goodness and good practice. Become a Chuntzu: a good role model. Lead by example. 4 Ritual .that shows respect for ancestors and others in societal roles. “He who does not know the rites, cannot make his stand.”. 5. Don’t lead society by force or fear ; use example, ritual, and encouraging . (Ideally, we would need no laws: very optimistic).

4. The primary sources of Confucian philosophy Confucius claimed to derive his teachings from “the Ancients,” whose wisdom is embodied in “The Five Classics” (Wu Jing) • The I Jing (“Book of Changes”) • The Shu Jing (“Book of History”) • The Shih Jing (“Book of Odes” [poetry]) • The Li Ji (“Book of Rites”) • The Ch’un-ch’iu (“Spring & Autumn Annals”)

5. Major expressions of Confucian philosophy after Confucius • Analects (Lun-Yu) • The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong) • The Great Learning (Ta-hsueh) • The Book of Meng-Tzu “The Four Books” (Ssu-chu) (Mencius, 371-288 BC)

6. Anthem The ancient State of Lu That’s where Confucius was born & spent most of his life.

7. Confucianism originated in China, but its influence spread to Korea & Japan over the centuries.

8. Chronology of Chinese History • c. 6000 BC: Prehistory (belief in life after death; bone divination) - legendary Hsia Dynasty (c. 1994-1500 BC) • c. 1500-1040 BC: Shang Dynasty (polytheism; spiritism; ancestor veneration; bone & shell divination) • 1040-256 BC: Zhou (Chou) Dynasty (feudal era & classical age; rise of Shang-Ti & “Mandate of Heaven;” ancestor veneration & divination practices; continued belief in spiritism; interest in life-prolongation & immortality; 8th-5th centuries BC - period of disorder; emergence of classical Chinese philosophies:Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism, etc.) - Era of Warring States (475-221 BC) • 221-207 BC: Qin (Ch’in) Dynasty (“The Burning of the Books” in 213 BC) - Legalism enthroned; Confucianism attacked

9. 206 BC-25 AD: Former Han Dynasty (beginnings of official state Confucianism) 25-220 AD: Later Han Dynasty (rise of Chinese Empire; imperial state religion; Confucianism established as theofficial philosophy of the Chinesestate; the coming of Buddhism) 220-280 AD: The Three Kingdoms - Wei (220-266); Shu (221-263); Wu (222-280) (decline of Confucianism; rise of Daoism & Buddhism) 266-316 AD: Jin (Chin) Dynasty 316-589 AD: Era of North- South Division - 16 Northern Kingdoms (301-439); 5 Southern Kingdoms (317-589) (rise of Daoist religion; continued spread of Buddhism) 581-618 AD: Sui Dynasty 618-907 AD: Tang Dynasty (high point for Buddhism & Daoism; 9th century Confucian reaction against Buddhism) Chronology, continued

10. Chronology, continued 10th-13th centuries AD: Rise of Neo-Confucianism; spread of Chan (Zen) Buddhism • 907-960 AD: Five Northern Dynasties; Ten Southern Kingdoms • 960-1127 AD: Northern Sung (Song) Dynasty • 1127-1279 AD: Southern Sung (Song) Dynasty • 1264-1368 AD: Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty (established by Kublai Khan) (development of popular religious sects) • 1368-1644 AD: Ming Dynasty(Mongols out, Chinese emperors in; Confucianismreestablished; Roman Catholicism arrives) Anti-Confucian policy

11. 1644-1911 AD: Qing (Ch’ing) (Manchu) Dynasty - peak of Confucian (bureaucratic) authority; increasing influence of the West 1911-1912 AD: Chinese Revolution Republic of China (1912-1949 [mainland]; 1945-present [Taiwan]) People’s Republic of China (Communism) (1949-present) Chronology, continued Confucianism in decline

12. Central concepts in Confucian thought Metaphysics • Dao (“Way”) - the Ultimate; the One; the Absolute; the underlying Power; the Source (see Text, pp. 11-12) • Yin/Yang - the dual expression of Dao; neither is superior to the other (see next slide) • The Plural World - the universe; Heaven & Earth; an ever-changing expression & blend of Yin & Yang Ontology & Cosmology (Heaven is Yang in relation to Earth; and Earth is Yin in relation to Heaven; but each is, in itself, a blend of both Yin & Yang.)

13. Yin & Yang female dark cool moist passive negative evil Yin Heaven & sun male bright hot dry active positive good Earth & moon Yang

14. "A basic difference between the Chinese conception of yin and yang and other classical philosophical dualisms…is that whereas most dualisms are forever in conflict, yin and yang always act in harmony, and both are considered to be necessary to maintain the order of the universe." (Bilhartz 262)

15. Confucian metaphysics, continued Theology • Shang-Ti (God), the original ancestor (after the 11th century BC) • Heaven (Tian, T’ien) - the divine realm(Human beings who have died live on with Shang-Ti as ancestors (ti) in Heaven.) • Continuity & interchange between Heaven (the divine realm) and Earth (the human realm), i.e., between the ancestors & those living on Earth. (The ancestors are to be worshipped, and sacrifices are to be offered to them; they, in turn, will guide and protect us, especially with regard to our futures (divination practices). When we die, we will join theancestors in Heaven and become ancestors ourselves.) Spiritism (spirits every- where, good [shen] & evil [gui]). [No hell(s)? See next slide.]

16. it seems that Chinese religions did not contain a well- developed idea of an afterlife. The souls of those who had lived in accord with the “Mandate of Heaven” (will of Shang-Ti) would become ancestors in Heaven; whereas the souls of those who had not followed Heaven’s decree would, after death, continue to live on for a time in a dark underworld area (called “the Yellow Springs”) & then fade away into nothingness. The idea of multiple levels of hell entered Chinese religion through Buddhism, which arrived in China in the 1st century AD. The religious Daoists accepted this idea (but modified it in various ways). Apparently, the Confucianists continued to show little interest in this subject. Before the arrival of Buddhism in China,

17. Is Hell temporary or permanent? In Buddhism, it is temporary. Confucianism has no clear answer to this question (because the Confucianists refuse to speculate on these matters).

18. Human nature: naturally & inherently good - need for cultivation via education naturally social & political - development & perfection of human nature within the social & political realm The human predicament: suffering as a result of failure to follow the “Way of the Ancestors” Disharmony & conflict between Heaven & Earth, between the ancestors & us; and between humans here on earth Solution of problem of suffering: reestablish harmony Confucian metaphysics, continued Anthropology(Human Nature & the Human Predicament)

19. Confucius’s primary goal: order, harmony, peace, & happiness in this life here on earth (He had only a secondary interest in “transcendental” salvation.)

20. Axiology(Theory of Value) • Philosophy of art (aesthetics) - the moral & political purposes of art (especially music) • Moral philosophy (ethics) - the center of Confucian philosophy (see next slide) • Social & political philosophy (theory of government) - the need for morally & intellectually virtuous rulers & civil servants

21. The Chun-Tzu - the ideal of the Superior (self-actualized, virtuous, perfected) Person The Chun-Tzu is an exemplification of ideal virtue, of Yi, of Ren, of Li, and of Hsiao – see following slides…. Central themes in Confucianethical theory:

22. Ren (jen) - virtue • Positive formulation: cultivation of feeling (respect, empathy, compassion, love) for all humanity ( • Negative formulation: the Silver Rule Yi - righteousness, just and appropriate conduct • According to Confucianists, there is an objective, absolute, and unconditional moral obligation on all of us to work for universal human well-being, the common good, the general welfare (which will include one's own true good): • Objective = not subjective; not relative; the obligation is independent of culturally and individually variable states of opinion, preference, feeling, or response. • Absolute = it extends throughout the whole sphere of moral obligation and cannot be suspended or overruled by any more basic or ultimate moral principle with a wider range of applicability. • Unconditional = this obligation does not depend on the fulfillment or non- fulfillment of any particular set of facts or circumstances which may or may not happen to occur - facts, for example, about our desires, aspirations, or goals in acting one way rather than another. *

23. The Rectification of Names (Zheng-ming) (proper use of language) The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong) The Five Constant Relationships: parent-child husband-wife elder sibling-younger sibling elder friend-younger friend ruler-subject Confucian ethics, continued Li - Propriety (proper conduct)

24. Confucian ethics / Li, continued Filial Piety (Xiao, Hsiao)(devotion to & reverence for parents & family) • The institution of the family is the foundation of a well-ordered & civilized society (grounded mainly on respect of children for parents) • Respect for age (experience & wisdom)

25. Religious Propriety Confucian ethics / Li, continued proper practice of traditional rites (worship of God, ancestors, Heaven, Earth, spirits; funeral services & sacrifices in honor of parents)

26. The importance of culture in the creation & maintenance of a well-ordered society Studying & learning The arts - especially music Confucian ethics (& aesthetics?), continued Wen(learning & the arts) (Confucius composed a “Book of Music” [Yueh Jing], which is sometimes referred to as a “sixth classic.”)

27. Confucian axiology, continued Confucius’s Political Philosophy • Te - the union of power & virtue • The characteristics of a good ruler (or civil servant): • moral goodness (virtue & propriety) • rationality • moderation • benevolence

28. Demeanor is important. Imagine a wedding were the bride and groom repeated there vows without any emotion or involvement. Sneeze- god bless you: trivial; but indicates concern; even if its reflex. Good habits have good effects. Li chi , or The Book of Rites , catalogs the many rituals that make up ancient Chinese life.

29. Kung Fu Tze is his name (6th-5th century BCE). It was latinized to Confucius. Worked his way up through govt posts until age 50s. Retired in frustration. Began 13 years of teaching, which he saw as transmitting old wisdom (“sage kings or founders of Chinese society); he did not see it as innovation.