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artsmia/arts-of-asia/china/dynasties/chou.cfm

Source: Henricks, Robert. Title: Confucius, the Tao, the ancestors and the Buddha: Religions of China [video recording] -- Notes on Lesson 2: Religion in Ancient China Ancient Religious Foundation of China – Time of: Western Chou (Zhou) (1122 BC –771 BC)

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artsmia/arts-of-asia/china/dynasties/chou.cfm

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  1. Source: Henricks, Robert. Title: Confucius, the Tao, the ancestors and the Buddha: Religions of China [video recording] -- Notes on Lesson 2: Religion in Ancient China Ancient Religious Foundation of China – Time of: Western Chou (Zhou) (1122 BC –771 BC) & Eastern Chou (Zhou) (770 BC – 256 BC) Dynasties http://www.artsmia.org/arts-of-asia/china/dynasties/chou.cfm

  2. Two Systems of Religious Assurance based on an Active Deity 1. Mandate of Heaven: “God” in Heaven is just • Mandate from heaven to earthly ruler will provide for a just and orderly society • Mandate will be removed if earthly ruler causes injustice and disorder • Good rewarded, bad punished

  3. Two Systems of Religious Assurance based on an Active Deity 2. In return for proper sacrifices Heaven will provide for a bountiful existence on earth • Do sacrifices correctly • Do sacrifices in a meaningful way • Nature remains orderly, controlled http://www.maltergalleries.com/062301auctioncat2.html

  4. Question of Theodicy*: What happens to the beliefs if two things don’t occur?*From the Greek words "theos" (God) and "dike" (justice). Attempts to harmonize the goodness of God with the existence of evil in the world. w.religioustolerance.org/gl_t.htm 1. What if injustice & disorder reigns and “king” isn’t punished? • Instead the innocent suffer 2. What if a drought or other long term natural disaster occurs? • Nature seems to rebel

  5. In 800BC both occur • King Yu has long, unjust, and disorderly reign, finally killed in 770BC but: • Mandate not really removed – given to son • and injustice went on for too long 2. A terrible drought sweeps the nation, regardless of sacrifices it continues http://www.china-on-site.com/pages/comic/124.php

  6. King You of Zhou From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia King You of Zhou (795 - 771 BC) (Chinese: 周幽王; pinyin: Zhōu Yōu Wáng) was the twelfth sovereign of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty and the last of Western Zhou Dynasty. He reigned from 781 to 771 BC. In 780 BC, a major earthquake hit Guanzhong. A soothsayer named Bo Yangfu (伯陽甫/伯阳甫) considered this an omen foretelling the destruction of the Zhou Dynasty. In 779 BC, a concubine named Baosi entered the palace and came into King You's favour. She bore him a son named Bofu (伯服)[A]. King You deposed Queen Shen (申后) and Crown Prince Yijiu (宜臼). He made Baosi the new queen and Bofu the new crown prince. It is said that Baosi did not laugh easily. After trying many methods and failing, King You tried to amuse his favourite queen by lighting warning beacons and fooling his nobles into thinking that the Quanrong (犬戎) nomads were about to attack. The nobles arrived at the castle only to find themselves laughed at by Baosi. Even after King You had impressed Baosi, he continued to abuse his use of warning beacons and lost the trust of the nobles. Queen Shen's father, the Marquess of Shen (申侯), was furious at the deposition of his daughter and grandson Crown Prince Yijiu and mounted an attack on King You's palace with the Quanrong. King You called for his nobles using the previously abused beacons but none came. In the end, King You and Bofu were killed and Baosi was captured.

  7. Theodicy – reconciling a just diety with the existence of evil in the world • If “God” is just why do innocent people suffer? • Is God just? • The drought especially is indiscriminate punishment – what have we ritually done wrong?

  8. Period of Change 800-500BC • Doubts raised • New ways of thinking arise • New understandings are created • Beginning of Philosophy • Individuals now can express own thoughts of how things work • Sacrifices don’t assure an end to droughts, but need to continue ceremonies & sacrifices anyway

  9. Confucius’ expresses this change • Diety much more removed from day to day events • He wants world to be good but doesn’t control things • No longer expect good rewarded and bad punished

  10. Confucius cont. • Sacrifices no longer Objective (you sacrifice -- nature responds) • Sacrifices are Subjective – you sacrifice for what it does for you personally • Sacrifice teaches decorum and discipline • Sacrifice helps with “my” development

  11. To Confucius success in the world depends on the nature of human beings not the gods

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