Ancient Chinese Philosophies Laozi Confucius Ancient Chinese Philosophies Han Feizi Mr. Norris 6th Grade Social Studies

What Happened to the Zhou Dynasty : The Back Story Towards the end of the Zhou Dyanasty, the king began to lose power. Lords, or people of high rank, gained more and more followers and fought less and less for the king. Instead of fighting for the king, lords fought against each other to gain more and more followers, land, and power. This began something called the Warring States Period, which was a civil war that took place in China for 200 years. This lack of a strong government caused people to begin to move away from something that had for a very long time been at the center of their lives : their families. That was, of course, until a famous teacher known as Confucius began to gain followers.

Confucius and His Famous Teachings Confucius is AKA Kongfuzi. Many attempted to solve China’s problems. A famous teacher, Confucius, believed China had become a place full of rude, dishonest, and unethical people. He thought that : 1. Fathers needed to be good role models for their families. 2. Children needed to respect their elders. 3. Family members needed to be loyal to one another. Ethics is a study of what is right and wrong.

Is it OK to move to a closer seat at a sporting event? Ethics : A Closer Look Is it OK to move to a closer seat at a sporting event? If an item at a garage sale is underpriced, should you tell the seller? You find $5 on the playground. Nobody sees you pick it up. Is it OK to keep it? If you’re given credit for doing a chore that your sibling did, should you tell?

Confucius’ Ideas About Government Confucius believed that laws would not bring order to China but leadership would. He believed that if a leader lived ethically, his subjects would follow. Confucius’ teachings spread! He later compiled his ideas into a book called The Analects

Why was this important, do you think? Confucius’ Influence Today, Chinese culture still stresses many of the same values from Confucius’ teachings. Confucius’ teachings changed the way people who were selected to work in government were chosen. “The Golden Rule” is believed to have come from Confucius’ teachings. Why was this important, do you think?

What Do You Mean, Confucius? “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” “Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” “To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.”

Taoism, or Daoism Daoism is a philosophy that was created during the Zhou dynasty. Instead of an active government with good role models as leaders, Daoist teachings stated that government should stay completely out of the lives of the ancient Chinese. Daoism states that people should flow through life like water in a stream and be governed by a ruler in such a way that they don’t know they’re being governed. Laozi, a famous Daoist, taught that people should not seek power or wealth. He also wrote “The Way and Its Power,” a famous Daoist text.

Daoists and the Natural World Feng shui is also of Taoist origin. Daoists and the Natural World While Confucianism focuses a great deal on humans and their actions, Daoism focuses more on nature. Daoists believe the universe is a balance of opposites : female and male, light and dark, low and high, etc. The yin and the yang represent the constant balance that exists in nature.

The Story of the Taoist Farmer

What Do You Mean, Laozi? “One who is too insistent on his own views finds few who agree with him.” “To see things in the seed, that is genius.” “The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own. “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not insistent on arriving.”

Han Fei Zi was one of Legalisms most famous contributors. And Finally…Legalism Legalism was a government philosophy that was created in an attempt to solve the problems the Zhou Dynasty was facing. Its inventor is unknown, but Han Fei Zi is thought to have studied Confucianism before practicing Legalism. It was based upon strict laws and harsh discipline. Han Fei Zi was one of Legalisms most famous contributors.

Legalist Beliefs Legalism was centered around the idea that people were born dishonest and selfish. Legalists believed that people needed to be controlled by a strict set of laws in order to allow for their government to run smoothly.

Legalist Beliefs Continued Legalists believed that the neighbors and relatives of criminals should also be punished. Legalists also believed that China should be ready for war at all times.

What Do You Mean, Han Fei Zi? “It is dangerous for a ruler to trust others. He who trusts others can be manipulated by others.” “If light offenses carry heavy punishments, one can imagine what will be done against a serious offense.”