CHinese Philosophies

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4 early River Valley Civilizations

• Sumerian Civilization - Tigris Euphrates
  Rivers (Mesopotamia)

• Egyptian Civilization - Nile River

• Harappan Civilization - Indus River

• Ancient China - Huang He River

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Chapter 2 (See your Packet, p. )
The Four Early River Valley Civilizations

• Mesopotamia Sumer (Tigris Euphrates Rivers)
• Egypt (Nile River)

• Indus Valley (Indus River)

• Ancient China (Huang He River)

ENTER
A Chinese junk on the Huang He today.
An artist visualizes what the ancient Chinese
village of Banpo on the Huang He may have looked
like over 4,000 years ago.
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Chinese script is unique, isnt it?
Think about other elements of Chinese
culture Chinese architecture, music, technology,
dress and fashion, and eastern belief
systems Also unique!
Gobi Desert
Taklimakan Desert
Himalaya Mts.
Pacific Ocean
River Dynasties in China 1. Why did China
develop apart from other cultures?

• Chinas geography ocean, desert, high
  mountains, isolated China.
• Isolated geographically, cut off from trade,
  there would be little opportunity for cultural
  diffusion in
• Chinas case. Developing in a vacuum, Chinas
  civilization would stand out as the most unique
  of our worlds early civilizations.

LOVE
LUCK
PEACE
ETERNITY
TOLERANCE
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PP Design of T. Loessin Akins H.S.
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CH 2 River Dynasties in China Packet, p.
2. What were three features of Shang
culture?

• First written records
• - calligraphy writing and paper making
• Sharp division between kings nobles and the
• peasants
• Wood used as building material
• (not mud-dried bricks as in other
  regions)
• Peasants used wooden tools
• Shang made magnificent bronze weapons
• and ceremonial vessels

Pics Bronze work of the Shang period (1700-1027
B.C.). A toilet, an ax, and a cooking cauldron.
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CH 2 River Dynasties in China Packet, p.

• 3. Name three important values of Shang culture.
• From very early on, the idea of the group /
• community more important than the idea of
• individual/ or any single person.
• Emphasis on family, respect of parents
• Family emphasized in religion too
• ancestor worship.
• Oracle bones used to consult the gods
• Chinese writing unique to others.
• Symbols stood for ideas, not sounds.
• This allowed the many different groups who
• spoke different languages to all understand
• the same writing system.

Oracle bone
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PP Design of T. Loessin Akins H.S.
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CH 2 River Dynasties in China Packet, p.
4. Name two important changes brought about by
the Zhou.

• While the Zhou did simply adopt much of old Shang
  culture, they also did introduce new things
• A new idea of royalty that claimed rulers got
  their
• authority from heaven. This was known as the
• Mandate from Heaven.
• From this time on the Chinese would believe in
  
• divine rule.
• This meant disasters could be blamed on the
  rulers
• and they would frequently be replaced.
• This led to a pattern of rise and fall of
  dynasties in
• China known as the dynastic cycle.
• The Zhou gave large regions of land and
  privileges to
• a select few nobles who then owed loyalty to
  the king
• in return. This type of political system the
  Zhou
• introduced is called feudalism.
• Zhou introduced the first coined money improved
• transportation with roads and canals improved
  the

Above Jade disk, Chinas
Zhou period. Below Bronze helmet and sword,
Zhou period.
PP Design of T. Loessin Akins H.S.
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A new dynasty comes to power.
The emperorreforms the govt. makes it
moreefficient.
Start here?
Lives of common people improvedtaxes
reducedfarming encouraged.
Emperor isdefeated !!
TheDynasticCycle
Problems begin(extensive wars,invasions, etc.)
Rebel bands findstrong leader whounites
them.Attack the emperor.
Taxes increasemen forced towork for
army.Farming neglected.
Poor loserespect for govt.They join rebels
attack landlords.
Govt. increasesspending corruption.
Droughts,floods,famines occur.
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PP Design of T. Loessin Akins H.S.
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The first 300 years of Zhou rule were relatively
peaceful and stable. But that changed around 771
B.C.E. as nomadic tribes invaded from the north
and as the noble families began to fight for
power against one another. The crossbow is
introduced in China during this time of great
conflict and chaos known as the Period of Warring
States. Chinese values collapsed during this
period of arrogance, chaos, and defiance. Will
China be saved? By who? ..stay tuned.
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• In the final years of the Zhou there was almost
  constant conflict.
• China moved away from its ancient values of
  social order, harmony, and respect for authority.
  
• Chinese scholars and philosophers developed
  different solutions to restore these values.
• Three philosophies emerged to provide a solution.
  These were Confucianism, Legalism, and Taoism.

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• Chinese
• Philosophies
• Ethical Codes

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• Assignment Examine the main ideas of each
  philosophy. Then write a letter to the ruler of
  China explaining which philosophy you think will
  be most effective in dealing with the problems of
  the day. You should explain the reasons for your
  choice.

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• Confucianism

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• Confucius

• 551 479 B.C.E.
• Born in the feudal state of Liu.
• Became a teacher and editor of books.

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• Major Confucian Principles

Li --gt Rite, rules, ritual decorum (Binding
force of an enduring stable society) Ren
--gt humaneness, benevolence, humanity
Shu --gt Reciprocity, empathy Do not do unto
others what you would not want others to do unto
you. Yi --gt Righteousness Xiao --gt Filial Piety
(Respect your elders!)
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• 5 Principle Relationships

1. Ruler
Subject
2. Father
Son
3. Husband
Wife
4. Older Brother
YoungerBrother
5. Older Friend
YoungerFriend
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• Organizing Principles

• Status
• Age
• Gender

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• Confucian Temple Complex

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• The Analects

• The single most important Confucian work.
• In Chinese, it means conversation.
• Focus on practicalities of interpersonal
  relationships and the relationship of the role
  of rulers and ministers to the conduct of
  government.

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• Sayings from The Analects

• Knowing what he knows and knowing what he
  doesnt know, is characteristics of the person
  who knows.
• Making a mistake and not correcting it, is
  making another mistake.
• The superior man blames himself the inferior
  man blames others.
• To go too far is as wrong as to fall short.

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• Stones Engraved with Confucius' Life Stories

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• Confucius' Tomb

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• Mencius

• 372 - 289 B.C.E.
• Disciple of Confucius.
• Starts off with the assumption that people
  are basically good.
• If someone does something bad, education, not
  punishment, is the answer.
• Good people will mend their ways in
  accordance to their inherent goodness.

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• Social Cohesion is Paramount!

• The emperor is the example of proper behavior
  --gt big daddy
• Social relationships are based on rites or
  rituals.
• Even religious rituals are important for
  SOCIAL, not religious reasons, acc. to
  Confucius.

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• Differences in Cultures

INDIA
CHINA
1. Brahmin
1. Scholar-Gentry
2. Kshatriyas
2. Peasants
3. Vaishyas
3. Artisans
4. Shudras
4. Merchants
Untouchables
Soldiers
Imperial Nobility
Domestic Slaves
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• Legalism

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• Han Fei

• 280? - 233 B.C.E.
• Han Fe Zi.
• Lived during the late Warring States
  period.
• Legalism became the political philosophy of
  the Qin Chin Dynasty.

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• Major Legalist Principles

1. Human nature is naturally selfish. 2.
Intellectualism and literacy is discouraged.
3. Law is the supreme authority and replaces
morality. 4. The ruler must rule with a
strong, punishing hand. 5. War is the means
of strengthening a rulers power.
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• Authoritarian

One who favors the principle that individuals
should obey a powerful authority rather than
exercise individual freedom.
The ruler, therefore, cracks his whip on the
backs of his subjects!
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• Daoism

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• Lao Zi Lao-Tzu

• Not sure when he died. 604 B.C.E. - ?
• His name means Old Master
• Was he Confucius teacher?

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• The Dao De Jing

• The basic text of Daoism.
• In Chinese, it means The Classic in the Way
  and Its Power.
• Those who speak know nothing Those who know
  are silent. These words, I am told, Were
  spoken by Laozi. If we are to believe that
  Laozi, Was himself one who knew, How is
  it that he wrote a book, Of five thousand
  words?

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• Major Daoist Principles

1. Dao Tao is the first-cause of the
universe. It is a force that flows through all
life. 2. A believers goal is to become one
with Dao one with nature. The butterfly
or the man? story. 3. Wu wei --gt Let nature
take its course. --gt The art of
doing nothing. --gt Go with the
flow! 4. Man is unhappy because he lives acc.
to man-made laws, customs, traditions that
are contrary to the ways of nature.
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• The "Dao" Tao

To escape the social, political, cultural
traps of life, one must escape by
1. Rejecting formal knowledge and learning.
2. Relying on the senses and instincts. 3.
Discovering the nature and rhythm of the
universe. 4. Ignoring political and social laws.
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• The Universe of Opposites
• Find the Balance!

• Yin

• Masculine
• Active
• Light
• Warmth
• Strong
• Heaven Sun

• Feminine
• Passive
• Darkness
• Cold
• Weak
• Earth Moon

• Yang

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• The Uniqueness of Daoism

How is a man to live in a world dominated by
chaos, suffering, and absurdity??
Confucianism --gt Moral order in society.
Legalism --gt Rule by harsh law order.
Daoism --gt Freedom for individuals and
less govt. to avoid
uniformity and conformity.
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• What's Your Philosophy of Life?

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Thanks to Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS
Chappaqua, NY And T. Loessin Akins H.S.
Austin, TX