Intro to Chinese Philosophy

1. Intro to Chinese Philosophy Views on Man, Government, and Nature

2. The Climate • End of the Zhou dynasty • Disjointed kingdom that existed in chaos • Questions of what a good leader should be and what a good subject should be All of this lead to what we now know as the 100 schools period- a golden age of Chinese philosophy.

3. The Men • Confucius- orphaned, impoverished scholar of the noble class. Was denied a government post and opened a school instead. The family man. • Mozi- artisan who worked his way up and, like Confucius, is believed to have opened a school. The hippie intellectual. • Laozi- semi-mythical, maybe a composite of several actual historical figures. Anti- authoritarian. The anarchist.

4. The Philosophies • Confucianism (named for Confucius) • Daoism (led by Laozi) • Moisism (named for Mozi) • Legalism

5. Legalism • People are bad by nature (simple, right!) • … THEREFORE, we need a strong government with strict laws and harsh punishments to keep evil under control. • Han Fei Zi a famous Legalist

6. Moism • In a nutshell: Love, and love alone can solve all problems • Believed in universal love: equal love for all, whether ruler, subject, family, strangers. • Educated men could make decisions if necessary • Mo zi founded

7. Daoism • Goal: to find Dao, or “the way” of the universe • How: by being in harmony with nature and with one’s feelings • Wanted a small, simple society, not too much government • Had a few leaders before Laozi • Holy Book: the Dao De Ching

8. Confucianism • Looked for Dao in the smooth, harmonious relationships between families, people, and governments • Stressed the importance of five basic relationships: husband and wife, father and son, older and younger brother, friend and friend, ruler and subject. • Believed government should be based on the example of virtue, not on laws and punishment.

9. Breakdown of Philosophical Positions