Which philosophy or belief system did some Chinese rulers use to justify their absolute power over their subjects?ConfucianismImperialismDaoismbureaucratismlegalism

When did Confucian political philosophy first gain acceptance among the Chinese ruling class?Group of answer choicesDuring the late Zhou eraDuring Shang ruleDuring the Warring States periodDuring the Han eraDuring Tang rule

Question 8 of 10How did the Chinese view their emperor?A.As one who has divine right to rule all nationsB.As one with uncontested intelligenceC.As one who governs in humilityD.As one with supernatural powersSUBMITarrow_backPREVIOUS

SH1910 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 3 The East Asian Belief Systems and Religions While East Asia's most predominant religion is Buddhism, there are two belief systems and an ancient religion worth of note to be studied. Two of them came from China, while the other came from Japan. CONFUCIANISM Origins of Confucianism Confucianism is a philosophy created or at least spread by an ancient Chinese scholar – Kung Fu Tze or simply Confucius. It began merely as a desire to find the most righteous path for leaders to take. As he studied, the philosophy he developed came to apply to more than just the leader and cover practically all aspects of Chinese society. The Basic Confucianist Beliefs Confucianism's original purpose is to reinforce state leaders' responsibility, especially with the "mandate of heaven," which is a widely held belief in the Chinese government during that time. The mandate of heaven is the concept that the gods choose the emperor to rule all over China. That being said, Confucius desired for leaders to understand more of their responsibility towards their subjects. He began attracting followers, and they were the ones who compiled his teachings and thoughts into the main book of Confucianist view, the Analects. While their teachings cover a vast majority of topics, the common theme within the Analects and the rest of Confucianist works was respect towards people and the value of education. Education for Confucian philosophy is an essential factor for people to become a better person. Studying the past allows people to learn from people's mistakes then and make them a better person. As for relationships, Confucius narrowed it down into five (5) essential relationships. 5 BASIC RELATIONSHIPS 1. Father-Son/Parent-Child • This relationship focuses on the aspect that the child has an obligation to his parent, and the parent is also responsible for raising his child to become a better person. • This is one of the main aspects of why familial relationships and inheritance are seen with high regard in Chinese society. Therefore, sons are sometimes favored over daughters to continue the 'family name.' 2. Elder Brother-Younger Brother • As Elder Sibling-Younger Sibling, this aspect focuses on an older sibling's responsibilities to his younger sibling/s. This emphasizes the kind of example the older brother must show to his younger siblings worthy of his father's inheritance. • This is another reason why there was once a predominant belief that the oldest son must be married first than any other of his siblings in Chinese families. 3. Husband-Wife • This relationship focuses on the duties of couples to each other. While the husband's primary purpose is to provide for the family's needs, the wife must also take care of the home and the family to ensure the continuation of the family's lineage. • Inadvertently, this kind of belief reinforced the idea that women were lower than men in ancient times. 4. Elder Friend-Younger Friend • Like the elder sibling-younger sibling relationship, this primarily focuses more on what kind of lessons can be imparted to the younger friend by the older friend. 5. Ruler-Subject • Perhaps one of the most focal points of Confucianist beliefs, this relationship focuses on the idea that the emperor has a role in fulfilling, ensuring his subjects' lives are acceptable. If not, he loses the mandate of heaven. • It also presupposes that for the ruler to accomplish that, the subjects must be willing to fulfill its government's goal. THE CONFUCIAN VIRTUES SH1910 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 3 1. Ren (Benevolence or humaneness) It means generally doing things that benefit other people. A person practicing ren has compassion for others. 2. Li (Propriety) It means acting appropriately in a given situation. This includes acting in situations such as religious rites, speaking, behaving, dressing, etc. 3. Shu (Reciprocity) Essentially, this is the Golden Rule: Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you. It means doing good deeds, which would gain you respect, so people who treat you do not treat you negatively. 4. Xiao (Filial Piety) It is to show love, respect, and devotion to one's family and the community's elders. This does not just include ones, direct relatives. There is also a form of filial piety between the ruler and subject. 5. Wen (Culture) This points to appreciating one's culture and even acquiring the skills to enhance that culture further. THE SACRED TEXTS While these texts are not in most ways religious, certain portions do touch on religious rites. These texts' primary purpose is to guide those practicing Confucianism on how they should make themselves better. A. The Five Classics 1. Book of History/Documents A collection of the deeds of emperors and contains the idea of the Mandate of Heaven. They are mostly used to help guide rulers to become better emperors. 2. Book of Poetry A collection of 305 poems of the Zhou period, whose topics include love and war, are grouped into folk songs, festal songs sun at court ceremonies, hymns, and eulogies sung at sacrifices to heroes ancestral spirits of the royal house. 3. Book of Changes It is a divination book that refers to a system that shows the universe's patterns by using the hexagrams that supposedly predict the future. This book introduced the concept of yin and yang. 4. Book of Rites It is a book containing detailed rules for performing rites and court ceremonies. 5. Spring and Autumn Annals A collection of historical records about Lu's state, the state where Confucius was born and died. B. The Four Books 1. Analects A collection of the sayings, speeches, and discussions of Confucius and his followers. It is a collection of Confucius's writings as Confucius did not write down his teachings. 2. Great Learning It discusses how it is to be a noble person and deals with three central Confucian concerns: education, morality, and politics. It focuses on developing one's virtue through learning. This is a chapter in the Book of the Rites. 3. Doctrine of the Mean This book demonstrates the relation of the Way of Heaven, which teaches harmony and essentially a life of moderation or equilibrium (believed to have significantly influenced or have been greatly influenced by Daoism). 4. Mencius A collection of the teachings of Mencius, mostly of his conversations with kings during his time. It is written similarly to the Analects. Mencius is considered the second great Confucian thinker after Confucius. THE CONCEPT OF JUNZI Like Taoism's teachings, the Confucian belief added that a person needs to be in harmony with heaven's way. But, unlike Taoism, Confucian belief suggests that education is the primary way to achieve harmony with heaven's way. Such an ideal human is called a junzi, translated as a superior, excellent, or noble person. SH1910 0 5 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 3 of 3 Challenges to Confucianism 1. Modernity • There is a problem in Confucian belief clashing with more modern beliefs such as communism, pragmatism, and modern technology. • Pragmatism also suggests that Confucian belief of relationships is somewhat similar to that of enslavement. By dictating , one needs to revere their ancestors, pragmatists question when their ancestors are evil and oppressive . 2. Legacy Building • While the original intent is to respect their dead loved ones, ancestral veneration has evolved in Chinese culture to become a legacy -building tradition, focusing too much on making a name for themselves. Unsuccessful members are considered at times trash and are shunned from the family. • The last names of Chinese families are desired to be passed ; hence there is a 'favoritism ' towards male children as they can continue the family name — others involve d in arranged marriages as part of business deals. 3. Inequality to Women • There is also a question on how China is primarily a patriarchal community – meaning there is a premium on men. Traditionally, China reserved its educational and political system for men. Women are only expected to take care of their husband 's home. References: Mabaquiao, N. (2017) The Padayon Series: Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House Inc. Manaloto, C. & Rapadas, M. (2016). Pilgrimage to sacred spaces: an introduction to world religions. Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House Inc.

Why did the Chinese people resent the rulers of the Yuan dynasty?Because they failed to successfully invade JapanBecause they were considered to be uncivilized foreignersBecause they spent money on expensive public works projectsBecause they punished Confucian scholar for studying their religion

important person in chinese history