1. Do Now
Answer the following question on a scrap
piece of paper:
What would you do: You know that you are
failing a class. You know you will be in
trouble when your parents find out. How
would you handle this situation?

2. Enduring Understanding
• Analyze how philosophy, religion, and
technology molded Chinese society and
government
• Describe how Buddhism, Confucianism,
Taoism (Daoism), and Legalism influenced
Chinese society

3. Philosophy
 doctrine: a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted
as authoritative by some group or school
 The rational investigation of questions about
existence and knowledge and ethics
 Any personal belief about how to live or how to
deal with a situation; "self-indulgence was his
only philosophy"; "my father's philosophy of
child-rearing was to let mother do it"

4. Three Doctrine and Legalism
 Philosophies which influenced the
development and execution of
government in China. Each dynasty used
a different philosophy to guide decision
making

5. Philosophy in Ancient Chinese
Government
 When a dynasty came to power it’s first
priority was to establish a strong central
government
 When the government was established
they relied on the guidance of a
philosophy or way of looking at the world
or thinking about knowledge, to guide
them in making laws and regulations

6. Chinese Governments…
 Relied on several philosophies:
 Confucianism – Most influential – based on
the teachings of Confucius
 Buddhism – A religion NOT a philosophy –
based on the teachings of Buddha
 Taoism – based on the teachings of Lao Tzu
 Legalism – based on the teachings of Shang
Yang
 Neo – Confucianism – Developed by Han Yu
and Li Ao

7. Confucius
Says:
“He who
learns but
does not think
is lost; he who
thinks but
does not learn
is in danger”

8. Confucianism vs. Buddhism:
Why Buddhism?
 Confucianism is a belief system based on
the ideas of Confucius- A scholar who
taught moral virtues and ethics

9. Confucianism
 A belief system that was
practiced by Chinese
dynasties and their subjects
 Confucius believed that
there was a basic order in
the Universe that should be
reflected in human
relationships. The family
unit being the central
relationship
 Confucianism emphasized
the importance of education

10. 1. Ruler Subject
2. Father Son
3. Husband Wife
4. Older Younger
Brother Brother
5. Older Younger
Friend Friend

11. Confucianism
 Confucianism  5 Confucian
emphasized the following Relationships:
principles:  Ruler to Subject
 Use the right relationships  Husband to Wife
to produce social order  Parent to Child
 Respect for family and  Elder brother to younger
older generations brother
 Educate individuals and  Friend to friend
society
Each role had clearly defined
 Act in morally correct ways duties

12. Confucianism in Government
 Since the family unit is seen as the
primary social unit China’s government
would be a monarchy with it’s structure
based on the structure of the family
 The ruler was seen to be the son of
heaven and the father of the people
 The role of the government was as
protector of the people’s welfare

13. Confucianism in Government
 Confucian political theory emphasized conflict
resolution through mediation rather than the
application of complex rules
 Civil service in which all officials were to be
selected for their moral qualities that would allow
them to govern by example and their status was
measured by their scores on the civil-service
examination

14. How did Confucianism influence
Chinese life?
 Confucius taught that
people could advance
themselves through
education. An emphasis
on education helped
produce an efficient, well-
trained set of government
officials known as
Scholar-Leaders

15. Buddhism
 Buddhism- A religion that started in India
in the 6th century by Siddhartha Gautama
also known as “The Buddha” or
“Enlightened One”

16. Buddhism
 Emphasized the “Four
Basic Truths”
 Suffering is part of life
 The reason people suffer is
that they are too attached
to material possessions
and selfish ideas
 Suffering has an end
 By living in a wise, moral,
and thoughtful way, people
can eventually learn to
escape suffering

17. Buddhism in Government
 Buddhism became popular in government
during the Tang Dynasty - Tang emperors
relied on Buddhist monks as counselors
regarding war, law, etc.
 In 845 – The Tang Emperor Wu Tsang
destroyed Buddhist temples and
monasteries to replace belief in Buddhism
with Confucianism and Taoism

18. Not sure when he
died.
[604 B.C.E. - ?]
His name means
“Old Master”
Was he Confucius’
teacher?

19. The basic text of Daoism.
In Chinese, it means The Classic in
the Way and Its Power.
“Those who speak know nothing:
Those who know are silent.”
These words, I am told,
Were spoken by Laozi.
If we are to believe that Laozi,
Was himself one who knew,
How is it that he wrote a book,
Of five thousand words?

20. 1. Dao [Tao] is the first-cause of the
universe. It is a force that flows through
all life.
2. A believer’s goal is to become one with
Dao; one with nature. [“The butterfly or
the man?” story.]
3. Wu wei --> “Let nature take its course.”
--> “The art of doing nothing.”
--> “Go with the flow!”
4. Man is unhappy because he lives acc. to
man-made laws, customs, & traditions that
are contrary to the ways of nature.

21. To escape the “social, political, & cultural traps”
of life, one must escape by:
1. Rejecting formal knowledge and
learning.
2. Relying on the senses and instincts.
3. Discovering the nature and
“rhythm” of the universe.
4. Ignoring political and social laws.

22. Feminine Masculine
Passive Active
Darkness Light
Cold Warmth
Weak Strong
Earth; Heaven;
Moon Sun

23. Daoism or Taoism: “The Way” or
“The Path”
 A belief system that
seeks harmony with
nature and inner feelings
 “The only human actions
that make sense are
those which are in accord
with the flow of nature
 Denounced violence as
reflecting the ultimate
ignorance of the way of
nature
 Opposed Confucianism

24. Taoism
 Taoism rejects any human ideas or standards
which might lead to:
 An overly assertive mode of behavior
 Too strong a commitment to the achievement of
worldly goals
 Denounce violence as reflecting the ultimate
ignorance of the way of nature
 No one should have excessive desires
 Wu-wei- “non-action”- does not mean doing
absolutely nothing, but don nothing unnatural

25. Taoism in Government
 During the Tang dynasty the emperors
practiced Taoist beliefs and practiced
 Focused on traditional beliefs and myths

26. How is a man to live in a world dominated by
chaos, suffering, and absurdity??
Confucianism --> Moral order in society.
Legalism --> Rule by harsh law & order.
Daoism --> Freedom for individuals and
less govt. to avoid
uniformity and conformity.

27. 280? - 233 B.C.E.
Han Fe Zi.
Lived during the
late Warring States
period.
Legalism became
the political
philosophy of the
Qin [Ch’in] Dynasty.

28. Neo-Confucianism
 When China unified once  Emphasized the following
again under the Song principles:
Dynasty (960-1279 A.D.),  Morality is the highest goal
Confucian thinkers a person can reach
blended Buddhism,  The morality can be
Daoism, and reached through education
Confucianism to create a  Education can occur
new form of through books,
observation, or interaction
Confucianism with others
 Concerned with human
behavior and a person’s
relationship with the
universe

29. Neo-Confucianism in
Government
 Developed during the Tang dynasty, but
used in the Song dynasty
 It was developed as a more rational form of
thinking
 Confucianism had become bogged down with
mythical beliefs associated with Taosim and
Buddhism

30. Legalism
 Believed in the following principals:
 The law code must be clearly written and
made public – All people are equal under the
law – Laws should reward those who obey
them and punish those who dare to break
them
 Law runs the state not the ruler
 Special tactics and “secrets are to be
employed by the ruler to make sure others
don’t’ take control of the state
 The position of the ruler holds the power not
the ruler

31. More to Know
 Daoism  Buddhism “8 Fold


A clever mind is not a heart
There is more to knowing
Path”
than just being correct.  To know the truth
 The wise know their  To intend to resist evil
limitations; the foolish do  To not say anything to hurt others
not.  To respect life, property, and
morality
 To work at a job that does not
injure others
 To try to free one's mind from evil
 To be in control of one's feelings
and thoughts
 To practice appropriate forms of
concentration