EAST 211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Cheng Hao, Zhou Dunyi, Zhang Zai
15 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Song Dynasty Neo-Confucianism
Daoxue 道學 (“Neo-Confucianism”)
-
Daoxue 道學 = Study of the Dao (the Way)
-
Confucian ethics synthesized with Buddhist and Daoist metaphysics
○
Pay attention to the Dao as the ultimate reality and metaphysical concept
describing the ultimate relation of things.
○
Previously, in Confucianism Dao was more a relative concept (ex Dao filial
piety, or Dao or being a virtuous ruler)
○
Takes ideas of emptiness, compassion, etc from Buddhism
-
anti-Buddhist rhetoric vs. similarities with Zen Buddhism
○
Confucians don't like Buddhism; it is foreign, barbaric and not
authentically Chinese. They want to get back to what is Chinese, which
comes from threat from outsiders at the time
○
In reality, Neo-Confucians borrow a lot from Zen Buddhism because of its
popularity at the time
○
Take ideas that are popular from Daoism and Buddhism and absorb them
into a Confucian framework
○
Confucians hate the idea of emptiness from Buddhism because they want
to say that the Confucian social order and other Confucian values are
substantial
Neo-Confucian Thinkers
-
Zhou Dunyi (Chou Tun-yi; 1017-1073), “An Explanation of the Diagram of the
Great Ultimate”
-
Zhang Zai (Chang Tsai, 1020-1077), “The Western Inscription”
○
Expression of neo-Confucian ethics
-
Cheng Hao (Ch’eng Hao; 1032-1085)
-
Cheng Yi (Ch’eng I; 1033-1107)
-
Zhu Xi 朱熹 (Chu Hsi; 1130-1200): Synthesis
○
Combined ideas from other thinkers
Notes:
-
Notion of lineage
-
Song as “Confucian Age”?
○unpopular during the Song
○influential as teachers
○Much like Confucians in the past (not politically important)
Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130-1200)
-Southern Song (1127-1279): turning inward
○Lost North and see this as failure of the government; loss of pride for the
Song
-prolific writer and popular teacher
-failed statesman
-synthesized previous ideas into a coherent system
-Four books and commentaries (Analects; Mencius; Doctrine of the Mean; and
The Great Learning)
-Family Rituals 家禮
Daoxue 道學 (“Neo-Confucianism”)
-Western Interpretations of Neo-Confucianism: “rational,” “secular,”
“humanist,” “scientific,” etc.
○See Neo-Confucianism in light of these enlightenment values
-Are these labels accurate?
-Adler, “Divination and Sacrifice in Song Neo-Confucianism”
○Criticizes these labels and points out the religious aspects of Neo-
Confucianism (debate in academia over whether Confucian is a religion)
○Some aspects: Spiritual ceremonies, Divination, Yijing
Zhang Zai, “The Western Inscription”
Taiji
太極
: Supreme Ultimate, Supreme pole, or polarity
-derives from the Book of Changes (Yijing 易經)
-generates yin/yang and 5 phases
-5 Phases = 5 moral virtues (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom,
loyalty)
-human form as microcosm
-ideal of the sage (shengren 聖人) vs. the gentleman (junzi 君子)
-Confucian virtues are inherent and derive from the cosmos
○Philosophical explanation for how the Confucian ethics emerge from this
central Dao
§Contrast with filial piety 'miracles'
○Just because this is philosophical, does this mean it is rational?
Neo-Confucian Philosophy
-Principle (li 理) and material force (qi 氣)
*have yin/yang relationship
○li 理: pattern, order, principle
§Material world is governed by Li
○qi 氣: material force / vital energy
§Encountered in Daoist longevity practices
§Refers both to material substance and energy/vital force
-Relationship is non-dual
-“unity of Principle and its diverse particularizations” (liyi fenshu 理一分數)
“Investigation of things” (gewu 格物)
-Because everything is an embodiment of principle, you can study anything in
the world and truly understand it and then you will understand more about Li
(which means you can understand more about anything else in the world)
○See idea of 'enlightenment' from Zen Buddhism: you study one thing
exhaustively and then gain this knowledge that can be applied to anything
-Cheng Yi:
“....every blade of grass and every tree possesses a principle that should be
examined”
○Study a single blade of grass until you really understand it and then you
will understand more about Li
-“To investigate things in order to understand principle to the utmost does not
require the investigation of all things in the world. One has only to investigate
the principle in one thing or one event exhaustively...”
-Huayan / Zen Buddhist philosophy:
○principle (li 理) and phenomena (shi 事)
17: Song Neo-Confucianism
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
8:22 AM
Document Summary
Daoxue = study of the dao (the way) Confucian ethics synthesized with buddhist and daoist metaphysics. Pay attention to the dao as the ultimate reality and metaphysical concept describing the ultimate relation of things. Previously, in confucianism dao was more a relative concept (ex dao filial piety, or dao or being a virtuous ruler) Takes ideas of emptiness, compassion, etc from buddhism anti-buddhist rhetoric vs. similarities with zen buddhism. Confucians don"t like buddhism; it is foreign, barbaric and not authentically chinese. They want to get back to what is chinese, which comes from threat from outsiders at the time. In reality, neo-confucians borrow a lot from zen buddhism because of its popularity at the time. Take ideas that are popular from daoism and buddhism and absorb them into a confucian framework. Confucians hate the idea of emptiness from buddhism because they want to say that the confucian social order and other confucian values are substantial.
