Unit 11 Chinese Religion and Philosophy

UNIT 11: CHINESE RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY UNIT STRUCTURE 11.1 Learning Objectives 11.2 Introduction 11.3 Religion-

 Daoism/Taoism

 Confucianism 11.4 Philosophers

 Confucius

 Lao Tse 11.5 Let Us Sum Up 11.6 Further Reading 11.7 Answers to Check Your Progress 11.8 Model Questions

11.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After going through this Unit, you will be able to-

 explain the religious beliefs of the people of Ancient China,

 explain the different religion – Daoism, Confucianism and Taoism and

 discuss the Chinese philosophers- Confucius, Lao Tse

11.2 INTRODUCTION

In the previous Unit, we have discussed the origin of Chinese civilization, the condition of the people and the political institutions. In this Unit, we will be discussing the various religious faith and the Chinese philosophers like Confucius and Lao Tse. From the ancient time onwards the Chinese worshipped natural powers like rivers, wind, earth, heaven etc. According to them, all these natural powers had spirit. They also used to worship their dead fore-fathers or ancestors. Shang Ti, Tien were the main gods of ancient China. In addition to this the Chinese used to worship many other gods and goddesses including the ‘soul’.

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11.3 RELIGION

In ancient China, there was no priestly class to perform the religious rituals for the people. All the religious rituals were performed by either the person concerned or by the state. In ancient times the Chinese religious rituals were honestly observed. Sometimes animal sacrifices were also performed to please their gods and goddesses. The two major religions of ancient China were Taoism/Daoism and Confucianism. During the reign of the Han Dynasty, Buddhism was brought into China by the Indian and Indonesian traders and the missionaries and in around 191 A.D. a Buddhist Monastery was also built in Kiangsu province of China. But it was after the end of the Han Dynasty that Buddhism got popularity in China. As a result of this growing popularity of Buddhism in China, the relations between China and India developed considerably. Mainly the Mahayana sect of Buddhism was popular in China.

 Daoism/Taoism

“Dao” in Chinese meant “way of life”. There have been different approaches of looking into the concept of Daoism. According to Daoism, the human way must be in accordance to the way of nature. According to Confucianism, Daoism talked about the moral behavior of man which however is very limited in nature when considered the Daoism viewpoint related to human behaviour Wu Wei is a doctrine propounded in Daoism which means non- action. By this it meant that the best behavior of man would be to act naturally and suppress any excessive desires which are a cause of all human problems. Lao Tse was associated with Taoism. He was born in 604 B.C. in Honan province of China. He wrote a book named “The Way of Life”. This book contains the essence of Taoism. Taoism got its name from its central idea, Tao, which can be defined as the Way of Nature. In nature, according to Lao-tzu, man finds a vital impulse directing life. He reaches

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understanding by withdrawing from the world and contemplating nature. Lao-tse said that Tao is an indescribable force that governs the universe and all nature. Man may bring himself into harmony with Tao by practicing three great virtues: humility, frugality, and contentment. Men should not strive for learning, riches, or power. They should try rather, to bring themselves into harmony with Tao by being quiet, thoughtful, and humble. As Lao said, “He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty. Unlike Confucius, Lao-Tse believed that the less government the better. He advised men to withdraw from public affairs and not to participate in them. Taoism had a strong appeal among the masses specially the peasants. His teachings pronounced that wealth and power were meaningless. The following are the main doctrines of his religious faith. Inactivity is the best jewel of character, he said— “Do nothing, and people will become good of their own accord.” One should always live in harmony with nature and be contented. “Abandon wisdom and discard knowledge and the people will be benefitted hundred fold.” He also remarked, “The secret of wisdom and that of quite content, which is the only lasting happiness that man can find, is a stoic obedience to nature, an abandonment of all artifice and intellect, a trustful acceptance of nature’s imperative in instinct and feeling and a modest immitation of nature’s silent ways.” Man should lead a simple and virtuous life. Humility is the first and foremost virtue of a perfect man. He said, “When merit hath been achieved, take it not unto thyself. If thou dost not take unto thyself, behold it can never be taken from thee.” Next to humility he attached great importance to Frugality. He used to say, “The wise man does not accumulate. The more he spends for others, the more he possess of his own; the more he giveth to others, the more hath he for himself.” One should be good to all, even to bad persons. He said, “To those who are good, I am good to those who are not good, I am also good; 112 History of Ancient Civilizations Chinese Religion and Philosophy Unit 11 thus all get to be good.” Happiness would be found by living simply and nobly. Unlimited desires lead to selfishness and unhappiness.

 Confucianism

One of the famous philosophers of ancient China was Confucius. He was born in 551 B.C. in Lu State in a respectable family. He was a contemporary of Mahavira and Gautam Buddha. He died at the age of 73. He was a thinker and peace lover from his childhood. He was a great scholar and his teachings greatly influenced the life of the Chinese. According to him, only those people can improve who sincerely go for the search of knowledge. He put great emphasis on honouring and respecting the established customs of China, but he did not believe in the life after death. Respect for elders and ancestors, the solidarity of family etc were the central points of his teachings. Confucius emphasized moral and social order for society. He believed in the doctrine of equality and according to his opinion it was the duty of the State to give equal protection and care for the welfare of all subjects. According to him, the main aim and duty of the State was to provide equal opportunity to all his subjects so that the personality and talent of every individual could develop. Confucius believed that for the advancement of the state and society it was very essential that both the government and the people should be well disciplined. According to him, the Emperor comes to the throne with the blessings of god. Again, he believed that the rulers should be learned and men of character. Confucius believed that a victor should not use his power in an unlimited manner and the use of power was against the will of god. According to Confucius, five relationships were important and they should be valued. These five relationships were between ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, older brother and younger brother and between the friends.

11.4 CHINESE PHILOSOPHERS

China was the homeland of some famous philosophers. Among these philosophers Lao Tse, Confucius, Mencius, Chaung-tse, Mo Ti etc

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deserved special mention. The basic principle of their philosophy was how to create an idealistic state and society.

 Confucius

The most influential Chinese philosopher was Confucius. Confucius had little to say about the idea of god, the meaning of death, or the idea of life after death. He was not a religious prophet, nor especially a religious man, as were use the term. Essentially, he was interested in what made the good life. Because of the times in which he lived, he believed that the good life depended on order, and that order depended on good government. He opened a school and taught his pupils the ancient history and poetry of China, along with the ceremonies and rules for polite conduct. The people were greatly influenced by his simple teachings. He emphasized that, “A man’s character is formed by the Odes, developed by the Rites (ceremony and courtesy) and perfected by music”. In his teachings, Confucius was a practical philosopher. He never claimed that he had anything divine about him. His teachings were based on good manners. He did not Ideal with mystical questions concerning God, the life after death religious rituals, spirits and unknown world. He was more concerned with the man on this earth than with God in Heaven or man after death. He rightly remarked, “So long as thou dost not know life, how canst thou know death? So long as thou art not able to serve men, how canst thou serve the spirits?” He laid great stress on good manners and morality. He preached, “Reply kindness with kindness; but reply evil with justice.” At another place he said, “What you do not like when done to yourself, do not do to others.” His teachings were practical. He laid down in detail the duties of a man. Man should be firm on justice, honesty, sincerity, duty and morality He was a strict

disciplinarian and emphasized the moral way of life. In short, Confucius was neither a philosopher nor religious leader a practical reformer who laid great stress on discipline, rules procedure.

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His political ideas were also very revolutionary. He was an advocate of the benevolent government. He was of the view that administration should be based on the will of the people and not order and tyranny. Despotic rule cannot last long. The sovereignty the state lies with the people. So the government must try to win confidence of the people. The ruler must serve as a model for his subjects. He must appoint efficient and honest persons to administer the affairs the government and the governed must pay respect to discipline, manners and procedures. He wrote, “There is good government those, who are near, are made happy and those, who are far are attracted”. Confucius taught that government depends on good example. Virtue, in Confucian teaching, consists of correct behavior and others. Confucius hoped to put his ideas into practice when he was appointed the chief magistrate of the Chung-tu city. During his tenure, the rate of criminal activities declined and there was law and order everywhere. However, he attracted the attention of selfish politicians and officers who became jealous of him and in time Confucius was compelled to leave his country. He spent the rest of his life wandering and teaching. After his death, many schools were set up to continue his legacy. Many Chinese continued to educate themselves on Confucianism. Of Confucius’s influence, it has been said, “It is greatly due to the teachings of Confucius that there are no people in the world more patient, polite and self-controlled than the Chinese. China may change her form of government and her rulers, but not the sense of duty and good manners of her people.”

LET US KNOW

Confucius has been canonized “Duke Ni, the All- Complete and All-Illustrious”, “Accomplished Sage” etc. Some of his literary works are- Shi Ching (Book of Odes), Li Chi (Record of Rites), I Ching (Book of Changes), Shu Ching (Book of History) etc

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However, the teachings of Confucius have become redundant owing to the strict adherence to rules that acted as a barrier to the freedom of the individual.

 Lao Tse

Lao Tse was a great philosopher of the 6th century. B.C. lit•-as born in Central China in 604 B.C. He worked as a keeper of Records under the rulers of the Chou dynasty. Literally Lao Tse means ‘the wise old person or the old philosopher.’ His philosophical ideals are contained in his book Tao-Te-Ching’. His religious philosophy is termed as Taoism or the religion of the right path. Lao himself did not believe in temples or a formal religion. After his death, however, his teachings were organized into a religion: He had laughed at the idea of gods, yet he came to be worshiped a god. People were greatly influenced by his teachings. Some even worshipped him like a God. But the influence of Buddhism in China in the first century A.D. and the penetration of superstitions, magic and strange rituals led to the decline of Taoism. The ideas of Confucius, Lao-Tse influenced the attitude of the Chinese toward life itself and toward government. Confucianism, with its reverence for the past and emphasis on the family, won the most followers. The Chinese had always revered their ancestors and worshiped the emperor as almost a divine being. These things continued. The other—humility, contentment, loyalty, justice, wisdom, and obedience—made the Chinese patient and enduring. Buddhism in China- The third great influence on Chinese thought and religious belief came not from China but from India – from the teachings of Buddha. From 202 B.C. to 220 A.D. the Han dynasty ruled in China. During this time, missionaries from India brought Buddhism to China.

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CHECK YOUR PROGRESS Answer the following questions- Q 1. What led to the decline of Taoism? ...... Q 2. Who was canonized as “Accomplished Sage”? ...... Q 3. ______wrote Shu Ching.

When the Han dynasty was breaking up and Huns from the north were raiding China, Buddhism found many converts, especially among the peasants. People were looking for consolation in this time of crisis. Mahayana Buddhism, with its worship of Buddha as a savior, offered an escape from the miseries of the present. Its temples and ceremonies also appealed to the Chinese.

11.5 LET US SUM UP

After going through this Unit, you have learnt –

 Chinese philosophers like Confucius and Lao-Tse contributed immensely to the world through their teachings,

 Confucianism focuses on the issue of Morality while Taoism on allowing nature take its course.

11.6 FURTHER READING

1) Jacques, Gernet. (1996). A History of Chinese Civilization, (2nd ed.) Cambridge University Press, U.K. 2) Patricia Buckley, Ebrey (edited) (1993). Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook, (2nd ed.), the Free Press, New York. 3) Swain, J.E. (1983). A History of World Civilization, The McGraw Hill Book Company Inc., New York.

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11.7 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROG- RESS

Ans to Q.No.1: Buddhism

Ans to Q.No.2: Confucius

Ans to Q.No.3: Confucius

11.8 MODEL QUESTIONS

A. Very Short Questions (answer each question in 50 words)-

Q.1. Name the author of “The Way of Life”?

Q.2. Who was appointed the magistrate of Chung-tu?

B. Short Questions (answer each question in 150 words)

Q.1. Write short note on Lao-Tse.

Q.2. State a drawback of Confuciusianism.

C. Long Questions (answer each question in 300-500 words)-

Q.1. Discuss the religious trend of Ancient China.

Q.2. Explain the contribution of Confucius in spreading Chinese wisdom worldwide.

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