HISTORY. Subject : History (For under graduate student) Paper No. : Paper - VIII History of China & Japan

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1 History of China & Japan 1 HISTORY Subject : History (For under graduate student) Paper No. : Paper - VIII History of China & Japan Unit No. & Title : Unit- 1 History of China Topic No. & Title : Topic - 1 China & Imperialism during 19 th Century Lecture No. & Title : Lecture - 2 Confucianism FAQs 1. What was the basic character of Taoism? Taoism was in large part a philosophy of retreat and withdrawal on the part of thinkers who were appalled by perpetual warfare and struggle for wealth and power. They accepted the unimportance of individuality except as human beings being individual manifestations of vast cosmic forces. It also expressed

2 History of China & Japan 2 the rebellion of intellectuals at the growing rigidity of Confucian moralists. 2. Who were the Legalists? A leading thinker of the Legalist school was Han-feitzu (died 233 BCE) who was a disciple of Hsun-tzu, a Confucianist. This school believed that severe laws and harsh punishments, though hateful to the people, are the only means of bringing them the order and security they yearned for. They denied all rights except for those of the ruler and their whole philosophy was designed to aid the ruler in consolidating his position and power. 3. How did Confucianism become the predominant philosophy in the Han period? It was during the reign of the Han Emperor Wu Ti that Confucianism was established as the predominant philosophy. In 136 BCE Wu Ti set up at court five Erudites of the Five Classics which were by then identified with the Confucian tradition. This school grew steadily and soon many started entering

3 History of China & Japan 3 government service through the examination system managed by the official scholars. Confucian precepts about proper rituals and etiquette were also gradually incorporated into law. 4. What led to the emergence of neo-confucianism? The Late Tang and Sung periods witnessed the appearance of patterns that were to remain characteristic of China until the nineteenth century. The philosophical synthesis known as neo- Confucianism which emerged from the intellectual ferment of these centuries were destined to remain the core of Chinese thought till the advent of Western thought and revolutionary political and social changes in the twentieth century. The neo-confucianists endeavoured to recreate the ideal Confucian society but in terms of the attitudes and interests of their own day.

4 History of China & Japan 4 5. Name some of the philosophies that constituted the Hundred Schools of Thought. The period known as witnessing the emergence of a Hundred Schools of Thought saw the efflorescence of Confucianism, Legalism, Taoism, Mohism, Agrarianism, Naturalist, Logician and schools of Diplomacy, Military Strategy and Minor Talk. 6. What are the sources of information for Confucianism? A book that contains his sayings and conversations is Analects which is regarded as the Confucian Bible. These teachings were compiled and amplified by others in two other treatises. One was The Great Learning/ The Higher Education (Tahsuch) which constitutes the gateway through which beginners enter into the path of virtue. The other was the Doctrine of the Mean/The Golden Mean (Chungyung). This treatise is important for understanding Confucian philosophy. These were the Four Books which century after century every Chinese schoolboy had to recite and from which we can form an idea of Confucian precepts.

5 History of China & Japan 5 7. Was Confucianism reformist in nature? Bai Shouyi and some other Chinese scholars hold that Confucianism was to some extent reformist in nature. Confucius had proposed that good and talented people irrespective of their social status-- should be appointed to official posts. Such a proposal was contrary to the prevailing practice of hereditary rule. 8. What did Mencius teach? Like Confucius, Mencius also divided human beings into two main classes, -the superior and the inferior; while the former was knowledgeable and wise, the latter was stupid, and this was also unalterable. However while Confucius himself did not explicitly focus on the subject of human nature, Mencius asserted the innate goodness of the individual, believing that it was because of the lack of a positive influence of society that one developed a bad moral character. He highlighted four ethical attributes, - benevolence, and observance of rites, propriety and wisdom.

6 History of China & Japan 6 9. What did Tung Chung-shu teach? Tung Chung-shu ( BCE) formulated codes of conduct for women. He put forth the three cardinal guides and the five constant virtues. The three cardinal guides meant that the sovereign guides the ministers, the father guides the sons and the husband guides the wife. That is to say, the sovereign, father and husband have the absolute power to rule, while the ministers, sons and wife should obey absolutely. The five constant virtues refer to the so-called five unchangeable principles, namely, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and sincerity. 10. What made the Chinese question the relevance of Confucianism? Since 1840 when China suffered humiliating defeats during the Opium wars. The difficulties that came with them enraged the common people as well as for the failure to drive away the barbarians. They felt insulted that the heaven-ordained Confucian world should be so bullied by the foreigners from afar. This made the Chinese feel that Confucian scholarship and knowledge

7 History of China & Japan 7 were not enough and had to be supplemented with Western science and technology.