Introduction to Confucianism
Summary
TLDRThis introductory lesson on Confucianism explores the philosophical roots of the teachings of Confucius, set against the backdrop of ancient Chinese traditions and the chaotic Warring States period. It delves into the debate on whether Confucianism is a religion or a philosophy, highlighting its focus on establishing new customs and traditions for social order. The video also touches on Confucius's personal journey, his admiration for past dynasties, and his belief in the power of education to instill values and bring about societal change.
Takeaways
- 📘 Confucianism is introduced as a philosophical and ethical system rather than a religion, with a focus on social harmony and personal virtue.
- 🌐 The script suggests that Confucianism emerged from various Chinese traditions, including indigenous spiritual practices, divination, ancestor worship, and Daoism.
- 🕊️ Confucius himself is portrayed as a civil servant and teacher rather than a deity, emphasizing his role in imparting wisdom and establishing social order.
- 🏛️ The script mentions that Confucianism originated during the 4th century B.C., after the establishment of other Chinese folk religions and philosophies like Daoism.
- 🤔 It raises the question of whether Confucianism is a religion, philosophy, or a way of life, highlighting the blurred lines between these categories.
- 🗿 The script describes how Confucianism is sometimes associated with practices like ancestor worship and divination, which were part of Chinese culture before Confucius's teachings.
- 🌟 The concept of 'Heaven' in Confucianism is explained as a source of law and virtue, rather than a physical place or deity.
- 👥 Confucius's teachings emphasize the importance of establishing new customs and traditions to bring social cohesion and order, especially during the chaotic Warring States period.
- 📚 The script highlights Confucius's admiration for the social order under dynasties and his belief in the power of tradition and custom to unite people.
- 📈 The teachings of Confucius gained popularity posthumously, influencing the establishment of new social norms and educational practices in China.
- 🌱 The fundamental ideas and philosophies of Confucianism, which contributed to stabilizing Chinese society for millennia, will be discussed in subsequent videos.
Q & A
What is the central theme of the script's discussion on Confucianism?
-The central theme of the script is to introduce Confucianism as a philosophy or way of life that originated from China, rooted in various traditions and practices that predate Confucius himself, and to explore its fundamental ideas and philosophies that have influenced Chinese and Asian society for thousands of years.
Why might Confucianism sometimes be confused with a religion?
-Confucianism might be confused with a religion because it has elements such as ancestor worship and the concept of Heaven, which can be associated with religious practices. However, the core teachings of Confucius do not involve the worship of deities or devotion to higher powers, making it more of a philosophy or way of life.
What is the significance of the I Ching in the context of Chinese folk religion and Confucianism?
-The I Ching, or the Book of Changes, is significant as it represents a method of divination, a practice of seeking knowledge or answers from a spiritual source. It was part of the Chinese folk religion before Confucianism and was later incorporated into Confucian practices, even though Confucius himself did not emphasize it as the core of his teachings.
How did Confucius view his role in society?
-Confucius viewed himself as a civil servant and a teacher, rather than a divine sage or a deity. He believed in establishing new customs and traditions to bring order and cohesion to society, which he attempted to achieve through his teachings.
What is the historical context of Confucianism's emergence?
-Confucianism emerged during the 4th century B.C., after the establishment of various indigenous folk religions and Daoism, and before the widespread influence of Buddhism in China. It arose during a time known as the Warring States period, characterized by chaos and the fragmentation of China into warring tribes.
What were the key motivations behind Confucius' teachings?
-Confucius' key motivations were to alleviate the suffering caused by the Warring States period and to bring about social cohesion and order. He believed that by establishing new customs and traditions, society could be stabilized and the people could live in harmony.
How did Confucius' teachings become popular and influential?
-Confucius' teachings became popular and influential after his death. His students, who learned and understood his philosophies, spread his teachings and helped establish new customs and traditions that were gradually accepted and integrated into the educational system and society at large.
What is the concept of 'Heaven' in Confucianism?
-In Confucianism, 'Heaven' is not a physical place but rather a philosophical concept representing the source of law and virtue. It is not personified as a deity but is seen as a force that provides purpose and values to human life.
What is the role of ancestor worship in Confucianism?
-Ancestor worship in Confucianism is a practice that acknowledges the belief that the dead can influence the living. It involves rituals and offerings to appease the spirits of the deceased, hoping for their positive influence on the lives of the living.
How does the script differentiate between the teachings of Confucius and other Chinese traditions?
-The script differentiates by highlighting that while Confucianism has elements from other Chinese traditions, such as ancestor worship and divination, these were not the core of Confucius' teachings. Instead, his philosophy focused on establishing new customs and traditions to bring about social order and harmony.
What is the significance of the term 'Confucianism'?
-The term 'Confucianism' is a Latinized version of 'Kung Fuzi,' which means 'Master Kung.' It refers to the teachings of Confucius, emphasizing his role as a master teacher and civil servant, rather than a divine figure.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Confucianism and Its Origins
The script introduces Confucianism as a topic of discussion, posing the question of whether the audience has ever felt overwhelmed by chaos. It compares this to the previous discussion on Buddhism and suffering. The instructor suggests that understanding Confucianism requires a brief historical tour, noting that it emerged from various Chinese traditions, including divination, belief in spirits, and ancestor worship. Confucianism is not attributed to a single founder but is rooted in pre-existing cultural practices. The script also touches on the debate about whether Confucianism is a religion or a philosophy, highlighting that it lacks the worship of deities and focuses more on social harmony and personal ethics.
🗿 Honoring Confucius: The Man and His Teachings
This paragraph delves into the cultural significance of Confucius, distinguishing between honoring historical figures and worshiping deities. It clarifies that Confucius's teachings do not involve devotion to higher powers or mention of deities, but rather focus on societal order and personal virtue. The script explains that Confucius saw himself as a civil servant and teacher, not a divine sage. It also discusses how Confucianism incorporates elements from Chinese folk religion, such as ancestor reverence and divination practices like the I Ching, which were already present in Chinese culture before Confucius's time.
🌏 The Societal Impact of Confucianism
The script describes Confucianism as a set of teachings aimed at bringing order and meaning to society, particularly in the context of the chaotic Warring States period in China. It emphasizes that Confucius, as a civil servant and teacher, sought to establish new customs and traditions to alleviate suffering and create a more harmonious society. The paragraph highlights Confucius's admiration for the social order under dynasties and his belief in the power of tradition and custom to unite people. It also mentions that Confucius's teachings became popular posthumously and were instrumental in shaping Chinese society and education for millennia.
🛣️ The Path to Social Harmony Through Confucian Teachings
The final paragraph outlines the process by which Confucius's teachings were disseminated and eventually integrated into Chinese society. It explains that Confucius initially tried to promote his ideas directly but turned to teaching when his ideas were not immediately accepted. His teachings, which focused on establishing new traditions and customs, were gradually adopted and became a foundational part of Chinese education and social structure. The paragraph concludes by setting the stage for a deeper exploration of Confucius's fundamental ideas and philosophies in subsequent discussions.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Confucianism
💡Ancestor Worship
💡Divination
💡I Ching
💡Philosophy vs. Religion
💡Confucius
💡Warring States Period
💡Heaven
💡Tradition
💡Cultural Artifacts
💡Civil Servant
Highlights
Introduction to Confucianism as a philosophy and its comparison with Buddhism.
The question of whether Confucianism is a religion or a philosophy is explored.
Confucianism's roots in Chinese traditions predating Confucius, including indigenous spiritual practices.
The influence of Daoism on Confucian thought, particularly the concept of opposites in the whole.
The historical context of Confucianism's emergence during the 4th century B.C.
Confucius's self-perception as a civil servant and teacher rather than a divine sage.
The debate on the nature of Confucianism as a philosophy, culture, or way of life.
The significance of Confucius's teachings in providing meaning and order to Chinese society.
The concept of 'Heaven' in Confucianism as a source of law and virtue, not a deity.
Ancestor reverence and its integration into Confucian practices.
The role of divination and the I Ching in the cultural context of Confucianism.
Confucius's motivation to alleviate suffering during the Waring States period in China.
The idea of establishing new customs and traditions to bring societal cohesion.
The posthumous popularity of Confucius's teachings and their impact on Chinese education.
The fundamental ideas and philosophies of Confucianism that shaped Chinese society.
The importance of tradition and custom in Confucius's vision for societal stability.
Confucius's admiration for the dynastic period and the inspiration for new traditions.
The process of integrating Confucian teachings into the civic and educational systems.
Transcripts
hello everyone Welcome to our lesson
this week on Confucianism this first
video will be a short
introduction so the question we looked
at last week as our introduction to
Buddhism was the following have you ever
been overwhelmed trapped by suffering
and hopefully now after having digested
Buddhism this question might make a
little more sense to you as we go into
confusion ISM the question I'd like you
to think about as we begin discussing
this topic is the following have you
ever felt like you're immersed in chaos
as if uh everything around you was
hectic and you weren't too sure how to
to make sense or to deal with all of
it so as with the previous two
discussions on Hinduism and Buddhism I'd
like to begin with a a short tour of
Confucianism but when I mention
Confucianism does anything particular
come to mind do any particular images or
artifacts or ideas come to
mind rather than a tour like in the
previous lectures what I like to do is
to go through some of the various
Chinese religions or Traditions that
kind of lead us to Confucianism because
Confucianism comes out of China uh
immersed in various other Traditions so
a lot of what we think of as being
associated with Confucianism stems from
or is rooted in other Traditions that
were in China before
Confucianism
so thousands of years there have been
obviously many indigenous spiritual
Traditions within China with various
different practices and we'll look into
the some of those practices and see how
they uh later became part or associated
with
Confucianism a lot of these practices
have to do with
divination the belief in spirits
ancestor worship
so as we take a look at Confucianism
often times they might be associated
with these sorts of phenomena but
Confucian confucious himself um didn't
necessarily Advocate or invent or come
up with these sorts of practices they're
already within the Chinese culture prior
to his
teachings similarly before Confucianism
Daoism was already popular within China
and when we think of um
DS philosophy when we start to delve
into the nature of of reality within
dosm and the notion of opposites being
part of the
whole sometimes these sorts of Concepts
also find their way in Confucian um in
Confucianism yeah but again confucious
didn't necessarily come up with these
sorts of ideas or practices or these
sorts of
philosophies
Confucianism we can see as originating
within the 4th century B.C so this is
after um um the establishment of various
indigenous folk religions and after the
establishment of
Daoism and christianism is even a little
bit before
Buddhism so one major question that may
have even come up for you when looking
at Buddhism is asking whether or not
this is is really a religion when we
took a look at Buddhism we heard a lot
of um teachings based upon cognition
based upon how the mind works and for
many people it felt more like a
psychology or more of a philosophy than
it does what we normally think of
religion especially down in the west
where we associate religion with
worshiping of deities worshiping of of
the supernatural while there is some of
that within certain branches of Buddhism
it's not part of the fundamental
teaching of the the Buddha at least for
many for many uh practitioners it's not
um the same applies to conf ficis
there's a debate about whether or not
cicim is really a religion as opposed to
a philosophy or or a way of life and
again the
the um the lines between these sorts of
ideas religion versus culture versus um
which is uh philosophy versus psychology
mean the lines between all these sorts
of distinctions are a little blurred and
maybe this is something to keep in mind
as we start to delve into even more of
these things that we call
religions but within Confucianism we
often sometimes we often see statues of
the of
confucious um and from the outside in
that may make confuscious seem like a
deity though he really is
not there are various temples honoring
confusus but again this may seem as if
it's worshiping a deity but but it's not
it's as if it's akin to having statues
of historical figures so if you if you
walk around various historical landmarks
within the US you'll see statues of
Abraham Lincoln statues of Muhammad Ali
statues of and it's not necessarily
saying that these people are are are
gods or goddesses it's a matter of
honoring various people that we feel
have impacted our culture same thing
with confucious and when we look at
confucious teachings um there there is
no mention of there's not a specific
mention of Dei Spirits or Devotion to
higher Powers though since confucious
lived within China uh uh and immersed in
various folk religions and DSM the
language he uses will refer to um
Spirits refer to things that may seem
Supernatural but it's not at the root or
the heart of his
teachings what we do see though which
makes confucious a very large figure
within not just Chinese history but with
world history is that based upon his
teachings he gave people meaning and
order for several thousands of
years so when we take a look at how
Confucianism uh is influenced by various
Traditions already based in China uh we
see things like his frequent reference
Heaven
T and the notion of Heaven here isn't so
much u a place like we often think about
it in in a Christian tradition it's more
of the source of law or the source of
our virtue it's it's sometimes uh
confucious will often sometimes
confusious will refer to how we are are
watched by heaven or how our actions are
seen by Heaven um and so sometimes the
language comes across as If Heaven's
treated as a person though that's not
really how confucious is using the term
it's more of that from which we are
given purpose that from which we are uh
given um values it's it's a very
philosophical sort of idea
here also part of the folk religion that
made its way into Confucianism is
ancestor reverence which means there
there's this belief that the dead can
influence what we do can influence our
lives so lots of practices within
Chinese folk religions have to do with
appeasing the spirits of the deceased
especially appeasing the spirits of
deceased loved ones hoping that they can
have a positive influence what we do
hence there'll be uh use of incense in
the worshipping or providing food at
altars or food at grave sites
also within folk religion that find its
way into conf visis is the notion of
divination and this is the ability to um
receive information receive Knowledge
from uh some sort of spiritual Source
through some sort of spiritual mean and
maybe the most popular method of this is
through the I Ching which is the book of
changes and the iing in one way to think
of of the iing is kind of a um kind of a
dictionary u a fortunetelling sort of
dictionary and what you'd often see are
people using coins or sticks like we see
in the image here and tossing them or
shaking them and the results of the
coins or the results of the sticks are
an answer to a question you posed so
let's say you asked a question about
what to do with a certain financial
situation or what to do um with a
decision you're about to make with
regards to who you're going to marry or
an occupational change so you shake the
sticks or the coins and then you let
them fall or you randomly pick them up
and their random assortment corresponds
to various different answers that can be
found in the I Ching
and you look those answers up in the
iing and then you read what they
correspond to and the idea is that the
answer you seek can be gleamed by
reading that uh the meaning of your of
your
devation so all of these were in place
in China prior to the growth of
Confucianism so when we think of
Confucianism the heart of it aren't
these elements it's not the heart of
cism isn't divination isn't ancestor
worship isn't the notion of heaven and
again because of these because of these
things being part of China during the
time period confucious will use the
language will speak in terms of of these
sorts of cultural artifacts so that the
people can understand where he's coming
from what he's trying to say so that he
can influence them to
change but Confucian confucious himself
never thought of him as anything more
than a civil servant so as to a Divine
Sage or even a good man far be it from
me to make any such claim as for
unvarying effort to learn and unflagging
patience and teaching others those are
merits I do not hesitate to clim so he
saw himself more as a a teacher more of
a servant to the state a civil servant
to to the people much more than than
anything Supernatural or
Divine now
what is
Confucianism in a very very general
sense it's simply the teachings of
confucious and just like we saw with
Buddhism where Buddha isn't the isn't
the name of the person just the title
the same thing here is true of
confucious confucious is just the
latinized version of kung futu or the
master Kung so Kung is the um the name
it's a it's a the name of this person's
Clan or it's the the name of the branch
of his ancestry so the the term
confucious just refers to him as being
the master the master teacher
right so he was a civil servant and
because of what he wanted to do for the
people because of what he saw happening
to society he thought he could best
serve by teaching by teaching his brand
his particular philosophy that he help
he thought could help bring together uh
the culture bring
together
China so what does this mean bring
together well for a very very long time
China ancient China was ruled by various
dynasties and in some sense when you
think of being ruled by a Dynasty uh
when we look at it from our Democratic
Society it seems like it could be could
be right for for um for misuse of power
it seems like it could be uh
um a form of society lacking freedom and
all these sorts of things existed that's
true but within a dynasty you also have
order right you also have
cohesion but after a
while a dynasty began to crumble and
China began to split into all these
different Waring tribes
so this is known as the Waring States
period in China where the the the Z CH
Dynasty split because of the because of
internal strife and what we had was this
huge um Hui chaotic form of a society
complete Anarchy where we had all these
tribes all these different states
fighting each other ruthlessly because
there's no more
overarching um sovereignty
the stories from this time period are
are pretty horrendous where uh these
different states and these different
tribes would be very ruthless toward
each other um some stories include
people cutting off heads of their
enemies and making the relatives drink
their uh the blood from their brains and
you know all these sorts of heric
acts
so uh Confucius thought to himself there
has to be a better way W
this and U it is through this sort of
motivation that he began to formulate
certain theories and philosophies that
he thought could bring about dramatic
change to alleviate the suffering that
resulted from this Waring States
period so a little bit more about
confucious as as a
person um he was a a big admirer of the
or that existed under the dynasties
right especially Under The Glory Days of
the the Jia theia chiao
Dynasty and he noticed that what seemed
to keep people together was tradition
was some sort of
custom so this gave him a seed that in
order to make change in order to bring
about change what he'd have to do would
be to establish new Customs would be to
establish new New
Traditions so uh as a civil servant he
tried to promote this sort of philosophy
to anyone who had listened to him hey we
need to we need to establish New
Traditions we need to establish new
customs in order to to bring ourselves
out from this Mock and people didn't
really listen to him so instead he
became a teacher and he thought if I
just taught maybe if I can teach enough
people then those students can help
spread this sort of philosophy and as it
turned out that's what happened
unfortunately his teachings became
popular after he passed so he never
really got to see the fruits of his of
his labor
um uh what had happened is as a result
of people listening to him people
learning from him understanding his
philosophies those students would
eventually bring about New Traditions
right new Customs exactly as confucious
had had
wanted
the idea then is that these Customs
these Traditions have to go through the
Civic process these would have to be
things that would have to be slowly
accepted by various cities states and
put into education put into educational
system so that uh people kids growing up
will learn these as the way things are
right this is how life is supposed to
be so what did uses
teach what were the fundamental ideas
and
philosophies
that molded
and helped
stabilize the society in China for
thousands of years and even for a lot of
Asia that's what we'll talk to or talk
about in the next in the next
video
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