Analysis of Confucius Lives Next Door Essay

While ongoing change became the status quo in late-Tokugawa era Japan the ideals of the samurai—and the respect they receive—endured. And, because samurai could still fall back on the prestige their class represented, members of society still

Confucianism’s major impacts on the bushido code have come from its ethical teachings, primarily those from the Five Relations. Historians suggest that Confucianism was introduced into Japan via merchants who travelled across the East China Sea from neighbouring Korea and China as early as the 4th century AD. If this view is accepted it would make Confucianism one of the earliest foreign religions introduced into Japan thus playing an imperative role in shaping Japanese ideology.

Although China’s influence over Korea has waned severely since the dynastic years we find the Confucian system of virtues and behaviors, China’s chief export from that time, still very much alive. Korea highly values the extended family, education, personal discipline and public order. In South Korea Confucian temples continue to be maintained throughout the country. The tenets of Confucianism are seen as antidotes to social ills and therefore education is thought of as a means of building character, not simply of intellectual formation. The values of Confucianism are promulgated throughout Korea in places as diverse as school, the office and the home. Television programs often portray Confucian merits such as filial piety and harmony. However

Well this book report will be one of the hardest one’s for me to write for the book was so boring I literally fell asleep every couple of pages and had to drink a huge amount of caffeine just so I would not be put to sleep. However I learned that if a pick up this book and read I’ll be able to put myself to sleep even if I’m struggling to fall asleep. For Confucius Lives Next Door: What Living In The East Teaches Us About Living In the West is like listening to a monotone speaker that makes everyone want to be anywhere else than suffer anymore to their ramblings.

In chapter 4 Confucius criticizes many different kinds of behavior which according to him these were necessary in order to be a true gentleman. Confucius criticized those who were disrespectful to the elders because by doing that it breaks the four great human relationships which are husband-wife, child-parent, minister-lord, and friend-friend (Confucius 4.8). These relationships were very important to Confucius because he argued that in order for someone to learn something, one must master these relationships firsts, I completely agree with this because in order for us to learn something and be able to put it in practice successfully, we must be able to interact with people first, otherwise it would be very difficult to express our knowledge to others.

In Giles Milton’s novel, Samurai William, the reader is taken to the other side of the globe to experience the history of old world Japan. Though out the book, Milton provides reason for complex historical events and actions, while still communicating the subtleties and mysterious customs of the Japanese. The novel also closely examines the wide range of relationships between different groups of Europeans and Asians, predominantly revolving around the protagonist, William Adams. The book documents the successes and failures that occur between the two civilizations, then links them back to either the positive or negative relationship they have. As the book goes on, the correlation is obvious. Milton shows us the extreme role that religion,

Confucian culture, also known as Confucianism, was founded by Confucius during the Spring and Autumn Period, which was developed gradually after the Han Dynasty with benevolence as the core. Since the Han Dynasty, Confucianism was the official ideology and the basis of mainstream ideology in the vast majority of historical periods of China, and it also influenced many southeast Asian countries in history. After a variety of shocks, Confucianism was still the core values of China's social public, and represented the Chinese culture and national tradition in the world (Littlejohn, 2010). In the contemporary society, the Confucian culture in China increasingly spread, at the

Reid, T. R. Confucius Lives Next Door: What Leaving In The East Teaches Us About Living In the West. United States: Random House Publishing Group, 1999. Print.

     Confucius’s counsel and guidance recorded in The Analects instilled wisdom when they were first recorded and continue to provide a thought provoking analysis of life and the checkpoints that guide it. The Master’s commentary on restraint, diligence, decency, and citizenship are well intended and relevant. Politics and the role of government also come under scrutiny as Confucius offers his insights in bettering the organization of power. His proverb-like admonitions use clear examples of everyday life allowing them to be understood and easily digested. Confucius’s own eagerness and willingness to share goodness he experienced makes it easier to apply and practice in one’s own life.

Confucius Lives Next Door by T. R. Reid is about his family of five, who moved from Colorado to Tokyo in the 1900s. During this time Tokyo was going through an economic stagnation. Not long after arriving Reid and his family found themselves “smack in the middle of a fundamental shift in world history—a basic realignment of global stature and political power that will change the way the world has worked for the past five hundred years o so. To use the phrase we heard time and again, we found ourselves in the Asian century"(Reid 5-6). Reid ues examples of crime rates, drug use, family, education, and equality of wealth to come to the conclusion that asian modern industrial society is the best in the world. A society he believes to be the result of confucian teachings.

One of the most significant national holidays in Japan is the Coming of Age, this takes place on January fifteenth. This day represents the start of adulthood for every individual celebrating a twentieth birthday that year. With the title of adulthood comes a list of new responsibilities and expectations to uphold. The individuals turning twenty now have the freedom to drink, vote and become an official member of society. The new members of adulthood are required to attend a monthly meeting which takes place in their particular community. The purpose of the meetings are to inform the new adults of their responsibilities, they are told that they are now responsible for their actions and their actions will now reflect upon their communities. In addition, on May first, every company in Japan help a ceremony for new members joining their team. This was made into a huge celebration because it was essentially a lifelong commitment. In Japan, a fundamental rule is that people are not laid off unless an extreme circumstance takes place. One of the most important holidays occurs on September twenty-eighth: Confucius birthday also known as ‘Teacher’s Day.’ This is a celebration that occurs to celebrate Confucius life and all of his achievements. Holidays are a large part of the Japanese

Through every experience and adventure you partake in you almost always have a story to tell about it. That’s exactly what the author T.R Reid did in this book Confucius Lives Next Door. It depicts his transition for his job at Washington Post from a small town in Colorado to the immensely populated Tokyo, Japan. The book is separated into eight chapters; The Other Miracle, Eastern Flavor, Pine Tree by the Rice Paddy, The Master King, Yodobashi No.6, Continuing Education, The secret Weapon, Too Much Freedom each telling a certain part of the story as it happens each chapter depicting a different concept. The topics of this book vary from food to education each stating their differences from America. While this book is written in 1990 I believe their traditions and values still hold true to this day.

Japan is an unique oriental country in many aspects, especially in politics and economy, both western practices and traditional nationalism are coexisted in this country. The period 1890-1940 was just followed the Meiji restoration, and was typical in the history of Japan, at that time, Japan was on the way from a feudal country to a capitalistic country, called modernization. Many western practices were being more and more adopted, however, at the same time, traditional rules still had strong influences in Japan. Under this background, this report will discuss the Japanese cultural factors during 1890-1940 that influenced the disclosure

Confucius created a system of thinking called Confucianism. If only one word could be used to summarize the Chinese way of life for the last two thousand years, that word would be Confucian. No other person has had as great an effect on the life and thought of the Chinese people as Confucius. He is the most adored person in Chinese history. Confucius claimed no greatness, instead he looked to a past time that he saw as the golden age. He told one of his disciples, "I transmit but I do not create. I am sincerely fond of the ancient. I would compare myself to Old P'eng who was fond of talking about the good old days." Confucius was a transmitter of the wisdom of the past. From his study of Chinese tradition, he gathered the

Confucian thought is dominated by the integral idea that each man is fundamentally good, and that man only devolves from this state if faced with outside forces. Confucius emphasized these points when reviewing how best to solve the incessant disorder within China during the Spring and Autumn period. This period of disorder was the primary cause of Confucius’ teaching, with him seeking to remedy the chaos by encouraging people within China to live life according to his doctrine. According to Confucius, “there has never been a man who is not disrespectful to superiors and yet creates disorder. A superior man is devoted to the fundamentals (the root). When the root is firmly established, the moral law (Tao) will grow” (Chan p. 20). Here, Confucius emphasizes