What was most memorable, for me, was his statement that the goal of education should be "to reduce the gap between appearances and reality" -- it's true that our current education system hasn't seen much innovation since the early days of the industrial revolution (interesting video in this regard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U). Educating the spirit is important, and life skills like how to live compassionately and how to calm one's mind can and should be taught. We have a long way to go in this regard in the US.
Confucius also put ethical considerations at the center of everything. He called it "benevolence" (Chinese: ren/jen). The Dalai Lama calls it "compassion". But I think their messages are quite similar.
The Dalai Lama also highlighted the importance of one's family background in shaping how compassionately they will live and how much one can generate and recognize wellbeing. The Dalai Lama described it in terms of a parable about playing games with his mother when he was a child, and Confucius discusses it in terms of "filial piety" (Chinese: xiao/xiaoxun). Again, very similar views.
There has been a lot of cross-fertilization between Confucian and Buddhist philosophy over the centuries.
I'm not an expert on Chinese numerology but, as far as I know, "5" doesn't have a mystical significance in Chinese culture.
Nonetheless, the word for "5" (contemporary Chinese: wu) and the word for I/me (contemporary Chinese: wo) sound very similar. Sometimes you may even see the Chinese character for "5" used in characters that mean "me," particularly in ancient texts.
Filial piety is, to Confucius, the glue that holds society together. Confucius and Mencius, and their disciples, were of the view that because parents take care of their children in their earliest years of life, when the children are essentially helpless, it's fair and just that children should likewise take care of their parents when they are too old to do so themselves. Obedience to the authority of one's parents is part of filial piety, but it's not the entire story.
Confucius reasoned that, if a child has the ethical righteousness to perform his or her filial duties, the same code of ethics would entail that the person would also be a good citizen. A healthy family, he taught, is the foundation of a healthy society.
That's a really good question. I think probably I relate to his teaching that, "wherever I am, if I walk with two people, I can learn from at least one of them, by emulating the virtues of the one who is better than I am, and by avoiding the mistakes of the one who is worse than me." Confucius saw life as one long learning process. Like him, I believe that people can always continually improve, and we can always learn something in any situation, as long as we try to.
Are there any similarities between Confucianism and Daoism? How is it that these two philosophies are appealing to the Chinese people? Do you feel that these two philosophies have an "errors"? If so, how would you change the teachings to make them better?
Certainly there are similarities, partly because they have such a long history of coexisting in a single culture for about 25 centuries. One similarity is how they both assume that the individual ego works to distract itself from "what's important" in life. In the case of Confucianism, interpersonal relationships are more important than the self. In the case of Taoism, cosmic interdependence is the true nature of reality, and the notion that the ego can be separated from the non-ego is illusory.
Actually, I think I don't know enough about Confucianism and Taoism, really, to say with any certainty what are the "errors" in their philosophies. But at the same time I'd argue that there are mistaken interpretations of these philosophies out there.
One example might be the assumption of extreme patriarchalism in Confucian philosophy: because of his cultural context, his school of thought was used in China for a long time to support cultural norms and assumptions that are seen now as, perhaps, degrading to women. For instance I could imagine that one or two hundred years ago the head of a Chinese family (a man) might quote some line from Confucius to support the idea that women should never leave the home and that foot-binding is acceptable. But, if Confucius were alive today, I think he'd be a feminist himself.
After reading through a few of the analects Confucius wrote, I realized that filial piety seems to play a big part in Confucian beliefs even though it is never fully justified/explained by the texts. Can you tell me why you think filial piety is important and why we need to follow it?
See my answer to a similar question above. Confucius's views on life are based on the assumption that people learn how to be ethical, and that this knowledge drives ethical behavior -- this is the assumption that's never really fully explained in his texts. But, given this assumption, Confucius reasoned that older people are much more likely to have wisdom and know what to do in certain situations. This being the case, he taught, younger people should benefit from this wisdom by listening to their elders and respecting their advice.
Obviously, there are vast differences in their cultural contexts: Confucius's writings reflect cultural assumptions that don't necessarily apply, such as his focus on sons and silence regarding the roles of daughters (or should we interpret his teachings as applying to "children" in general rather than "sons" -- personally I think it's valid to do so). Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama has a very modern, even post-modern, view of society, for instance in his embrace of a pluralistic society of secular ethics. Similar to my answer regarding Confucianism and Taoism above, again it's the case that Confucianism and Buddhism have very similar teachings, partly due to their coexistence for so many centuries.
While Confucius was alive, China was going through a tumultuous time. In fact, one of the reasons he started a private school was that he didn't have a successful career as a government official. (At the time, China was divided into many smaller kingdoms, ruled by warlords. They cared more for military advisors than they did for philosophers.) However, with time, his teachings became more and more influential, until they were incorporated into the tests for government office in the Han dynasty.
In modern times, Confucianism fell to the background as Western ideas gained more influence in China, particularly concepts of democracy via Sun Yat-Sen, who led the republican revolution, and later communism. It's only in the past decade or so that Confucianism has seen a resurgence in Chinese discourse, outside of schools.
A professor in Beijing, Yu Dan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yu_Dan) has been especially prominent in bringing Confucius back into mainstream media and discourse in China. I wouldn't be surprised to see English translations of her books on Confucianism within the next decade or two.
Confucianism in today's modern world has its "good" and "bad" points. What do you believe we should take to heart from these teachings, and what should we take with a grain of salt?
I've answered above regarding what to take to heart about his teachings. As for what to take with a grain of salt, you should think carefully about where he's coming from and what assumptions he had because of the culture he grew up in. For example, he essentially ignores the role of women in society, and he assumes that having household servants is just a normal way of life. Those assumptions wouldn't fit very well in our current society.
At the same time, though, I'd also caution you to take what other people say about Confucius with a grain of salt, too. It's vital to read Confucius and Mencius in their own words, to the extent possible, and draw your own interpretations.
I think he means that only a wise person can reach his or her true potential, which destiny has laid out for him or her. You have to act properly to meet with good luck. Thomas Edison had a similar sentiment: success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.
Looking at the values and beliefs of Buddhism, since you recently saw the Dalai Lama, are there any similarities between Buddhism and Confucianism? Why are Confucius' teachings so important to the Chinese culture? Why is the value of filial piety stressed so much in his teachings? Are Confucius' teachings upheld more than Mencius'? What is the main difference between Confucius' teachings and Mencius' teachings?
I've responded to most of your questions above, so I'll focus on the last one. Confucius taught about benevolence and filial piety, and how these virtues could guide proper behavior to bring about a harmonious society. Mencius expanded on these teachings. The main contributions that Mencius made to Confucian thought were:
1. The philosophical premise that people are, inherently, good. It's human nature to behave properly. Education should teach people how to overcome circumstances that distract them from their own inherent goodness.
2. The political theory of "The Mandate of Heaven" (similar to what modern political scientists call "legitimacy"). If a government does not serve the people, there will be natural and social calamities, which Mencius describes as evidence that the government has lost the mandate of heaven. In such cases, he argued, the proper thing to do is to overthrow the government. This was -- and still is -- a pretty radical view.
How has Confucianism impacted different cultures, religions and philosophies around the world to this day? How has studying these teachings impacted your lifestyle?
I've responded to the second question above. Regarding the first question, Confucianism spread, together with the introduction of writing, to Korea and Japan where it served as a central philosophy of government and education up until the 19th century or so. Today's Korean and Japanese cultures are still strongly Confucianist, in some ways even more so than Mainland China.
Changwuzi refers to Confucius as the Yellow Emperor. What is the significance of yellow? Do you think referring to Confucius as an Emperor appropriate?
Yellow was a symbol of the imperial family. In traditional Chinese culture, only people associated with the emperor himself were allowed to wear yellow clothing. Referring to Confucius in that instance as an emperor was, I think, just an exaggerated way of showing deference.
This is an excellent question. Probably his most lasting contribution was that his teachings set out a framework for family, government, and education structures that gave resilience to Chinese culture for many centuries. Even when other cultures conquered China (such as the Mongolian invasion that led to the Yuan dynasty, or the Manchu invasion that led to the Qing dynasty), the invading people assimilated into the Chinese system of education and culture. Confucian values are a big part of what makes East Asian cultures what they are, especially the focus on family values, education, and work ethic. That's one way that his teachings have affected the modern world.
I know that you went to see the Dalai Lama on Saturday, what was your most memorable moment? Also, how did his ideals relate to Confucius views?
ReplyDeleteWhat was most memorable, for me, was his statement that the goal of education should be "to reduce the gap between appearances and reality" -- it's true that our current education system hasn't seen much innovation since the early days of the industrial revolution (interesting video in this regard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U). Educating the spirit is important, and life skills like how to live compassionately and how to calm one's mind can and should be taught. We have a long way to go in this regard in the US.
DeleteConfucius also put ethical considerations at the center of everything. He called it "benevolence" (Chinese: ren/jen). The Dalai Lama calls it "compassion". But I think their messages are quite similar.
The Dalai Lama also highlighted the importance of one's family background in shaping how compassionately they will live and how much one can generate and recognize wellbeing. The Dalai Lama described it in terms of a parable about playing games with his mother when he was a child, and Confucius discusses it in terms of "filial piety" (Chinese: xiao/xiaoxun). Again, very similar views.
There has been a lot of cross-fertilization between Confucian and Buddhist philosophy over the centuries.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCan you explain the significance of the number "5" in Confucius teachings and in Asian culture?
DeleteI'm not an expert on Chinese numerology but, as far as I know, "5" doesn't have a mystical significance in Chinese culture.
DeleteNonetheless, the word for "5" (contemporary Chinese: wu) and the word for I/me (contemporary Chinese: wo) sound very similar. Sometimes you may even see the Chinese character for "5" used in characters that mean "me," particularly in ancient texts.
Why is filial piety so important in confucian teachings?
ReplyDeleteFilial piety is, to Confucius, the glue that holds society together. Confucius and Mencius, and their disciples, were of the view that because parents take care of their children in their earliest years of life, when the children are essentially helpless, it's fair and just that children should likewise take care of their parents when they are too old to do so themselves. Obedience to the authority of one's parents is part of filial piety, but it's not the entire story.
DeleteConfucius reasoned that, if a child has the ethical righteousness to perform his or her filial duties, the same code of ethics would entail that the person would also be a good citizen. A healthy family, he taught, is the foundation of a healthy society.
Which, if any, of the given Confucius teachings do you relate to most through your lifestyle?
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good question. I think probably I relate to his teaching that, "wherever I am, if I walk with two people, I can learn from at least one of them, by emulating the virtues of the one who is better than I am, and by avoiding the mistakes of the one who is worse than me." Confucius saw life as one long learning process. Like him, I believe that people can always continually improve, and we can always learn something in any situation, as long as we try to.
DeleteAre there any similarities between Confucianism and Daoism? How is it that these two philosophies are appealing to the Chinese people? Do you feel that these two philosophies have an "errors"? If so, how would you change the teachings to make them better?
ReplyDeleteCertainly there are similarities, partly because they have such a long history of coexisting in a single culture for about 25 centuries. One similarity is how they both assume that the individual ego works to distract itself from "what's important" in life. In the case of Confucianism, interpersonal relationships are more important than the self. In the case of Taoism, cosmic interdependence is the true nature of reality, and the notion that the ego can be separated from the non-ego is illusory.
DeleteActually, I think I don't know enough about Confucianism and Taoism, really, to say with any certainty what are the "errors" in their philosophies. But at the same time I'd argue that there are mistaken interpretations of these philosophies out there.
One example might be the assumption of extreme patriarchalism in Confucian philosophy: because of his cultural context, his school of thought was used in China for a long time to support cultural norms and assumptions that are seen now as, perhaps, degrading to women. For instance I could imagine that one or two hundred years ago the head of a Chinese family (a man) might quote some line from Confucius to support the idea that women should never leave the home and that foot-binding is acceptable. But, if Confucius were alive today, I think he'd be a feminist himself.
After reading through a few of the analects Confucius wrote, I realized that filial piety seems to play a big part in Confucian beliefs even though it is never fully justified/explained by the texts. Can you tell me why you think filial piety is important and why we need to follow it?
ReplyDeleteSee my answer to a similar question above. Confucius's views on life are based on the assumption that people learn how to be ethical, and that this knowledge drives ethical behavior -- this is the assumption that's never really fully explained in his texts. But, given this assumption, Confucius reasoned that older people are much more likely to have wisdom and know what to do in certain situations. This being the case, he taught, younger people should benefit from this wisdom by listening to their elders and respecting their advice.
DeleteHow would you compare the differences or similarities between Dalai Lama and Confucius? Do you find more or less relation with each other?
ReplyDeleteObviously, there are vast differences in their cultural contexts: Confucius's writings reflect cultural assumptions that don't necessarily apply, such as his focus on sons and silence regarding the roles of daughters (or should we interpret his teachings as applying to "children" in general rather than "sons" -- personally I think it's valid to do so). Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama has a very modern, even post-modern, view of society, for instance in his embrace of a pluralistic society of secular ethics. Similar to my answer regarding Confucianism and Taoism above, again it's the case that Confucianism and Buddhism have very similar teachings, partly due to their coexistence for so many centuries.
DeleteHow was Confucianism applied while Confucius was alive and how is it applied in modern China? Has it changed?
ReplyDeleteWhile Confucius was alive, China was going through a tumultuous time. In fact, one of the reasons he started a private school was that he didn't have a successful career as a government official. (At the time, China was divided into many smaller kingdoms, ruled by warlords. They cared more for military advisors than they did for philosophers.) However, with time, his teachings became more and more influential, until they were incorporated into the tests for government office in the Han dynasty.
DeleteIn modern times, Confucianism fell to the background as Western ideas gained more influence in China, particularly concepts of democracy via Sun Yat-Sen, who led the republican revolution, and later communism. It's only in the past decade or so that Confucianism has seen a resurgence in Chinese discourse, outside of schools.
A professor in Beijing, Yu Dan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yu_Dan) has been especially prominent in bringing Confucius back into mainstream media and discourse in China. I wouldn't be surprised to see English translations of her books on Confucianism within the next decade or two.
Confucianism in today's modern world has its "good" and "bad" points. What do you believe we should take to heart from these teachings, and what should we take with a grain of salt?
ReplyDeleteI've answered above regarding what to take to heart about his teachings. As for what to take with a grain of salt, you should think carefully about where he's coming from and what assumptions he had because of the culture he grew up in. For example, he essentially ignores the role of women in society, and he assumes that having household servants is just a normal way of life. Those assumptions wouldn't fit very well in our current society.
DeleteAt the same time, though, I'd also caution you to take what other people say about Confucius with a grain of salt, too. It's vital to read Confucius and Mencius in their own words, to the extent possible, and draw your own interpretations.
What is the significane of filial piety? And what is your view on Confucianism?
ReplyDeletePlease see my answers above on these topics.
Deletehat does Mencius mean when he says "...Only a sage can fulfill nature's design of his physical make-up."
ReplyDeleteI think he means that only a wise person can reach his or her true potential, which destiny has laid out for him or her. You have to act properly to meet with good luck. Thomas Edison had a similar sentiment: success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.
DeleteLooking at the values and beliefs of Buddhism, since you recently saw the Dalai Lama, are there any similarities between Buddhism and Confucianism? Why are Confucius' teachings so important to the Chinese culture? Why is the value of filial piety stressed so much in his teachings? Are Confucius' teachings upheld more than Mencius'? What is the main difference between Confucius' teachings and Mencius' teachings?
ReplyDeleteI've responded to most of your questions above, so I'll focus on the last one. Confucius taught about benevolence and filial piety, and how these virtues could guide proper behavior to bring about a harmonious society. Mencius expanded on these teachings. The main contributions that Mencius made to Confucian thought were:
Delete1. The philosophical premise that people are, inherently, good. It's human nature to behave properly. Education should teach people how to overcome circumstances that distract them from their own inherent goodness.
2. The political theory of "The Mandate of Heaven" (similar to what modern political scientists call "legitimacy"). If a government does not serve the people, there will be natural and social calamities, which Mencius describes as evidence that the government has lost the mandate of heaven. In such cases, he argued, the proper thing to do is to overthrow the government. This was -- and still is -- a pretty radical view.
How has Confucianism impacted different cultures, religions and philosophies around the world to this day?
ReplyDeleteHow has studying these teachings impacted your lifestyle?
I've responded to the second question above. Regarding the first question, Confucianism spread, together with the introduction of writing, to Korea and Japan where it served as a central philosophy of government and education up until the 19th century or so. Today's Korean and Japanese cultures are still strongly Confucianist, in some ways even more so than Mainland China.
DeleteChangwuzi refers to Confucius as the Yellow Emperor. What is the significance of yellow? Do you think referring to Confucius as an Emperor appropriate?
ReplyDeleteYellow was a symbol of the imperial family. In traditional Chinese culture, only people associated with the emperor himself were allowed to wear yellow clothing. Referring to Confucius in that instance as an emperor was, I think, just an exaggerated way of showing deference.
DeleteHow do you think Confucius has affected the modern world?
ReplyDeleteThis is an excellent question. Probably his most lasting contribution was that his teachings set out a framework for family, government, and education structures that gave resilience to Chinese culture for many centuries. Even when other cultures conquered China (such as the Mongolian invasion that led to the Yuan dynasty, or the Manchu invasion that led to the Qing dynasty), the invading people assimilated into the Chinese system of education and culture. Confucian values are a big part of what makes East Asian cultures what they are, especially the focus on family values, education, and work ethic. That's one way that his teachings have affected the modern world.
Delete