1. Chinese Religion and Philosophy

2. Confucius Kongfuzi (551-479 B.C.) Analects – recorded sayings
Importance of ethics – everyone devoted to fulfilling his or her role

3. Confucius
Filial Piety – more than just obedience of children to their parents
“You can be of service to your father and mother by remonstrating with them tactfully. If you perceive that they do not wish to follow your advice, then continue to be reverent toward them without offending or disobeying them; work hard and do not murmur against them.”

4. Confucius Five Relationships
Mutual obligations in a hierarchy – senior leads and protects, junior supports and obeys
Ruler and subject
Father and son
Husband and wife
Elder and younger brother
Mutual obligations between equals
Friend and friend

5. Confucius Stressed gentlemanly conduct (junzi)
Developed through moral cultivation rather than noble birth
“The gentleman feels bad when his capabilities fall short of the task. He does not feel bad when people fail to recognize him.”
Intelligent, talented people will rise in social status – Gentleman will serve the ruler.

6. Confucius Humanity (ren) – the ultimate virtue
“When you go out, treat everyone as if you were welcoming a great guest. Employ people as though you were conducting a great sacrifice. Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you. Then neither in your country nor in your family will there be complaints against you.”

7. Confucius Stressed the power and importance of studying
“I once spent a whole day without eating and a whole night without sleeping in order to think. It was of no use. It is better to study.”

8. Daoism Striving to make things better will generally make them worse.
“The Way” – Dao
Laozi and Zhuangzi – 3rd Century B.C.

9. Daoism
Laozi
“Yielding over assertion”
Water benefits all, but does not compete
“Do not honor the worthy, and the people will not compete. Do not value rare treasures, and the people will not steal…A sage governs this way. He empties people’s minds and fills their bellies…Keep the people always without knowledge and without desires…Engage in no action and order will prevail.

10. Daoism Laozi (continued) People would be better off if they: Knew less
Gave up tools
Renounced writing
Stopped envying their neighbors
Lost their desire to travel
Not engage in war

11. Daoism
Zhuangzi
Similar beliefs as Laozi
Life vs. death
“People fear what they do not know, the same way a captive girl will be terrified when she learns she is to become the king’s concubine.”
John Lennon, “Imagine”

12. Legalism Reaction to Warring States Period
Rulers wanted to accumulate power
Rigorous laws and procedures
Han Feizi
“When the ruler trusts someone, he falls under that person’s control.”

13. Legalism Han Feizi (continued)
“Think of parents’ relations to their children. They congratulate each other when a son is born, but complain when a daughter is born. Why do parents have these divergent responses when both are equally their offspring? It is because they calculate their long- term advantage. Since even parents deal with their children in this calculating way, what can one expect when there is no parent-child bond? When present-day scholars counsel rulers, they all tell them to rid themselves of thoughts of profit and follow the path to mutual love. This is expecting rulers to go further than parents.”

14. Legalism Legalism stresses the strength of the leader
No value in debate or opinion
No laws should limit the rulers’ actions
Han Feizi imprisoned and forced to drink poison in 233 B.C.