Key Concepts in Confucianism and Taoism

Posted on Aug 20, 2024 in Religion

What is the Idea of Jen (Ren)?

Interalogy and Filial Piety

  1. Interalogy–the relationships between things; filial piety (Hsiao/Xiao) is the root of Ren
  2. Relationship with others and the natural world– interconnectedness
  3. Foundation of everything in the universe
  4. What is its significance for the whole teaching?
  • Embody goodness in one’s relationships with others
  • Respecting elders; loyalty to your parents; unconditional love and care from child to parents
  • Humanity (not the best translation) — human-heartedness (better term, but not a perfect translation)
  • Don’t have depraved thoughts

Cultivating the Heart

  1. How do you think about it? Why? (42)
  • You need to cultivate your heart before you can love others/other things
  • Own heart -> family -> society -> world -> universe -> one

Universal Tao

  1. Universal Tao
  • Governs the transformation of things; process of “becoming”
  • Connect to Jen through harmony and connect to Tien by it being The Way to reach Tien though wei wuwei (do non-doing) — effortless action and spontaneity

Cardinal Virtue

  1. Cardinal Virtue
  • There are five cardinal virtues:
    • Jen (Ren) – foundation
    • Yi → justice, righteousness, straightforwardness, appropriateness
      • Love doesn’t always make things right, can cause hurt (i.e., ISIS/ISIL’s love for Allah, Crusades, etc.)
    • Li → rituals/rites; codes in society need to be followed (i.e., teacher-student conduct), norms of action (morals), how you live your life
    • Zhi → knowledge and wisdom (obtain knowledge on all other cardinal virtues–functional)
    • Xin (Hsin) → trustworthiness, credibility, honesty

Human Nature and Harmony

  1. Human nature and the way of harmonizing human relations (socio-political) and the entire universe
  • Cannot harmonize human relations unless you first rectify/cultivate your own heart
  • Need to rectify your heart to create harmony with the One
  • Own heart -> family -> society -> world -> universe -> one

Harmony Between Tien and Human Being

  1. The harmony between Tien and human being
  • (From the study guide): What Heaven imparts to man is called human nature (hsing). To follow our nature is called Tao. Cultivating the Way is called education (jiao). Tao cannot be separated from us for a moment. What can be separated from us is not Tao.
  • Before Confucius, the ‘Supreme Power’ was called Ti (the Lord) or Shang-ti and was understood in an anthropomorphic sense…Confucius never spoke of Ti…’ (he spoke of Heaven…”His heaven is purposive and is the master of all things” (16)
  • To go against Heaven would be to go against human nature and actual nature, to do this would be to go against the Earth because Tien (Heaven), Ren (Human), and Earth represent the Earth as a whole

Tien-min/Tian Ming

  1. Tien-min/tian ming
  • Metaphysical presupposition (spirit & destiny) (life & death)
  • This is the Mandate/will or order of Heaven
  • “Heaven is no longer the greatest of all spiritual beings who rules in a personal manner but a Supreme Being who only reigns, leaving his Moral Law to operate by itself” (16)→”This is the Way according to which civilization should develop and men should behave”→later called the Principle of Heaven (Tien-li)
  • Pgs. 22-23: depends on one’s own philosophy
    • Before the T’ang dynasty, was meant as the decree of God or the rise and fall of the moral order
    • Other interpretation is that it is the operation of Nature which “makes things be as they are”
    • Mandate of Heaven: personal destiny, course of order; in religion, can mean fate, personal order of God; in philosophy, can mean moral destiny, natural endowment, or moral order

Yi and Li

  1. Yi and Li? (42) Its relation to Jen?
    1. The idea of yi is rather formal, but that of Jen (human-heartedness) is much more concrete. The formal essence of the duties of man in society is their “oughtness,” because all these duties are what he ought to do. But the material essence of these duties is “loving others,” i.e., jen or human-heartedness.
  • Yi = justice, righteousness, meaning Li = rituals, moral rightness, (not religious)

The Argument on Yi and Li (Profit)?

  1. The argument on Yi and Li (Profit)?
  • The small man comprehends Li and the righteous man comprehends Yi. These two cannot correlate-see above-because Li is doing something for the sake of something else, while Yi is doing something for the good in itself. If a moral thing is done but only because of non-moral conditions, it is no longer righteous.
  • This is an example of the rule of law-west and the rule of virtue.
  • Law-social contract between humans-do things rightly because they don’t want to be punished but have no moral reasons for doing something.
  • Virtue-Following laws because the laws are good in themselves and human nature is good-following for moral sake not out of fear of punishment. People feel ashamed of themselves when they do wrong-understand the moral implications of their wrongdoing.

The “One Thread” in Kung-tzu’s Tao

  1. What is the “one thread” that runs through Kung-tzu’s Tao? Chong/zhong and Shu? (43)
  • It could mean a system or body of doctrines that run through all of Confucius’ teaching
  • Neo-Confucianists take it to mean that there is one mind to respond to all things
  • It could mean that there is only one moral principle for all actions
  • Chung (the full development of one’s [originally] good mind) = conscientiousness
  • Shu (the extension of that mind to others) = altruism
  • Chung is the Way of Heaven, whereas shu is the way of man; the former is substance, while the latter is function

Tao–Kung Tzu (Confucius) and Lao-tzu (169)

  1. Tao–Kung Tzu (Confucius) and Lao-tzu (169)
  • Confucius
    • Emphasize human effort
    • Moral practice
    • Work hard to reach the Tao
    • Man-made rules
    • Pretty much the conformity idea
    • Forward progress is the goal
  • Lao-tzu
    • Let go/do nothing (wu-wei) to reach the Tao
    • Pretty much the harmony idea
    • Returning/going back to the “good ‘ol days”
    • Spontaneous heart is better/good/more going towards the Tao
  • If you’re originally good, why not do what you want?
  • “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” (Madison, Federalist #51)
  • If you forget about yourself, you become a unique individual
  • For Taoism, we already are nature, anti-civilization

Five Cardinal Virtues

  1. Five Cardinal Virtues
  • (Look under cardinal virtue, #4)
  • Confucian ethics is characterized by the promotion of these virtues.
  • Also known as the five constants
    • Ren – Humaneness
    • Yi – righteousness or justice
    • Li – proper or rites; ritual
    • Zhi – knowledge
    • Xin – integrity

Chun-tzu/Junzi

  1. Chun-tzu/junzi
  • Being a virtuous/cultivated person who knows how to respond virtuously to any situation
  • Virtues cultivated: ren, li, yi, [shu?]

Hsiao/Xiao, Filial Piety and its Significance in the Teaching

  1. Hsiao/xiao, filial piety and its significance in the teaching
  • Root of Ren/Jen; considered to be loyalty/love for your parents (even if your parents are bad/evil, it is a son’s/daughter’s duty to take care of them still)
  • Shows how Ren/Jen works with relationships and interalogy; following a person’s social role and fulfilling his/her duty. For example, if a parent dies, the child must stay in the house with the family for 3 years.

Meng-tzu’s (Mencius) Argument of Human Nature?

  1. Meng-tzu’s (Mencius) argument of human nature?
  • Humanity is intrinsically good, but external forces cause us not to be good
  • Example of a child falling down a well–if someone witnessed this about to happen, he would automatically go try to save the child, not for his own self-gain but because he doesn’t want it to suffer.

Hsun-tzu’s Position on Human Nature

  1. Hsun-tzu’s position on human nature? What is the conclusion derived from such a position?
  • Hsun Tzu was a founder of legalism; liked the concept of Li
  • Rule of Law (which is the opposite of the rule of virtue/Ren)

Rectification of the Names

  1. Rectification of the names
  • Politics in terms of social life-government must rectify names to run properly. Confusion is largely caused because of misunderstanding of names. Names represent the object and try to represent the essence of the object. E.g., The word “ruler” tries to represent the essence of the ruler and what virtues he must follow and practice. Same with “minister” “father” “son”-within each name is the representation of the duties and virtues within each role.
  • Things ought to be named for what they are and to become what they are named. Differences between the name and what it refers to ought to be eliminated. Confucius thought that this was the big problem in politics (isn’t it still true today?)

Yi Ching (166)

  1. Yi Ching (166)
  • Book of Changes-the ceaseless interaction between yin and yang, tai chi- changing oneself to become healthier, stronger, etc.
  • Cosmological theory-
  • Universe of constant change and whatever comes from this change is good. Yin and yang are continuously changing and these comprise Tao (the Way)?
  • Originally interpreted as a book of divination; now interpreted as a book of spirituality

Golden Mean: Chung-yung/Zhong Yong (172) (Chang, 97)

  1. Golden Mean: Chung-yung/Zhong Yong (172) (Chang, 97)
  • Neither too much nor too little, a balance between things, neither excess nor poverty. In a word: temperance. One should learn, read and study, but not too much there

Great Learning

  1. Great Learning
  1. Rectified heart
  2. Make your will sincere
  3. Analyze external things
  4. Knowledge
  5. Cultivating oneself
  6. Make a good family
  7. Society
  8. Universe

Cheng (176)

  1. Cheng (176)
  • The Chung says again: “The quality of ch’eng does not simply consist in perfecting oneself. It is that whereby one perfects all other things. The perfection of the self lies in the quality of Ren [human-heartedness]. The perfection of the other things lies in the wisdom. In this virtue of the nature. It is the way through which comes the union between inner and outer.”

Wang and P’a (74) the Rule of Virtue and the Rule of Law

  1. Wang and P’a (74) the rule of virtue and the rule of law
  • The Rule of Virtue:
    • Be an exemplar of virtue, and people will be drawn to your state.
    • Assumption: Human nature is originally good — bad people are simply uncultivated minds
  • The Rule of Law:
    • Set laws in place to put boundaries around and protect people from others and from themselves.
    • Assumption: Human nature is bad — laws are needed to keep people safe
  • The Rule of Law is necessary, both because the Rule of Virtue is impractical, and because people do not naturally do what is right. (And even when they do, it is often not according to their first inclination/instinct).

Hao Jan Chih Ch’i/hao Ran Zhi Qi (78)

  1. Hao Jan Chih Ch’i/hao ran zhi qi (78)
  • Mencius replied: “I know the right and wrong in speech, and am proficient in cultivating my Hao Jan Chih Ch’i.” The questioner then asked what this was, and Mencius replied: “It is the Ch’i, supremely great, supremely strong. If it be directly cultivated without handicap, then it pervades all between Heaven and Earth. It is the Ch’i which is achieved by the combination of righteousness and Tao [the way, the truth], and without these it will be weakened.”

Te (De)

  1. Te (De)
  • Virtue in general; to gain virtue
  • Concrete
  • Function
  • In actual moral practice; moral norms

Six Classics and Four Classics in Confucianism

  1. Six classics and four classics in Confucianism
  • The six classics:
    • Book of Change–idea of Tai Chi; yin-yang concept
    • Book of History
    • Book of Music
    • Book of Poetry
    • Li
    • Chin Chui = spring/autumn?
  • 4 Classics in the Great Learning shows two things: rectified heart, make your will sincere, purify the heart/will AND be able to observe and get in touch with external things
    • Circle demonstration (heart, will, knowledge, cultivation, family, society, universe)

Yin and Yang

  1. Yin and Yang
  • Complementary aspects to the Tao (Dao)
  • “Passive and active cosmic forces or elements” (14)
  • Yin- backward force
  • Yang-forward force
  • The two forces interact and balance each other

Confucius’ Notion on Learning and Knowledge

  1. Confucius’ notion on learning and knowledge
  • Confucius taught that learning and gaining knowledge was a way of following Tao. He wrote that if one has free time from taking care of one’s family then use that time to study.

Harmony and Uniformity (174)

  1. Harmony and uniformity (174)
  • Harmony is to be preferred over uniformity
  • With harmony, just go with Nature/go with the flow/becoming Oneness (Dao)
  • For Lao-tzu
    • The manifestation of the Tao
    • Practical outworking of the Tao

Tao Te Ching

  1. Tao Te Ching – Can be translated “The Classic of the Way’s Virtues”
  • The text for Taoism
  • Tao: the Way; the essential, unnamable process of the universe
  • Te: ethics, (practical) morality
  • Ching: prudence, seriousness

Tzu-jan/Ziran

  1. Tzu-jan/ziran – Tao is the Way of Tzu-jan
  • Tzu, self, Jan, so, literally mean self-so or thus-so, as it is. Things happen spontaneously or naturally without inference of human desire or artificiality.
  • Spontaneity and nature of things — p’o, uncarved.

The Principle of Reversal

  1. The principle of reversal
  • From the study guide:
    • The movement of Tao is reversal. The weakness is the use of Tao.
    • Everything exists with its opposite and the opposite makes everything as it is
    • Returning to the origin or to the root; go back to the point of creation (Wu) and to attain the Oneness of the universe
    • A way to know or see the world from the origin
    • A way to be efficient and effective by doing things in a reverse way

Lao-tzu

  1. Lao-tzu
  • Wrote one of the main texts for Taoism (the Tao-Te-Ching)
  • Founder of philosophical Taoism
  • Kind of a contemporary with Confucius
  • Emphasized the idea of wu-wei
  • Contrary to Confucian teaching, Lao-tzu emphasized the idea of wu-wei, doing nothing
    • Not literally meaning doing absolutely nothing, but rather doing nothing contrary to Nature
  • While Confucius emphasized the doctrine of the Rectification of Names, Lao-tzu emphasized the Nameless/Way/Tao

Taoism and its Basic Ideas

  1. Taoism and its basic ideas
  • Cannot (ultimately) express the Tao in words
  • Tao is being-in-itself (can never be known – Kant)
  • Describing the creative process takes away from it
  • Taoism – a philosophy of openness
  • Cannot have being w/o non-being
  • Be part of the Tao — cannot possess it
  • Don’t see Tao as something to be fully/ultimately grasped
  • If you want to reach the Tao, forget about it
  • Taoism – about the process (as-it-is)
  • Taoism – the process by which Oneness is reached

Wu and Yu

  1. Wu and yu
  • Wu (from the study guide)–nothingness, non-being, emptiness, void
    • Wu as emptiness/void: to make use or utility of things
    • Wu as non-being: to make room for freedom and creativity
    • Wu as undifferentiated one of the natural world (no-self, no-body)
    • Wu as practice of emptying the mind (no-desire)
  • Yu (from class)
    • Weak, soft, relating it to ‘woman’
    • What is considered hard is a dead body whereas a child is considered soft and full of life