The Shaping of Chinese Traditions

“When the perfect order prevails, the world is like a home shared by all. Virtuous and worthy men are elected to public office, and capable men hold posts of gainful employment in society; peace and trust among all men are the maxims of the living. All men love and respect their own parents and children and children of others. There is caring for the old; there are jobs for adults; there are nourishment and education for children. There is a means of support for the widows, and the widowers; for all who find themselves alone in the world; and for the disabled. Every man and woman has an appropriate role to play in the family and society. A sense of sharing displaces the effects of selfishness and materialism. A devotion to public duty leaves no room for idleness. Intrigues and conniving for ill gain are unknown. Villains such as thieves and robbers do not exist. The door to every home need never be locked and bolted by day or night. These are the characteristics of an ideal world, the commonwealth state.”

K’ung Fu-Tze  Confucius  Chinese thinker, philosopher and teacher

“If a ruler himself is upright, all will go well without orders. But if he himself is not upright, even though he gives orders he will not be obeyed”

“Lead the people by laws and regulate them by penalties, and the people will try to keep out of jail, but will have no sense of shame. Lead the people by virtue and restrain them by the rules of decorum(good taste), and the people will have a sense of shame, and moreover will become good.”

The Five Classics  The Classic of History  The Classic of Poetry or Book of Odes  The Classic of Rites  The Book of Changes or I Ching  The Spring and Autumn Annals

The Shu Ching The Book of Historical Records. This text describes events dating back to the third millenium B.C.E., and was written down during the Han dynasty ( C.E.).

The Shih Ching  The Book of Odes.  This contains poems dating back to B.C.E.

The I Ching  The Book of Changes.  Dating to approximately 3000 B.C.E., this famous oracular book is one of the oldest sacred texts in the world.

The Li Ki  The Book of Rites.  This text describes Chinese religious practice from the eighth to the fifth century B.C.E.

The Ch’un Ch’iu  The Spring and Autumn Annals  was the chronicle of the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period, from 722 BC to 481 BC. Traditionally attributed to Confucius as writer or at least editor, it covers not only annual events of Lu itself but also of the major states of Qi, Jin, Qin and Chu that dominated the politics of these three centuries. The naming of this article reflected some characteristics of agricultural society, as only first three seasons were useful to the peasants - sowing in spring and harvest in autumn. Winter was basically a resting season, thus not counted into a year.

The Four Books  The Analects of Confucius  The Doctrine of the Mean;  The Great Learning;  The Higher Learning;and  The Works of Mencius.

The natural is the essence of all that must be known, and the place where all must return

What is Taoism? Taoism is philosophy. It is spirituality. It is religion. It is logic. It is intuition. It is science. It is myth. It is archetype. It is all of these things and none of these things - and can be so because it transcends, yet includes each of them.

Lao-Tse  The origins of Taoism are lost in obscurity. The basis for it is usually ascribed to a master teacher, Lao-tzu, who is supposed to have written the basic text, also known as the 'Lao-Tzu' or 'Tao-te Ching'. The word tao means "the way," as in the work's English title, 'Classic of the Way and Its Power'. Fundamental to early Taoism was the belief that the Tao is the eternal reality and source of all existence. The goal of individual lives is to avoid earthly things and to live in harmony with the Tao and with nature in hopes of achieving immortality. Taoism has continued to influence Chinese thought and culture up to and including the present day.

Taoist Advances  Taoist priests invented gunpowder for use in firecrackers.  Firecrackers were originally designed to frighten away evil spirits and ghosts

Feng Shui Compass (Lou Pan)  The magnetic compass was invented in order to ensure that human affairs were in line with the natural order  The bodies of the dead also needed to be buried in proper alignment

Taoist Philosophy  The thinking of Lao- Tse has survived in the Tao Te Ching  These writings are also known as The Way and Its Power

Han Fei Tzu  Han Fei Tzu (280?- 233BC) was a prince of the ruling house of the small state of Han. A representative of the "Fa-chia", or Legalist, school of philosophy, he produced the final and most readable exposition of its theories.

Chinese Legalism  Legalism is a political philosophy that does not address higher questions pertaining to the nature and purpose of existence. It is concerned with the most effective way of governing society.