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Chinese Philosophy CHINESE PHILOSOPHY Vatican Relations: Problems of Conflicting Authority, 1976–1986 EARLY HISTORY (Cambridge 1992). J. LEUNG, Wenhua Jidutu: Xianxiang yu lunz- heng (Cultural Christian: Phenomenon and Argument) (Hong Shang Dynasty (c.1600–c.1045 B.C.). Chinese Kong 1997). K. C. LIU, ed. American Missionaries in China: Papers philosophical thought took definite shape during the reign from Harvard Seminars (Cambridge 1966). Lutheran World Feder- of the Shang dynasty in Bronze Age China. During this ation/Pro Mundi Vita. Christianity and the New China (South Pasa- period, the primeval forms of ancestor veneration in Neo- dena 1976). L. T. LYALL, New Spring in China? (London 1979). J. G. LUTZ, ed. Christian Missions in China: Evangelist of What? lithic Chinese cultures had evolved to relatively sophisti- (Boston 1965). D. E. MACINNIS, Religion in China Today: Policy cated rituals that the Shang ruling house offered to their and Practice (Maryknoll, NY 1989). D. MACINNIS and X. A. ZHENG, ancestors and to Shangdi, the supreme deity who was a Religion under Socialism in China (Armonk, NY 1991). R. MAD- deified ancestor and progenitor of the Shang ruling fami- SEN, China Catholics: Tragedy and Hope in an Emerging Civil So- ciety (Berkeley 1998). R. MALEK and M. PLATE Chinas Katholiken ly. A class of shamans emerged, tasked with divination suchen neue (Freiburg 1987). Missiones Catholicae cura S. Con- and astrology using oracle bones for the benefit of the rul- gregationis de Propaganda Fide descriptae statistica (Rome 1901, ing class. Archaeological excavations have uncovered 1907, 1922, 1927). J. METZLER, ed. Sacrae Congregationis de Pro- elaborate bronze sacrificial vessels and other parapherna- paganda Fide Memoria Rerum, 1622–1972 (Rome 1976). Nanjing lia for ancestor veneration rites, which were carried out 86, Ecumenical Sharing: A New Agenda (New York 1986). J. M. PLANCHET, Les Missions de Chine et du Japon (Beijing, 1916- in temples. The primordial forms of filiality evolved dur- 1933). REN JIYU, Zhongjiao cidian (Dictionary on Religion) ing this period together with the ancestor veneration cere- (Shanghai 1981). A. C. ROSS, A Vision Betrayed: The Jesuits in monies. Japan and China, 1542-1742 (Maryknoll, NY 1992). Y. SAEKI, The Nestorian Documents and Relics in China (Tokyo 1951). S. SHA- Zhou (Chou) Dynasty (c. 1045–221 B.C.). Histori- PIRO, Jews in Old China (New York 1984). Shijie Zhongjiao Yanjiu cally, the Zhou was a semi-nomadic group who con- (Studies on World Religion) (Beijing 1979–). Shijie Zhongjiao quered their more refined overlords and opted to Ziliao (Materials on World Religion) (Beijing 1979–). C. SOETENS, L’Église catholique en Chine au XXe siècle (Paris 1997). J. D. assimilate themselves into Shang culture and way of life, SPENCE, The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci (New York 1984). including ancestor veneration sacrificial ceremonies and The Chinese Recorder (Shanghai 1935-1941). A. THOMAS (= J. M. their foundations in the concept of filiality. The Zhou rul- PLANCHET) Histoire de la Mission de Pékin 2 vols. (Paris, 1923, ing house came into power when King Wu, the first Zhou 1925). B. TOWERY, The Churches of China: Taking Root Down- ward, Bearing Fruit Upward (Hong Kong 1987). E. TANG and J. P. king overthrew Wicked King Jie, the last Shang ruler WIEST, eds. The Catholic Church in Modern China: Perspectives who would become the paradigmatic figure in Chinese (Maryknoll, NY 1993). P. A. VARG, Missionaries, Chinese and Dip- philosophical thought for a tyrannical and incompetent lomats: The American Protestant Missionary Movement in China, ruler. To justify the overthrow of the last Shang king and 1890-1952 (Princeton 1958). L. T. S. WEI, La politique missionnaire de la France en Chine, 1842-1856 (Paris 1957); Le Saint-Siège et to legitimize their rule, the Zhou kings developed the no- la Chine de Pie XI à nos jours (Paris 1968). B. WHYTE, Unfinished tion of the Mandate of Heaven (Tianming) as the basis Encounter: China and Christianity (London 1988). P. WICKERI, for the moral-ethical right to rule. Seeking the Common Ground: Protestant Christianity, The Three- Self Movement, and China’s United Front (Maryknoll, NY 1988). Mandate of Heaven (Tianming). The Mandate of J. P. WIEST, Maryknoll in China (Armonk, NY 1988). E. WURTH, ed. Heaven (Tianming) is a moral-ethical imperative that Papal Documents Related to the New China (Maryknoll, NY states that the legitimacy of a ruler to govern vests in Tian 1985). (Heaven), which expresses its views in signs, portents [J.-P. WIEST/EDS.] and rebellions. A ruling house retains the Mandate of Heaven insofar as it constantly acted morally and for the good of the people. If it strayed from the path of virtue CHINESE PHILOSOPHY and benevolence, it would lose the right to rule. Wicked Chinese literary sources trace the foundations of King Jie, the last Shang ruler had lost the Mandate of China’s long, rich and complex philosophical tradition to Heaven to the Zhou King Wu because of his evil ways. the mythical Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) who lived earli- The successful rebellion that swept the Zhou to power er than 2,500 B.C. and who laid the framework for Chi- was interpreted as the ultimate portent from Tian of a nese civilization. After him came the reign of the change in mandate. All Chinese emperors, from the first legendary sage-kings, three of whom—Yao, Shun and Zhou king onwards became known as Tianzi (T’ien-tzu, Yu were idealized in Chinese philosophical writings as ‘‘Son of Heaven’’), the earthly representatives of Tian model rulers with integrity and upright conduct. As civili- vested with Tianming (Mandate of Heaven) to look after zation advanced, the obscure Xia (Hsia) dynasty the well-being of their subjects. As a political philosophy, emerged. Not much is known about the Xia dynasty be- the Mandate of Heaven is a two-edged sword. While it yond extant literary writings. Some archaeologists would legitimized a dynasty’s right to govern, it also imposed identify the Xia dynasty with the early bronze age civili- a burden on the ruling house to justify the continuance zation excavated at the Erlitou site. of this right. Dissatisfied rivals would seize power on NEW CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA 507 CHINESE PHILOSOPHY grounds that an existing ruling house had lost the Man- xing)—the Chinese metaphysical conceptualization of all date of Heaven by the bad treatment of its subjects. things (wan wu) in terms of the five ‘‘phases’’ (xing) of earth, wood, metal, fire, and water. Itinerant Scholars (ru). The Mandate of Heaven would also have another impact on Chinese philosophy— Decline of the Zhou Dynasty. To control the hostile to ensure that they remain in power, rulers began to em- subjects within their empire, and in the face of difficulties ploy scholars (ru) to advise them on good government. in communication, the Zhou rulers parceled out lands to Itinerant scholars presented themselves at the court, of- friends and former foes, thus setting up a feudal system fering their services. Two of China’s most well-known in which the political allies became feudal lords and the scholars are CONFUCIUS (KONGFUZI) and MENCIUS commoners were serfs. In theory, all land belonged to the (MENGZI), who would later become the two pillars of the king, who bestowed it on his vassals; they in turn par- Rujiao (‘‘Traditions of the Literati,’’ known in the West celed it out to those below them. Arable land was divided as CONFUCIANISM. It was from these wandering scholars into nine well-field units (tian), and one out of nine plots that the Hundred Schools (Bai jia) of Chinese philosophy was cultivated by the tenants for the feudal lord. Feudal would later emerge during the period of the Warring lords were responsible for keeping the peace within their States (Zhanguo). territory, supplying conscripts to the Zhou imperial army and paying an annual tribute to the Zhou king. As the feu- Emergence of classical texts. King Wu was suc- dal vassals became powerful rulers in their own right, the ceeded as regent by his brother, the Duke of Zhou (Zhou fiefdoms became de facto independent states and the feu- Gong), a man of great intelligence, energy, and character dal lords gradually arrogated titles and honors that for- whose reign was regarded as the golden age of Zhou rule merly belonged to the Zhou monarch alone. by Confucius (Kongfuzi) and his followers. The classical texts and historical records that gradually emerged during PERIOD OF THE HUNDRED SCHOOLS (BAI JIA) the Zhou dynasty would later become important sources Major developments took place during the tumultu- of precedents for the emergence of classical Chinese ous period of the Hundred Schools (Bai jia), straddling philosophical thought. Early forms of the classic texts of the latter part of the Spring and Autumn Period (722–481 the Book of Poetry (Shijing), the Book of History (Shuj- B.C.), the twilight years of the Zhou dynasty, and the War- ing) and the Book of Changes (Yijing) first emerged dur- ring States period (481–221 B.C.), when Zhou rule col- ing this period. The Spring and Autumn Annals lapsed and feudal states vied for power. This was a period (Chunqiu), a historical chronicle of the State of Lu from of terrible suffering for the ordinary folk caught in the 722 to 481 B.C. is an important witness to the twilight crossfire of marauding armies. The old cultural-religious years of Zhou rule and the emergence of the Hundred order had collapsed and created a spiritual vacuum. Phi- Schools (Bai jia), a diverse plurality of Chinese philo- losophers and scholars from rival schools offered com- sophical schools competing for socio-political influence. peting solutions to the existential questions on human Yin-yang Philosophical worldview.
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