The Chinese Way (Sao Chiao)

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The Chinese Way(Sao Chiao)
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• I. Introduction
• A. Religion in the Far East quite different
  than religion in India
• 1. Concern in India is ultimate realitythe
  Far East is not concerned with such issues
• 2. There is a radical humanisma desire to
  live in this world
• 3. Humanity is the measure of all things
• 4. Humanity has no need for a savior, since
  humans are not sinful or evil
• 5. Humanity is basically good and only needs
  proper education of precepts or examples to live
  the virtuous lifeno word for sin in Chinese

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• 6. Thought could be seen as an ethical system,
  with stress on the state and peace
• 7. No concept of separating the sacred and
  secular
• 8. There are no dogmatic or categorical
  statements
• 9. The apprehension of truth is always partial

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• B. Three faiths in China co-exist and a Chinese
  could belong to all threethey are complementary
  rather than rivalsthus the Sao Chio
• 1. Tao ChiaoTaoism
• 2. Ju ChiaoConfucianism
• a. Literally means the way of learning b.
  It is the most revered of the 3 traditions
• c. It stresses hope for humanity through
  education
• 3. Fo ChiaoBuddhism
• a. Fo is the word for Buddha
• b. It is a special appeal in face of death
  and afterlife

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Pre-History
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• I. Three Cultural Heroes, 2800-2600 BCE
• A. Fu Hsiinventor of writing, hunting,
  trapping, and fishing
• B. Shen Nung, inventor of agriculture and
  mercantilism
• C. Yellow Emperor (c2700 BCE), invented
  government and Taoist philosophy

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• II. The Three Sage Kings
• A. Yao (2350 BCE)
• B. Shun (2250 BCE)
• C. Yu (2205 BCE)
• D. These kings ruled with perfect wisdom,
  clarity, and virtue
• E. In Chinese model of history, human events
  follow discernible cycles in which times of
  great virtue and wisdom are followed by times
  of decadence and decline

First Emperor
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Background of Chinese Religion
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• A. Confucius and Lao-Tse emphasized they were
  only transmitting the wisdom of the ancients
• B. Political history
• 1. Like most ancient cultures, Chinese culture
  centered around rivers
• a. Most important is the Yellow River
• b. Second most important is the Yangtseit
  divided North and South China
• c. Third important river is the Si River

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• 2. Government began with the Hsia Dynasty (c.
  2005 BCE-1765 BCE)
• a. Last of sage kings, Yu, founded a
  dynasty of kings, Hsia
• b. Began with virtue and wisdom ended with
  rule of Chieh who was decadent and cruel
• c. In 1766 BCE, Husia dynasty overthrown by
  Tang, who founded the Shang dynasty

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• 3. The Shang Dynasty was from 1765-1122 BCE
• a. Began worshipping Shang-tiLord on High
• b. Ancestors dwelled in heaven after their
  death and continued to show interest in family
• c. Obligations to remember the ancestors

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• 4. The Chou Dynasty was from 1122-721 BCE in
  the West and 276 BCE in the East
• a. Confucius and Lao-Tse lived in the East
  at this time
• b. Both went through experience of
  disillusionment with government
• c. Kingdom became divided
• d. Chou invented the tien ming (Mandate of
  Heaven)

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• e. Chinese character for emperor (ti)
  consists of three horizontal lines joined by a
  vertical linerepresents the connection between
  heaven (at top) and earth (at the bottom)
• f. Relationship is mediated by the emperor
  represented by the horizontal line
• g. Heaven tien desires that humans be
  provided for their needs the emperor function
  to provide those needs

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• h. If the emperor fails to see to the welfare
  of the people, heaven withdraws its mandate and
  invests it in another

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• 5. From 722-221 BCE there was a gradual decay
  of the feudal system
• a. The Period of The One Hundred Schools
  (551-223 BCE)
• b. Most important figure is Kung Fu Tzu or
  Confucius
• c. Lao Tzu also wanted to reform government
• d. Mo Tzu was third major school
• e. Legalists emerged during latter years
• 6. In 221 BCE Shih-Huant-Ti united China
  again considered to be one of the greatest of
  emperors

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• C. Mythology of the first human
• 1. Pan-Kur was considered to be the first man
• a. He formed the earth and sky out of
  primeval chaos
• b. He lived for 1800 years
• c. His breath was the wind, voice the
  thunder, and the world grew as he grew
• d. His remains formed the sacred mountains
  of China
• e. His eyes became the sun and moon hair
  became the trees
• 2. The myth tells how certain human kings were
  able to teach humanity arts, crafts, etc.

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• D. Early Characteristics of Chinese Religion
• 1. Animism
• a. Especially evident in early Taoism
• b. The spirits were given an important
  role in human life
• c. Northing occurred by accident
• d. Everything influenced by good spirits
  (shen) or evil spirits (kwei)

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• 2. Ancestor Worshipveneration and reverence
  for ones ancestors
• a. Death does not break family bonds
• b. They may be able to renounce gods, priests,
  and religion before they would renounce an
  ancestor
• c. Children always have first responsibility
  to their parentsdeeply ingrained

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• 3. Religion was centered in the Emperor and
  sanctioned by the state
• a. Religion was a state religion
• b. Center of religion was identified with
  imperial rule
• c . Chinese word for god is the same word as
  ruler
• d. In Chinese Shang-ti--Supreme Ruler, Son of
  Heaven
• e. Loyalty to state is a religious dogma
• f. Citizenship is part of religion

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• 4. The Chinese concept of nature as a sacred
  and essential context of human existence
• a. Nature appeared to be both changing and
  constant
• b. No real concept of creator or creation
• c. To help explain the dualism of change and
  consistency, the Ying (darkness, cold, female)
  and the Yang (light, warm, male) was established
• d. Another aspect of nature was the mixture or
  proportions of the five vital forces (water,
  fire, wood, metal, and earth
• e. With the Yin-Yang dualism and the five
  vital forces, there is the Chinese explanation
  of nature

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• 5. Folk Religion
• a. Early folk religion was an attempt to
  explain nature and employs a logic more symbolic
  than that of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements
• b. It emphasizes the similarities and
  differences within nature, whatever shape, size,
  or name attributed to elements
• c. Magic was popular due to the practice of
  feng-shuithe study of winds and watergeomancy
• (1) it has as its aim how to position a
  building most auspiciously
• (2) in a convoluted symbolism employing
  dragons and tigers, it tried to make the living
  forces of nature yield good fortune by figuring
  out the spiritual lay of the land
• (3) for example, straight lines were to be
  evil influences
• (4) trees or a fresh pond could ward off evil
  influences
• d. Mediums and shamans played important roles
• e. Evil was personified and capable of being
  exorcised

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Confucianism
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Introduction

• I. Confucius (Kung Fu-Tsu 551-479 BCE) can be
  seen as the father of Chinese culture by
  transforming the ancient traditions into the
  beginning of a code of conduct for social
  relationships and a political philosophy and
  would become state orthodoxy in the Han dynasty
  (206-200 CE)

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• He lived during a time of great chaos and
  political turmoil
• A. Warring semi-independent states were fighting
  for favor with the emperor during Chou Dynasty
• Social structure was feudal land aristocracy
• He became minister of justice in his home state
  of Lu where he brought about reform and was
  successful
• The rule of ChI became jealous of the
  improvement of Lu and tried to sabotage Confucius
  by sending to him wine, women, and song
• Confucius left politics in disgust

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• F. He became a wandering teacher with a small
  band of disciples and met with rebuff and
  disappointment
• G. Many corrupt leaders did fear his influence
• H. At age of 70 he returns to Lu and spent five
  years writing
• I. He was precise in personal appearance---he
  liked and stressed ceremonies
• J. He was not interested in pomp and majesty
  per se, but did believe that outward acts are
  important

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• II Is Confucianism a religion?
• A. Depends upon ones definition of religion
• B. It is not a theistic religion
• C. He was not iconoclasticjust not concerned
  with celestial matters with so many problems on
  the terrestrial sphere
• D. It can be seen as a religion in the sense
  that there is an emphasis on faith, for example,
  commitment, humanity will not be changed by
  precept but by example

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Confucian Classicstwo types

• I. The Wu Ching the five classics
• A. Book of HistoryShu Ching consists of
  chronicles, speeches, and other material from the
  Chou period
• B. Book of Poetry Shih Ching consists of 305
  songs or poems dating from 10th to 7th centuries
  BCE
• C. Book of Rites Li Ching a 2nd century BCE
  compilation of earlier materials dealing with
  ceremonies

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• D. Book of Changes I Ching book of divination
• E. Annals of Spring and Autumn Ch-un Chiu a
  chronological record of important regents in the
  state of Lu from 722 to 481 BCE

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• II. Ssu Shu The Four Books
• A. Book of Great Learning Ta Hsueh
• B. Doctrine of Mean Chung Yung
• C. Annalects Lun Yu
• D. The Books of Mencius

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Key Words

• I. Jen basic Confucianvirtue of man, authentic
  character, supreme valuethe measure of all men,
  highest and most profound concept
• II. Yi righteousnessit is Jen operating, an
  attitude toward moral situations it is moral
  awareness and doing ita form of social
  relationships
• III. Li courtesy, politeness, proper procedures,
  propriety, moral discipline display of anger and
  hostilities cause a loss of face, great stress on
  discipline

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• IV. Hsin constancyloyalty, a supreme
  attribute
• V. Chi moral insight, points to being morally
  enlightened
• VI. Shu negative golden rule, reciprocity
• VII. Chu Tzu the superior man, one who avoids
  extremes

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Importance of Jen

• I. The word points to a stress on ideal
  humanity, goodness, manner, human heartednesshow
  one person relates to another
• II. The Chinese character of Jen is the
  character of man combined with the character of
  two
• III. Jen could be translated as living
  integration of mans essential function
• IV. Mencius said Jen is what best becomes a man
• V. It is the product of successful
  interpersonal relationships

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• VI. There are five basic human relationships
• A. State-citizen
• B. Father-son
• C. Husband-wife
• D. Elder brotheryounger brother
• E. Friends to friends reciprocity of equals
• VII. Three of the relationships (2,3,4) have to
  do with entire family since the family is the
  logical beginning of Jen
• VIII. Jen may also be seen in psychological
  aspect a kind of psychic integration
• IX. Mencius said of Jen, It is the mind of
  man great aim of learning is to find the best
  mind
• X. Jen is achieved through the other four words

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Specific Teachings

• I. Ethics of family lifeprimacy of life
• A. The family is not an ultimate, only an
  intermediate step
• B. The family must prepare the child for
  social living
• C. The golden age cannot occur without proper
  family relationships
• D. Seems to give great place to women held
  for monogamous marriage

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• II. Government and Politics
• A. He taught divine right and popular
  sovereignty of kings
• B. The king is bound to the laws of the state
  if not, the people should revolt
• C. Every person has right of full
  participation in society based on own merit
• D. Aristocracy was not based on birth it is a
  scholarly class
• E. A kind of democratic aristrocracy
• F. Anyone has right to attend the best
  universities

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• III. A bias against wealth
• A. Ones life does not consist of the
  abundance of things
• B. A person who wants only wealth has wrong
  sense of value
• C. Emphasis on educationprimarily character
  building

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• IV. Historical Development of Confucianism
• A. Mencius (372-289 BCE)
• 1. Best known of post-Confucian scholar
• 2. Lin Yutang calls him the democratic
  philosopher
• 3. A brilliant and active writer
• 4. Expounded on human nature
• 5. Stresses that humanity is intrinsically
  goodcame to be the Chinese view of humanity
• 6. Evil is the result of ignorance, lack of
  example, lack of culture
• 7. Changed concept of Jen to a more human
  endeavor

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• 8. He proposed a religious theory that history
  moves in cycles, depending on how a given ruling
  family handles the te (power to govern well)
• (a) an unjust ruler would lose the mandate of
  heaventhus revolution may occur
• (b) the king would bring prosperity only when
  he convinced the people that the things of
  the state were their own

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B. Hsu-Tzu (294-238 BCE) 1. Wrote essay, The
Nature of Man is Evil 2. claimed that only the
imposition of laws and the guidance of teachers
could bring about reasonable conduct among
people 3. Without government, humanity would
evert to savagery 4. Attacked much of
Menciuss writings
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• C. Mo-Tsu (c. 491 BCE)
• 1. Somewhat critical of Confucianism
• 2. Stressed the concept of universal love and
  equality of all people
• 3. Denounced extravagant ceremonies
• 4. Was utilitarianproper motivation is
  necessary
• D. Yang-Tsu (325-235 BCE)
• 1. Closest to hedonism
• 2. Stresses individualism almost to point of
  anarchy
• E. The course for 400 years after Confucius
  would be against ConfucianismShin Hwang order
  all copies of classical books burned since the
  scholars opposed him
• F. During Tang Dynasty, Confucianism would
  become established

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• V. Neo-Confucianism
• A. During Sung Dynasty (960-1279 CE),
  Confucianism would include some metaphysical
  interpretations of nature and humanity
• B. Partially due to influence of Buddhism
• C. Neo-Confucian philosophy of nature involved
  interaction of two elements, principle and ether
• 1. Ether was breath and basis of material
  universe
• (a) all solid things were condensed out of
  ether and would eventually dissolve back into
  it
• (b) in its dynamic form, ether was ultimate
  form of yang in its still form, it was
  ultimate form of yin
• (C) it preserved the tension of dualities

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• 2. Principle, etymologically related to veins
  in jade or the grain in wood, it was the
  pattern running through all material
  thingstheir direction and purpose
• (a) If one opposed principle (went across the
  grain) all things would become difficult
• (b) Principle was considered to be innate in
  human beingsit was natures guidance
• D. Chu His (1130-1200 CE)
• 1. Was master thinker of Neo-Confucianism
• 2. He developed a kind of scientific
  philosophy, stressed physical nature

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• VI. Rise of Confucianism
• A. Taoism and Buddhism reached zenith during
  Chang Dynasty (600-900 CE)
• B. From 907 CE there is rise of Confucianism
• C. Confucian temples becoming common over all
  China as a result of Neo-Confucian thought
• D. Temples usually faced south in order to put
  the Confucian table (altar) at the north because
  it was the center of worship
• E. In the 1530s there were waves of
  anti- Confucianism

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• E. The Ming emperors ordered that all statues
  and tables of Confucianism be destroyed
• F. The Manchu Dynasty in the 18th century would
  be pro-Confucian for political reasons
• G. With overthrow of Manchu Dynasty in 1911 and
  influence of Sun Yet Sen, China become
  pro-Christianhe identified Confucianism as being
  resistant to change
• H. Confucian strength would gradually decrease
• I. With Chian-Kai-Shek, Confucianism was
  deemphasized
• J. Mao and communism took over in 1949 and
  religion was outlawed

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Taoism
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Introduction

• A. Founder or systemitizer was Lao Tse (500
  BCE)
• B. He was a mystic and philosopher
• C. His language was obscure because he
  distrusted language
• D. The Tao Te Ching was introduced by Lao Tse
• E. Lin Yuntang wrote that the best single force
  to understand Chinese thought is the Tao Te Ching
• F. Taoism dominated by
• a. humanism
• b. naturalistic monism
• c. mysticism

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Meaning of Tao

• A. Originally it simply meant a road or a path
  and the way in which something was done
• 1. The Way of Heaven would be ruthless when
  autumn comes no leaf is spared because of its
  beauty
• 2. The Way of Man, among other things, meant
  procreation, thus eunuchs would be far from the
  Way of Man
• B. Would come to mean the way in which the
  universe worksultimately seemed to be very much
  like God

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• C. Yin-Yang
• 1. Yin is black, negative, damp, female,
  principle
• 2. Yang is red, active, positive, bright, dry,
  sunny, open, male
• 3. Goal of Tao is to find the rhythms of
  lifeproper balance of life
• 4. Harmony, balance of Yin-Yang, important in
  Chinese thought
• D. Taoist approach to life
• 1. Lao Tse taught the highest apprehension of
  life is totality (Yin-Yang)
• 2. Goal of life is to live in harmony
• 3. Tao technically not identified with God
  Tao preceded God

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• E. Concepts from the Tao Te Ching
• 1. It is not possible to understand words by
  translation
• a. Tao is impossible to translatecan mean
  many thingsway, absolute law of universe,
  first cause, creative force in nature
• b. Lao Tse and Chuang Tse used the term
  one to help express Tao
• 2. Lao Tse seeks to show that comparisons are
  relative with no objective reality
• 3. The achievement of Tao is not through
  intellectual exercise
• 4. Each object has both qualities of the
  opposite (potentially)
• 5. When Tao is one, it is emphasizing that it
  is a higher unity, transcendental, the source of
  duality

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• 6. The One is
• a. Chouall pervading
• b. Painall embracing
• c. Shineverything and everywhere 7. The
  Tao helps to break the self-ego it is
• identified with the I
• 8. Tao helps to bring one into the realm of Wu
  (non-being) Wu is neither living nor dying
• 9. The concept of Wu-Wei would come to mean
  quietism, non-aggression, non-meddlesome action

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• F. Taoism revolves around three words
• 1. Taonature and non-action truth, eternal
  law of nature
• 2. Tevirtuebuilding up of the ideal man
• a. In early usage, Te could be good or bad
  originally seemed to be similar to Indian
  concept of Karma except that Te is
  manifested in the present rather than the
  future
• b. Te is anything that happens to one or that
  one indicating that as a consequence, one is
  going to meet with good or bad luck
• c. Te also associated with planting
• d. Te also associated with potentialitythus
  a latent power

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• 3. Naturethe natural, Taoism looking forward
  to an idealistic society where one can live by
  nature

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• G. Chuang-Tsu (399-295 BCE) was greatest Taosit
  teacher after Lao Tse
• 1. He developed Taoist concept of logic
• 2. What impressed him was the influence of
  ones viewpoint
• 3. The way to peace, spiritual ecstasy, and
  long life is to join natures rhythms
• 4. The Tao throws off human judgments
• 5. He attacked those who believed they could
  tie language directly to thought and, thus, able
  to clarify all discourse
• 6. Language is only symbolic

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• H. Taoism would develop into a religion and
  would begin a decline
• 1. Magic took place of mysticism
• 2. For centuries it was a faith of spiritsbad
  magic
• 3. A hierarchy develop similar to Roman
  Catholicismthere was a bishop above all
  bishops
• 4. In the 7th century CE it became the
  official religion of China and was a powerful
  religio-political institution

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• 5. Beginning of Taoist religion starts about
  345 CE with Chang-Tao-Ling
• a. In spite of its degenerating into a
  religion, it still had positive vales
• b. It had an emphasis on physical culture,
  affirmation that body is the starting place of
  a good life
• c. It had a cheerful outlook on life
• d. It promoted community service

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Chinese Buddhism
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Introduction

• I. Buddhism entered China through central Asia
  and later from India about the time of Christ
• II. The presence of monks and lay believers at
  court was favorably mentioned in a decree by
  Emperor Ming (58-75 CE)
• III. By the 2nd Century CE main outlines of
  Buddhism established
• IV . Accepted by Chinese at first with
  hesitation but by 3rd century Chinese emperors
  were adopting Buddhism by creation of a divine
  hierarchy, a voluminous canon, and a monastic
  community

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• V. By the 4th century Buddhism in China was
  flourishing
• A. Splendor of the Buddhist pantheon and
  ritual, with its novel conceptions which embrace
  10 heavens, 10 hells, rebirth, and salvation of
  individual souls of common people proved
  irresistible
• B. Sutras were translated in terms borrowed
  from philosophic Taoism
• C. Chinese Buddhism tended to increasingly
  ignore the intangible goal of Indian theology
  and the complex theories of the Buddha
• D. They tended to stress more practical
  objects, such as immediate response to prayer by
  the protective Bodhisattva Kuan Yin, direct
  rebirth into the Western Happy Heaven of
  Amitabha, and salvation by coming Buddha Maitreya

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• VI. By the time of the Mongols (1190-1294 CE),
  Buddhism was the most popular religion
• A. Kublai Khan welcomed a gift of relics from
  the raja of Ceylon
• B. He conferred the title Teacher of the
  State upon a Tibetan Lama
• VII. By the time of the Ching (Manchu) Dynasty
  (1640-1912 CE) Buddhism had become completely
  naturalized and regarded as an indigenous faith

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Chinese Buddhist Sects

• I. Tien Tai (Heavenly Terrace)
• A. Founded by Chih-I (538-597 CE)
• B. Believed that the Lotus Sutra contained
  essence of Buddhism
• C. Main writing was The Profound Meaning of
  the Scripture of the Lotus of the Wonderful Law
• D. A Chinese version of Nargarjuna
• E. He stressed that the cosmic mind is defined
  as universal emptiness

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• II. Ching-Tu (Pure Land Buddhism)
• A. A very different form of Buddhism
• B. Traditional founder considered to be
  Hui-Yuan (c. 402) who founded the White Lotus
  Society, united in a vow to be reunited in the
  pure land or western paradise of Amitabha Buddha

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• C. Forumulator of the doctrine was Tan-Luan
  (476-542)
• 1. Sought religious solace due to a grace
  illness
• 2. Came to the doctrine of the Amitabha
  Buddha (the Buddha of the Pure Light)
• 3. Humans are sinners and by personal
  relationship to the savior Amida they may be
  rescued
• 4. His commentary on Vasundhus Essay On
  Rebirth emphasizes the faith of Pure Land
• 5. Humans must call upon the name of Amida,
  repeating his name in fidelity the chant is
  na-mo a- mito-fo (greetings to Admida Buddha)
• 6. In the Pure Land, all is happy

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Chan (Meditation)

• I. Founded by Indian monk Bodhidharma (late 5th
  or early 6th century)
• II. Stresses enlightenment rather than
  knowledge or good deeds
• III. Chan is Chinese translation of Sanskrit
  dhyana (meditation)
• IV. Principle text is the Lankavatara Sutra

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• Most imminent successor was Hui-neng (6th
  patriarch)
• Teaching is found in the Platform Sutra
• Believed that enlightenment comes suddenly since
  the Buddha-nature is intrinsically pure, one need
  only let it manifest itself
• This belief would cause a split in the sect
  would be called Southern Chan school
• The Northern school held that enlightenment must
  come gradually and thus counseled regular
  meditation