EAST 211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Cheng Hao, Zhou Dunyi, Zhu Xi
15 May 2018
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17: Song Neo-Confucianism
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
8:22 AM
Song Dynasty Neo-Confucianism
Daoxue 道學 Neo-Cofuiais
• Daoxue 道學 = Study of the Dao (the Way)
• Confucian ethics synthesized with Buddhist and Daoist metaphysics
o Pay attention to the Dao as the ultimate reality and metaphysical concept describing the
ultimate relation of things.
o Previously, in Confucianism Dao was more a relative concept (ex Dao filial piety, or Dao or
being a virtuous ruler)
o Takes ideas of emptiness, compassion, etc from Buddhism
• anti-Buddhist rhetoric vs. similarities with Zen Buddhism
o Confucians don't like Buddhism; it is foreign, barbaric and not authentically Chinese. They
want to get back to what is Chinese, which stems from threats from outsiders at the time
o In reality, Neo-Confucians borrow a lot from Zen Buddhism because of its popularity at the
time
o Take ideas that are popular from Daoism and Buddhism and absorb them into a Confucian
framework
o Confucians hate the idea of emptiness from Buddhism because they want to say that the
Confucian social order and other Confucian values are substantial
Neo-Confucian Thinkers
• Zhou Dunyi (Chou Tun-yi; 1017-7, A Eplaatio of the Diaga of the Geat Ultiate
• Zhang Zai (Chang Tsai, 1020-77, The Weste Isiptio
o Expression of neo-Confucian ethics
• Cheg Hao Ch’eg Hao; -1085)
• Cheg Yi Ch’eg I; -1107)
• Zhu Xi 朱熹 (Chu Hsi; 1130-1200): Synthesis
o Combined ideas from other thinkers
o Failed official but a popular thinker
Notes:
• These thinkers were often unpopular in courts and unsuccessful thinkers. However they did write
certain texts that were popular with certain elites
• Notion of lineage
• “og as Cofuia Age?
o unpopular during the Song
o influential as teachers
o Much like Confucians in the past (not politically important)
Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130-1200)
• Southern Song (1127-1279): turning inward
o Lost North and see this as failure of the government; loss of pride for the Song
• prolific writer and popular teacher
• failed statesman
o Failed civil service exam (only about 0.5% of people actually pass these exams)
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• Concerned with self-cultivation rather than the politics of it
o Using Confucian study to transform self into sage or Confucian gentleman
• synthesized previous ideas into a coherent system
• Four books and commentaries (Analects; Mencius; Doctrine of the Mean; and The Great Learning)
o Became Confucian orthodoxy (standard doctrine for the empire; for their political thinking
and understanding of society)
• Family Rituals 家禮
o Created standard form for Confucian rituals. Writings on funeral, ancestral rituals relate to
negotiations with the spiritual realm. Important for us because Western thought interprets
Confucianism as rational, but this is a simplification
Daoxue 道學 Neo-Cofuiais
• Western Interpretations of Neo-Cofuiais: atioal, seula, huaist, sietifi, et.
o See Neo-Confucianism in light of these enlightenment values
• Are these labels accurate?
• Adle, Diiatio ad “aifie i Song Neo-Cofuiais
o Criticizes these labels and points out the religious aspects of Neo-Confucianism (debate in
academia over whether Confucian is a religion)
o Some aspects: Spiritual ceremonies, Divination, Yijing
)hag )ai, The Weste Isiptio
Taiji 太極: Supreme Ultimate, Supreme pole, or polarity
• derives from the Book of Changes (Yijing 易經)
• generates yin/yang and 5 phases
• 5 Phases = 5 moral virtues (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, loyalty)
• Source of Confucian order (a metaphysical realm validates Confucian social order and its' ethics)
• human form as microcosm
• ideal of the sage (shengren 聖人) vs. the gentleman (junzi 君子)
• Confucian virtues are inherent and derive from the cosmos
o Philosophical explanation for how the Confucian ethics emerge from this central Dao
• Contrast with filial piety 'miracles'
o Just because this is philosophical, does this mean it is rational?
• Beyond polarity (ying-yang, positive-negative)
Neo-Confucian Philosophy
• Principle (li 理) and material force (qi 氣)
*have yin/yang relationship
o li 理: pattern, order, principle
• Inherent in all things (material and spiritual). Inherent in all things made up of Qi
• Material world is governed by Li
o qi 氣: material force / vital energy
• Encountered in Daoist longevity practices
• Refers both to material substance and energy/vital force
• Relationship is non-dual
• uit of Piiple ad its diese patiulaizatios lii feshu 理一分數)
Iestigatio of thigs geu 格物)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
They want to get back to what is chinese, which stems from threats from outsiders at the time. Confucian social order and other confucian values are substantial. Zhou dunyi (chou tun-yi; 1017-(cid:1005)(cid:1004)7(cid:1007)(cid:895), (cid:862)a(cid:374) e(cid:454)pla(cid:374)atio(cid:374) of the diag(cid:396)a(cid:373) of the g(cid:396)eat ulti(cid:373)ate(cid:863) Zhang zai (chang tsai, 1020-(cid:1005)(cid:1004)77(cid:895), (cid:862)the weste(cid:396)(cid:374) i(cid:374)s(cid:272)(cid:396)iptio(cid:374)(cid:863: expression of neo-confucian ethics, che(cid:374)g hao (cid:894)ch"e(cid:374)g hao; (cid:1005)(cid:1004)(cid:1007)(cid:1006)-1085, che(cid:374)g yi (cid:894)ch"e(cid:374)g i; (cid:1005)(cid:1004)(cid:1007)(cid:1007)-1107) Zhu xi (chu hsi; 1130-1200): synthesis: combined ideas from other thinkers, failed official but a popular thinker. Notes: these thinkers were often unpopular in courts and unsuccessful thinkers. However they did write certain texts that were popular with certain elites: notion of lineage. O(cid:374)g as (cid:862)co(cid:374)fu(cid:272)ia(cid:374) age(cid:863): unpopular during the song influential as teachers, much like confucians in the past (not politically important) Four books and commentaries (analects; mencius; doctrine of the mean; and the great learning: became confucian orthodoxy (standard doctrine for the empire; for their political thinking and understanding of society)
