01:840:211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Citta, Junzi, Chinese Philosophy
Document Summary
The principle of yin and yang is that all things exist as inseparable and contradictory opposites, for example, female-male, dark-light and old-young. The principle, dating from the 3rd century bce or even earlier, is a fundamental concept in chinese philosophy and culture in general. yin (dark, feminine) energy and yang (light, masculine) energy in confucianism. Yin qualities: earth, shade, dark, negative, feminine, soft, submissive, destructive . Yang qualities: heaven, sun, light, positive, masculine, hard, forceful, constructive in. Yin and yang are relative and dynamic, not absolute nor static entities. What is dark can become bright, what is weak can become strong, and vice versa, depending on the interaction of qi(energy) heart/mind ( xin ): the human heart is good by nature and potentially virtuous by nature. You have 4 inborn sprouts of the virtue of the heart. Righteousness(yi)- integrity, doing what is virtuous at all costs. Ritual/propriety(li)- expressing deference towards others and the socioreligious order through action.
