HISTORY 3EC3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Confucius, Junzi, Taoism

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SeungJoon SUNG

East Asian Cultures (Chin)

TuTh 12:30-1:45pm

Sept/20/2012

#6 Reading & Class Notes for Sept 20

Daoism

Laozi

Legend: came from falling star + 80yrs in mother’s womb  born w/ wrinkles, white hair, etc.

Contemporary of Confucius or Mencius (unsure)

Many say he didn’t exist at all (Laozi = a group of scholars writing under the same name)

Daodejing

Short esoteric book by Laozi

Can be loosely interpreted  2nd most translated book (after Bible)

Everything should happen naturally

 yin-yang complementary cycle

 live in harmony through non-action

Gov’t should get rid of education and then stay out of people’s life (nature is an uncarved wood)

Zhuangzi

First Chinese philosopher to consider an after-life

Eventually we all die  just accept it  maybe death is the ultimate awakening

(examples: Lady Li & Butterfly Dream) (life vs. death, dream vs. reality)

Religious Daoism

Laozi and Zhuangzi are philosophical Daoists (bring peace, preserve life)

Later, Religious Daoists concerned themselves with spirits & elixirs of eternal life

Confucius

551-479 BCE

Born in Lu (eastern China)

Kong Qiu  Kong Fuzi (our master kong)  Confucius

Ru = Confucianism (soft, gentle, enduring, weak … followers were identified as ru)

Travelled across many states, looking for someone who shared his vision (ru)

Eventually failed  became a teacher (after his death, his ideas survived)

Confucius’s ideas were too abstract for politicians to use  Mencius (later) was more practical

Moral Nobility (junzi)

“gentleman” or “son of a lord”

Implies egalitarian principles (anyone could become a junzi)

 Filial devotion, humaneness, ritual decorum (also Confucius’s govt. views)

 Li: Rule by virtue (not harsh punishment)

 Think long term and big, instead of looking for small advantages

 Everyone qualifies for an education (no class distinctions)

 Heaven has a place for everyone, and sacrifice as if they were present

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Ruler should treat the people as he wants to be treated

5 Relationships

Confucius stressed Li and Reciprocity

1) Ruler/Subject

2) Old/Young

3) Father/Son (filial)

4) Brothers

5) Husband/Wife

Women: Respect father  marry  Respect husband  Husband dies  Respect son

5 Classics

Was written before Confucius, but Confucius compiled them

1) Book of Rites

2) Book of Poetry (those who studied the first two books were superior men)

3) Book of History (past)

4) Spring/Autumn Annals (current)

5) Book of Changes (future)

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

Strike in Boston  Chinese take RR, work for lower wages  Got “I will do anything” reputation

1882 Exclusion Act

 No new naturalizations

 No cross marriage (except with blacks)

 BUT… US law says a child qualifies for naturalization after 5 years in the US

 Those who were already citizens went back to China

 9 months later: claimed he had a son, got a paper, then sold it others in China later

1943: Exclusion lifted (quota of 105 / year)

1964: Immigration Reform Act (20,000 people allowed)

Chinese Women

1945: War Brides’ Act (wives/families could be brought, no questions asked)

First Chinese communities formed

1920s: Garment industry began (Jews, Germans, etc.)  1950s: children moved to better jobs

Chinese women filled vacancies (industry moved from FIT to Soho)

Groceries & Sit-down restaurants began

Unionization

ILGWU unionized

Jewish bosses began to retire  Chinese bosses began to spring up

1982: “We’re all Chinese… don’t need union anymore”  Jewish bosses prepared beforehand

and hired musclemen  20,000 women walked out on jobs  New contracts were signed

Since then… Got away from union by moving to boroughs (new Chinatowns began there)

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Document Summary

#6 reading & class notes for sept 20. Legend: came from falling star + 80yrs in mother"s womb born w/ wrinkles, white hair, etc. Many say he didn"t exist at all (laozi = a group of scholars writing under the same name) Can be loosely interpreted 2nd most translated book (after bible) Gov"t should get rid of education and then stay out of people"s life (nature is an uncarved wood) Eventually we all die just accept it maybe death is the ultimate awakening (examples: lady li & butterfly dream) (life vs. death, dream vs. reality) Laozi and zhuangzi are philosophical daoists (bring peace, preserve life) Later, religious daoists concerned themselves with spirits & elixirs of eternal life. Confucius stressed li and reciprocity: ruler/subject, old/young, father/son (filial, brothers, husband/wife. Kong qiu kong fuzi (our master kong) confucius. Ru = confucianism (soft, gentle, enduring, weak followers were identified as ru) Travelled across many states, looking for someone who shared his vision (ru)

HISTORY 3EC3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Confucius, Junzi, Taoism

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