Criticism Of Confucianism In Removing Blinders By Xunzi

The comprehensive text of Confucian ideology, the Analects, is a complex work aiming to teach followers of Confucianism how to live a moral life in human society. In Herbert Fingarette’s The Secular as Sacred, Confucius’s philosophy consists of ideas the author calls Human Community as Holy Rite, the Way Without a Crossroads, and the Holy Vessel, metaphors which explain the complex, community-based teachings of the Analects.

Originally, Liang’s “parents were deeply involved in all the excitement of working to transform China into a great Socialist country” (4). Over a serious of unfortunate events, though, he became the child of a “Rightist’s cap” mother and a “Reactionary Capitalist stinking intellectuals” father (9, 51). Impacted by the shattering of his family and horrific bloodshed created by fighting, Liang Heng began to question the Cultural Revolution. He claimed that his “family had scarified so much… but it had given [them] nothing in return” (148). Liang Heng presents his shift in ideology to demonstrate that most Chinese were no longer in support of a Communist nation. His “troubles were common enough and anyone could see there was a discrepancy between the glorious words of the newspapers and [their] painful reality (232). Even Liang Heng’s father, after many years of devotion, found that he could no longer defend the Party’s policies after he experienced the ill-treatment of the peasants in the country

In Jan Wong’s entrancing expose Red China Blues, she details her plight to take part in a system of “harmony and perfection” (12) that was Maoist China. Wong discloses her trials and tribulations over a course of three decades that sees her searching for her roots and her transformation of ideologies that span over two distinctive forms of Communist governments. This tale is so enticing in due part to the events the author encountered that radically changed her very existence and more importantly, her personal quest for self-discovery.

The Daodejing expresses a great interest in balance in life. The Daodejing introduces the Yin (陰) and Yang (陽) and its ways. Yin and Yang balance the good and bad to create a virtuous situation. Daoism is presented as a much more spiritual way of life. Laozi urges people to follow ‘the Way’ (道) as it leads to a more rewarding, humbling, and virtuous life.

Throughout the book, Reid explores the very ideals and concepts of Confucianism and its relation to the Japanese society in which he encounters. His encounters bring a greater understanding of the Japanese culture and its relationship to the culture of more western nations. The book explains the ideals of respect, responsibility, and family dynamics within the Japanese culture, and their effects on Asian life.

The Daodejing by Laozi has simplified the way I interact with others, the way I see myself, and the way I want to live my life. I found myself being indulged by this piece of literature, despite the amount of times I had to re-read phrases due to my lack of understanding. After multiple failed attempts of comprehension and frustration, I settled with the idea that maybe I shouldn't contemplate it too much, instead approach the text, in the most simplistic way possible. The Daodejing changed my values and beliefs from being so perfect and chaotic to being simple and letting life flow. The Daodejing is a Chinese piece of literature that was written by Laozi over 2,200 years ago.

Both of these quotes are interconnected with Dao. Since Dao plays an important role, we need to understand what Dao actually is. According to the Daoist view, everything (from living beings to objects) is a manifestation of the Dao. Contrastingly, Confucians believe that Dao is a concept that is used to build a harmonious society and establish relationships.

According to Confucius, each person should act with virtue in all social matters; family, community, state, and kingdom, to ensure order and unity. Man's virtue in all its forms is called “ren” which would make sense but Daoism does not make much sense the ideology in which the ideal ruler and government do not interfere in the lives of the people and lead them to prosperity of primitive simplicity by nonaction and focuses on intuitive spontaneity. It is civilization that has corrupted humanity from its early state of innocence but realistically as a person or society lives and ages there is no such thing as innocence as one must grow and learn. The sage practices nonaction, gives up worldly ambitions, and lives a simple life in accord with nature though that one does. The dedication to right relationships and a solid social order contrast directly with the inner direct intuition of Taoism.

Let’s rewind back in time to 1996, Peter Hessler’s River Town is a graphic account of his experiences as a waiguoren (foreigner) in an ancient country. His crisp, content-rich and attention to detail style of writing keeps the reader mesmerized. Peter Hessler, a.k.a Ho Wei, volunteers as a Peace Corps officer who spends 2 years of his life in a city called Fuling, a Yangtze River town in China. The Peace Corps have assigned him to teach English and Literature in class to students who have never seen a foreigner let alone spoke English. This classroom becomes the portal from which Peter enters the Chinese culture and traditions. It combines his personal development as a recent college graduate with the development of China into the outer world. To understand the complicated Chinese languages and its ancient culture, it proves to be more daunting then to teach them about American culture. It’s a journey into history and a difficult one. Peter must cope with China’s centuries-old isolationism and distrust of an outsider.

However, as these texts and rituals exist, it is a proof that people need them to guide them to act in proper manners. Hence, it can be concluded that human’s nature is not good. Xunzi gave examples such as when a person is hungry, but he would not eat if there is an elder to defer food to. Or when a person is working but he would not rest if he is replacing for someone else such as his parents. Human’s nature is to eat when hungry and rest when tired.

“Tao Te Ching” describes the Dao (or Tao) as the source and ideal of all existence: it is unseen, but not transparent, immensely powerful yet supremely humble, being the root of all things. People have free will and many desires (thus are able to alter their own nature). Many act “unnaturally”, upsetting the natural balance of the Dao.

In “The Daodejing,” Laozi, similar to many prominent Chinese philosophers before and after his time, discusses his unique perspective of the “Way.” There is much controversy, however, regarding whether Laozi was the actual author of this text or was even a real person, and “his” work is thought to have been a composite. (For the purpose of clarity, throughout this paper, the author(s) of “The Daodejing” will be mentioned as Laozi.) Laozi’s vision of the “Way” is exceptionally challenging to define using words because of its metaphysical nature. Although this term is somewhat difficult to envision, it is what mankind should aspire and take action to be aligned with. According to Laozi, in “readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy,” the “Way” (or dao) is the “source, sustenance, and ideal state of all things in the world” (Laozi 158). It can be best thought of as the underlying guiding force of all events that occur in the universe, and mankind is closer to the “Way” when they realize that all things are interconnected and have an effect on one another. As might be expected, this vague definition isn’t a foolproof depiction of the eighty-one chapters in the “Daodejing,” but one is able to grasp a basic understanding of Laozi’s ineffable doctrine. Although numerous chapters are meaningful and could provide substantial analysis, this paper will focus in on Chapter Twelve. Ultimately, this chapter adequately and efficaciously compresses the teachings of “The Daodejing” into

The notion and idea of “zhiming” that is advocated and proposed by Confucianism is derived and arose from the idea of righteousness – yi, as well as the idea of doing for nothing by the Confucians.

The anti-Confucian fundamentals of the Dao de Jing should correspondingly be laid-back to classify. The most significant images that the text practices to signify the Dao and the wise are not a carved mass of logs and a portion of cloth, which have the distinction obviously with the Confucian merriment of the intricate sacramental configurations established by fabulous clever sovereigns. What is added astonishing facts, though, is that the Dao de Jing showed to be a very widespread writing among the governing period of getting on Conventional China. This was the outcome of the statement that it appeared to be responsible for an illogical pathway to societal and party-political means and control over and done with the act of rejecting concentration in prosperity and supremacy. “The sage places his person last and it comes first,” the Dao de Jing tells us. Daoist who reached at medieval judges in the Traditional historical established that they could fascinate the attentiveness of motivated men by involving their Dao of self-sacrifice, while the spirit of the Dao keeps indefinable and away from our understanding, we might see the Dao as it makes known itself in the ordinary growth of

Laozi expresses his philosophical interpretation about the meaning of Dao in Dao de jing. In other word, he illustrates the more admirable and rational attitude toward life, considering the varied forms of temptations and selfish desires in the secular world, rather than indulging in temporary fame and wealth. In this paper, I would like to concentrate on the eleventh section in Dao de jing in order to further interpret the divergent roles of virtues in different circumstances and the indivisible interaction between the individuals with substantive existences and the things without actual forms.