Unit 3, Lecture 2: Daoism and Confucianism Practices

San Jiao: (“the 3 teachings”); Most thought of Confucius, Buddhism, and Daoist (diff religions at same time, harmonious) The Rites Controversy: Christian dressed as Confucius to convert elites of preforming rituals as Christian -> shut down on/off The 5 Relationships: take seriously – hierarchy, harmony, respect (mutual back) - Child -> parents o (filial piety): calling/thanking them, elders in same house, 3-year period of mourning at their death by simple life, ancestral tablets - Younger sibling -> older sibling - Wife -> husband - Subject -> ruler - Friend -> friend (equals, but still some hierarchy in elders/superiors) Ancestral Tablets: in households on alters, offerings – connection b/n life and death for parents, grandparents. “thanksgiving” gathering, giving announcements of achievements - Confucius: agonist about whether the death was listening, didn’t teach this idea o “When you do not yet understand life, how could you understand death?” o But doesn’t matter as it helps the person making those offerings ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Daoism De: power -> gain power if form oneself to the way, practices by sages Mt. Wudang: martial arts mountain, Daoist practices (circular, soft/gentle -> moving mediation for dao (the way) and ying and yang, not fighting/hard/linear) Laozi (6th century B.C.): author of Daojingueng - Dao ‘The Way”: both Confucius (world order of universe), Daoism (flow Wuwei: non-action (not just doing nothing, but doing something so unordinary out of normal actions --> puts one in harmony with Dao/self o Ex. Water flows naturally -> rock diverts course AROUND rock § “Go with the flow” not resisting against things with fixed ideas, flow along with changes in life Ying and Yang: harmony of opposed principles, everything in universe is manifestation, picture is circular (representing a circular/constant flow motion b/n the two) the white part of the black shows night where it gradually turns into daytime (vise versa). The dots in center show that there’s never fully ying or yang that it is already there to emerge. - DARK Yin: death, stillness, female, moon, cold, soft, dark, passive - LIGHT Yang: life, movement, male, sun, hot, hard, light aggressive - Cultivates oneself to get a balance of yin and yang o Seen in cycles of nature (day and night) (seasons) in endless succession § Dark night = yin, daytime = yang --> no light switch, gradual transition § Dark winter = yin, light summer = yang --> others is the transition § Born w/o power = yin, growth fullness = yang, decline and death= yin - Should not claim to one side or the other (no favors yin or yang) --> seek balance o We cling to wants/good yang and avoid bad yin Non-action would be going with flow of yin and yang without any resistance, but in practice you would have to cultivate yin as we cling to yang