EAS214H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Taoism, Shennong, Dialectic
Document Summary
These stories are very well-known to those who"ve studied china and those who were raised within its culture. The first is from 500 bce (contemporary to confucius) The world came into being through the interaction of heaven and earth, two creative forces. This dialectic opposition produces and accounts for everything. There is no moment" of creation - everything just sort of exists. At some point humanity appears, in a world that was already there. First humans are not really different from animals. Live on the ground, no dwellings, etc. Culture heroes arrive and create civilization (c. 2500 bce) Implies the purpose of civilization is very practical, material - about personal welfare. Invention of government under a single universal king. Structure of human life modeled after heaven and earth - natural patterns. Government establishes common norms (time, customs, etc. ) essentially bring order to the world. Structured human life cycle based on natural order.
