Zhou Philosophy
Key Terms
Philosophy at the time
Practical use for philosophy
Secular thinking: reason and rationality
Competing schools
Confucianism 儒家
Kongzi was born in the state of Lu
Primarily documented as the communication of Kongzi and others or Kongzi’s lecture notes.
Virtue
Attributes: Integrity, sincerity, decorum, respect, kindness
- It is more important than wealth
- Get virtue through self-cultivation, and moral practice
- Proper rites enable the cultivation of virtue
- Virtue is not simply internal; it must be expressed
- Good persona has virtue, good society is led by good men
Gentleman
In summary 有教无类
- Important attributes: integrity, sincerity, decorum, respect, kindness
- Original meaning: “prince” of “son of lord”
- Individual virtue above birth
Benevolence
- Setting up the moral standards
- Promoting the gentlemen
- Pardoning the minor misconducts
- Cautious in killing
The Five Relationships
“Let a prince be a prince, let a minister be a minister, let a father be a father, let a son be a son.”
- Ruler-Subject
- Father-Song
- Husband-Wife
- Old Brother-Young Brother
- Old Friend-Young Friend
The Hierarchy
The productive laborers have more value
- Scholar
- Peasants
- Artisans
- Marchants
Daoism
A withdrawal of the world, and about the nature/world
Founding father: Laozi, Zhuangzi
An amoral universe, non-action, simple and primitive society, freedom, anti-rationalism
Mozi (Mohist): material benefits, good man, useless rites, impartial caring, from belief to practice
Do nothing, and nothing is not done
Should feed the citizen, not enforce desires
Wuwei
Going with the flow and not fighting against nature
When you make a force, there is always a counterforce
Legalism
Man was born bad
Han Feizi
- Rulers set and enforce clear and impartial laws
- Enforcement of laws should be based on objective standards
- Rewarding or punishing actions, not intentions
- Rule by man vs Rule by law
- Autocratic approach and total authority
- Denies the existence of the supernatural or willful heaven