Confucius (Kung Fu-Tzu)* (551-479 BC)

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Confucius (Kung Fu-Tzu)(551-479 BC)
Revised, 8/30/08

• Confucianism

Reading from the Analects (Text, pp. 1-14)
Family name Kung (Kong) Personal name
Zhong-ni Kung Fu-Tzu (Kong Fu-zi) Master
Kung Confucius Latinization of Kung
Fu-Tzu
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The History of Chinese Philosophy

• The Classical Age (6th century BC-2d century AD)
• Confucianism (Confucius, 551-479 BC)
• Daoism (Lao Tzu, 6th century BC)
• Mohism (Mo Tzu, 468-376 BC)
• The Yin-Yang School (founder unknown)
• The School of Names (Logic) (Hui Shih, c. 380-305
  BC)
• Legalism (Han Fei Tzu, d. 23 BC)
• The Medieval Age (2d-10th centuries BC)
  relations conflicts between Confucianism,
  Daoism, Buddhism
• The Modern Age (11th century AD-Present)
• Neo-Confucianism (incorporation of Daoist
  Buddhist elements in an overall Confucian
  perspective) (Chu Hsi, 1130-1200 AD many
  others)
• 20th century impact of Western philosophies such
  as Pragmatism Marxism

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Topics included in the reading

• The Chun-Tzu (the Confucian hero) (1-3)
• Virtue (jen, ren) (3-5)
• Propriety (li) (5-7), including filial piety
  (5-6) religious propriety (6-7)
• The Silver Rule (central ethical principle) (7)
• The importance of studying learning (7-8)
• Words actions (8-9)
• Three Things (9)
• Government (9-11)
• The Dao (11-12)
• Miscellaneous teachings (12-13)
• Descriptions of Confucius (13-14)

(The traditional version of the Analects is not
topically organized.)
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Confucius claimed to derive his teachings from
the Ancients, whose wisdom is embodied in The
Five Classics (Wu Jing)
The primary sources of Confucian philosophy

• The I Jing (Book of Changes)
• The Shu Jing (Book of History)
• The Shih Jing (Book of Odes poetry)
• The Li Ji (Book of Rites)
• The Chun-chiu (Spring Autumn Annals)

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The further expression of Confucian philosophy
The Four Books (Ssu-chu)

• Analects (Lun-Yu)
• The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong)
• The Great Learning (Ta-hsueh)
• The Book of Meng-Tzu

(Mencius, 371-288 BC)
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Anthem
The ancient State of Lu
Thats where Confucius was born spent most of
his life.
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Confucianism originated in China, but its
influence spread to Korea Japan over the
centuries.
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Chronology of Chinese History

• c. 6000 BC Prehistory (belief in life after
  death bone divination) - legendary Hsia Dynasty
  (c. 1994-1500 BC)
• c. 1500-1040 BC Shang Dynasty (polytheism
  spiritism ancestor veneration bone shell
  divination)
• 1040-256 BC Zhou (Chou) Dynasty (feudal era
  classical age rise of Shang-Ti Mandate of
  Heaven ancestor veneration divination
  practices continued belief in spiritism
  interest in life-prolongation immortality
  8th-5th centuries BC - period of disorder
  emergence of classical Chinese philosophies
  Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism, etc.) -
  Era of Warring States (475-221 BC)
• 221-207 BC Qin (Chin) Dynasty (The Burning of
  the Books in 213 BC) - Legalism enthroned
  Confucianism attacked

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Chronology, continued

• 206 BC-25 AD Former Han Dynasty (beginnings of
  official state Confucianism)
• 25-220 AD Later Han Dynasty (rise of Chinese
  Empire imperial state religion Confucianism
  established as the official philosophy of the
  Chinese state the coming of Buddhism)
• 220-280 AD The Three Kingdoms - Wei (220-266)
  Shu (221-263) Wu (222-280) (decline of
  Confucianism rise of Daoism Buddhism)

• 266-316 AD Jin (Chin) Dynasty
• 316-589 AD Era of North- South Division - 16
  Northern Kingdoms (301-439) 5 Southern Kingdoms
  (317-589) (rise of Daoist religion continued
  spread of Buddhism)
• 581-618 AD Sui Dynasty
• 618-907 AD Tang Dynasty (high point for
  Buddhism Daoism 9th century Confucian reaction
  against Buddhism)

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Chronology, continued

• 907-960 AD Five Northern Dynasties Ten
  Southern Kingdoms
• 960-1127 AD Northern Sung (Song) Dynasty
• 1127-1279 AD Southern Sung (Song) Dynasty
• 1264-1368 AD Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty (established
  by Kublai Khan)
• (development of popular religious sects)
• 1368-1644 AD Ming Dynasty(Mongols out, Chinese
  emperors in Confucianism reestablished Roman
  Catholicism arrives)

10th-13th centuries AD Rise of Neo-
Confucianism spread of Chan (Zen) Buddhism
Anti-Confucian policy
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Chronology, continued

• 1644-1911 AD Qing (Ching) (Manchu) Dynasty -
  peak of Confucian (bureaucratic) authority
  increasing influence of the West
• 1911-1912 AD Chinese Revolution
• Republic of China (1912-1949 mainland
  1945-present Taiwan)

• Peoples Republic of China (Communism)
  (1949-present)

Confucianism in decline
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Major figures in Confucian philosophy

• Neo-Confucianism
• Tang Dynasty - Han Yu (767-824 AD)
• Sung Dynasty - Cheng Hao (1032-1085) Cheng Yi
  (1033-1108) Zhu Xi (Chu Hsi) (1130-1200)
• Ming Dynasty - Wang Yang-ming (1473-1529)
• Ching Dynasty - Tai Chen (1723-1777)
• 20th century Hsiung Shih- li (1885-1968) Fung
  Yu- lan (1895-1990) others

• Classical Confucianism
• Confucius (551-479 BC)
• Mencius (372-289 BC)
• Xun-zi (Hsun Tzu) (active, 298-238 BC)
• Han Dynasty
• Dong Zhong-shu (179-104 BC)
• Yang Hsiung (53 BC-18 AD)
• Wang Chong (27-100 AD)

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Central concepts in Confucian thought
Metaphysics
Ontology Cosmology

• Dao (Way) - the Ultimate the One the
  Absolute the underlying Power the Source (see
  Text, pp. 11-12)
• Yin/Yang - the dual expression of Dao neither is
  superior to the other (see next slide)
• The Plural World - the universe Heaven Earth
  an ever-changing expression blend of Yin Yang

(Heaven is Yang in relation to Earth and Earth
is Yin in relation to Heaven but each is, in
itself, a blend of both Yin Yang.)
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Yin Yang
female dark cool moist passive negative evil
Heaven sun
Yin
male bright hot dry active positive good
Yang
Earth moon
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"A basic difference between the

• Chinese conception of yin and yang and other
  classical philosophical dualismsis that whereas
  most dualisms are forever in conflict, yin and
  yang always act in harmony, and both are
  considered to be necessary to maintain the order
  of the universe." (Bilhartz 262)

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Theology
Confucian metaphysics, continued

• Shang-Ti (God), the original ancestor (after the
  11th century BC)
• Heaven (Tian, Tien) - the divine realm (Human
  beings who have died live on with Shang-Ti as
  ancestors (ti) in Heaven.)
• Continuity interchange between Heaven (the
  divine realm) and Earth (the human realm), i.e.,
  between the ancestors those living on Earth.

(The ancestors are to be worshipped, and
sacrifices are to be offered to them they, in
turn, will guide and protect us, especially with
regard to our futures (divination practices).
When we die, we will join the ancestors in Heaven
and become ancestors ourselves.)
Spiritism (spirits every- where, good shen
evil gui).
No hell(s)? See next slide.
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Before the arrival of Buddhism in China,

• it seems that Chinese religions did not contain a
  well- developed idea of an afterlife.
• The souls of those who had lived in accord with
  the Mandate of Heaven (will of Shang-Ti) would
  become ancestors in Heaven whereas
• the souls of those who had not followed Heavens
  decree would, after death, continue to live on
  for a time in a dark underworld area (called the
  Yellow Springs) then fade away into
  nothingness.

• The idea of multiple levels of hell entered
  Chinese religion through Buddhism, which arrived
  in China in the 1st century AD.
• The religious Daoists accepted this idea (but
  modified it in various ways).
• Apparently, the Confucianists continued to show
  little interest in this subject.

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Is Hell temporary or permanent?

• In Buddhism, it is temporary.
• Confucianism has no clear answer to this question
  (because the Confucianists refuse to speculate on
  these matters).
• What is the Daoist view?
• (To be continued?)

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Anthropology(Human Nature the Human
Predicament)
Confucian metaphysics, continued

• Human nature
• naturally inherently good - need for
  cultivation via education
• naturally social political - development
  perfection of human nature within the social
  political realm

• The human predicament
• suffering as a result of failure to follow the
  Way of the Ancestors
• Disharmony conflict between Heaven Earth,
  between the ancestors us and between humans
  here on earth
• Solution of problem of suffering reestablish
  harmony

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Confuciuss primary goal

• order, harmony, peace, happiness in this life
  here on earth

(He had only a secondary interest in
transcendental salvation.)
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Axiology(Theory of Value)

• Philosophy of art (aesthetics) - the moral
  political purposes of art (especially music)
• Moral philosophy (ethics) - the center of
  Confucian philosophy (see next slide)
• Social political philosophy (theory of
  government) - the need for morally
  intellectually virtuous rulers civil servants

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Central themes in Confucianethical theory

• The Chun-Tzu - the ideal of the Superior
  (self-actualized, virtuous, perfected) Person
  (Text, pp. 1-3)

• The Chun-Tzu is an exemplification of ideal
  virtue, of Yi, of Ren, of Li, and of Hsiao see
  following slides.

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• Yi - righteousness, just and appropriate conduct
• According to Confucianists, there is an
  objective, absolute, and unconditional moral
  obligation on all of us to work for universal
  human well-being, the common good, the general
  welfare (which will include one's own true good)
• Objective not subjective not relative the
  obligation is independent of culturally and
  individually variable states of opinion,
  preference, feeling, or response.
• Absolute it extends throughout the whole sphere
  of moral obligation and cannot be suspended or
  overruled by any more basic or ultimate moral
  principle with a wider range of applicability.
• Unconditional this obligation does not depend
  on the fulfillment or non- fulfillment of any
  particular set of facts or circumstances which
  may or may not happen to occur - facts, for
  example, about our desires, aspirations, or goals
  in acting one way rather than another.

• Ren (jen) - virtue
• Positive formulation cultivation of feeling
  (respect, empathy, compassion, love) for all
  humanity (Text, pp. 3-5)
• Negative formulation the Silver Rule (Text, p.
  7, vv. 85 86)

Sometimes translated as humanity
See Hackett, Oriental Philosophy, pp. 29-31.
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Li - Propriety (proper conduct)
Confucian ethics, continued

• The Rectification of Names (Zheng-ming) (proper
  use of language) (Text, vv. 8, 9, 10, 11,
  109-113, 129, 160)
• The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong) (Text, vv.
  132, 155, 156)

• The Five Constant Relationships
• parent-child
• husband-wife
• elder sibling-younger sibling
• elder friend-younger friend
• ruler-subject

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Filial Piety (Xiao, Hsiao)(devotion to
reverence for parents family)
Confucian ethics / Li, continued

• The institution of the family is the foundation
  of a well-ordered civilized society (grounded
  mainly on respect of children for parents)
• Respect for age (experience wisdom)

(Text, pp. 5-6)
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Religious Propriety
Confucian ethics / Li, continued

• proper practice of traditional rites
• (worship of God, ancestors, Heaven, Earth,
  spirits funeral services sacrifices in honor
  of parents)

Text, vv. 64, 70, 72, 79-84
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Wen(learning the arts)
Confucian ethics ( aesthetics?), continued

• The importance of culture in the creation
  maintenance of a well-ordered society

• Studying learning (Text, pp. 7-8)
• The arts - especially music (Text, vv. 99)

(Confucius composed a Book of Music Yueh
Jing, which is sometimes referred to as a sixth
classic.)
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Confuciuss Political Philosophy
Confucian axiology, continued

• Te - the union of power virtue
• The characteristics of a good ruler (or civil
  servant)
• moral goodness (virtue propriety)
• rationality
• moderation
• benevolence

(Text, pp. 9-11)
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Does Confucius have

• a theory of knowledge (an epistemology)?

How would he answer the following questions? 1.
What is knowledge? 2. What are the sources of
knowledge? 3. What are the extent limits of
knowledge? 4. What are the differences between
knowledge opinion? 5. What makes a belief (or
proposition) true as opposed to false?
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The End(for now)