Confucianism In The Han Dynasty

Taoism was one of the first major systems of beliefs in China, showing us that after an extended period of the focus on building a lucrative government, the people of China were changing and trying new ways of life. This shows a shift in the focus from the strictly governmental ways of Confucianism to the more mystical beliefs of Taoism. With this change of beliefs in China, Confucian ideas such as the need for strictly political knowledge, were partially taken down by Taoism, which cast politics to the side. This altogether allows us to begin to understand the change in period

Its ideas did not meet the requirement of Qin and could not deal with the situation in Qin, so Confucianism was not adopted by Qin. On the other hand, Qin tended to adopt an offensive grand strategy, and Legalism conformed to the situation in Qin, thereby, it was much favored by the Qin’s ruling class.

The Han created State Confucianism, a system that combined Confucianism with Legalistic government organization. Through using this system, the Han could use many Qin government structures, such as dividing the government into three sections: a censorate, civilian authority, and military authority. They also borrowed the use of a grand council, which headed the centralized government and consisted of representatives from each of the three government divisions. The Han borrowed the use of a local government, which controlled the empire’s individual districts and provinces. Lastly, the Han used the Qin practice of choosing talented people to serve in government. They accomplished this through the civil service

During the powerful Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220) Confucianism was adopted as the regime’s state doctrine and China thereby maintained a male dominated patriarchal society. Confucian principles were strictly adopted and the Chinese lives were considerably impacted by Confucius teachings. According to the Confucian order of society, women irrespective of age had to occupy a position lower than men. In a rigidly formed and tradition bound society, the Chinese women had to comply with stringent rules which were made just to meet the male demands. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Confucian scholars further perpetuated the patriarchal traditions and enforced more restrictions and rules for Chinese women, including foot binding for young girls.

Confucian historical texts provide pragmatic solutions to political projects, although they operated in a culture that was seasoned with value laden principles from a hybridization of Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist schools of thought. This paper focuses on the Confucian Scholar Dong Zhongshu; specifically, I will analyze his thoughts on the Mandate of Heaven, the connection between the state & human body, and his expectations of rulership. As I proceed with this analysis, I will demonstrate that Dong Zhongshu had a pragmatic political motive with his desire to be a member of educated elites known as the junzi. To begin with, I press the rhetorical: question was Dong Zhongshu a philosopher or an aspiring civil servant with philosophic tendencies?

In china there has been no central rule in China for 70 years until the Song Dynasty created in 960. Things started to change in China, for example, the government started to aid the poor a lot more than what they have in the past. They were getting this money from the newly introduced income tax. This made a lot of people happy and everyone started to have more patriotism and pride. This pride gave the government a feel of legitimacy. Some of the major things the government is paying for is the roads, food, and education. Pottery at this time helps out the economy in China, because the pottery is so advanced that it was being exported for good money and it also led more people to come to China. Even though China was number one in the world for many things like technology and a sophisticated culture they were weak military wise (Holcombe p.127).

A few centuries later when the Mongolians ruled the Han (the Yuan Dynasty time), instead of limiting the development of the Han culture, then encouraging exchange of the Mongolian and Han design and culture. The Yuan Dynasty emploied Confucianism (the Han legal) and a series of rational cultural policies, so that a rich design diversity developed during the time and the Han culture was presered. The Han legal and the policies to designers were proposed that respecting the Han culture and encouraging designers to create freely (page 14 “The Mongolia in World History”). “The benefits deisgners gained from Mongol rule include freedom corvee (unpaid) laborm tax remissions, and higher socical status. Thus design reached new heights in the Mongol

Questions: Notes: Introduction - China generated the first of the great classical societies Effects of isolation • Isolation -limited ability to learn from other cultures -spared frequent invasion -encouraged Chinese identity

hereditary things. For instance, Guangdong is spoken to by chenpi, matured ginger and hay. Others incorporate antiquated urban communities like Lin'an (Hangzhou), which incorporate tealeaf, bamboo shoot trunk, and hickory nut. Such qualifications offer ascent to the old Chinese saying: actually "the praxis shift inside ten li, traditions change inside a hundred.

Confucianism influenced the focus of the tribute system, asserting dominance. In Confucianism, political and social order was kept with the five relationships. In every relationship, dominance is esablished. Similarly, China establishes dominance in tribuitary relationships. They established this dominace because this idea of Confucian order applied almost all aspects of life, including diplomatic matters.

Taoism is one of the most indigenous philosophical practices of China that is defined as a way of maximizing power. Many people believed that Taoism originated based on the teachings of Lao Tzu, who lived in the 6th century. “Tao Te Ching” and “Chaung Tzu” focused on two most prominent Taoist writings in that era. Tao Te Ching, written by Lao Tzu translated the literary piece known as “The Classic of the Way and its Power”. Taoism symbolizes the idea of oneness; it introduces philosophical concepts such as ying and yang.

Neo-Confucianism refers to the diverse stands of Confucian thoughts and political civilization. During the Song Dynasty, Neo-Confucianism was one critical fragment in the political and social stability. Neo-Confucian was a part of the state’s educational framework and the shared knowledge by a group of Song moral elite. To some extent, the moral elite manipulate the political decisions. 　　An example of a scholarly official was Su Shi (Su Dongpo) who was a great writer of poetry and Neo-Confucianist.

Taoism is an ancient Chinese philosophy created by Laozi. The main focus of his teachings concern living in harmony with tao. Toa is the guiding force of all reality. This philosophy was developed between 1,600 BCE and 1,046 BCE during the Shang dynasty. However, it flourished, and became popular during the Yang dynasty, and was even made the official religion of China when Emperor Xuanzong was in rule. Moreover, its popularity was replaced with Confucianism and Buddhism as the Yang dynasty’s power declined between 756 CE and 907 CE.

Confucianism was very influential in China, as well as in Vietnam, Korea, and Japan (Weiming). Confucianism is a way of life based on the teachings of Confucius, a man who lived during the 5th and 6th centuries BCE. Confucius worked for the government, but quit because he was disappointed by their immorality. His sayings and teachings are collected in the Analects. Religion played an important role in the lives of Chinese people in the Han Dynasty.

for political ethics and civil order. What exactly is Confucianism? It is the system of ethics, education,