The development of philosophy and politics in China has had an impact on the ethics of its society. Superstition has played an important role in China from ancient times when the royal family, to divine important dates and the outcome of battles, used oracle bones. The concept of “feng shui” has shaped Chinese society or hundreds of years and continues to play an important role in Chinese culture. Confucianism and its values have had a strong effect on Chinese people, both past and present. The role of the state and respect for authority contribute to an understanding of Chinese people. Understanding the history of China is an important part in learning about Chinese ethics in modern society.
Oracle bones represent the first written history …show more content…
Qin Shihuang, the ruler of the Qin Dynasty, is revered as the first emperor of China. His quest for immortality is well known and eventually led to his death from mercury poisoning. In 1977 his vast tomb was discovered near Xi’an and is today one of the most visited sites in China, for he left a vast terracotta army to protect him in the afterlife that is today known as the Terracotta Army. He was so convinced of his immortality that he left no successor and his empire only lasted 4 years after his death. Throughout the next three thousand years China was ruled by a succession of kings until in 1912, the last emperor left The Forbidden City in Beijing. In 1949, the People’s Republic of China was formed, proclaiming that the people would rule China but in fact little has changed in the political structure. Party elites still live in a heavily guarded compound once part of the palace and are selected, not by the people but by a small party of the highest-ranking officials in the country. He who has the loyalty of the military still controls China and still makes the policies that effect the lives of each citizen, from how many children they are allowed to have to where they are allowed to …show more content…
Confucianism involves learning a complex set of virtues valued by society that places high importance on moral conduct and respect for the hierarchy of the family. The family has always played an important role in the life of every Chinese. Loyalty to ones family remains a high regarded virtue today. Parents continue to support their children well into adulthood, often saving for years to help them purchase a home before marriage. When a young couple starts a family it is commonplace for the grandparents to move into the home for the early years of the child’s life and their opinions of raising the children are respected. As the parents age, it is seen as the responsibility of the children to care for them and again they move into the home of their children. Even outside of the immediate family, the larger extended family unit is seen as the place to turn for favors, loans or a place to stay in a time of need. Although Chinese do indeed seem to lack compassion for strangers in need, they will not turn away from a family
Oracle bones represent the first written history …show more content…
Qin Shihuang, the ruler of the Qin Dynasty, is revered as the first emperor of China. His quest for immortality is well known and eventually led to his death from mercury poisoning. In 1977 his vast tomb was discovered near Xi’an and is today one of the most visited sites in China, for he left a vast terracotta army to protect him in the afterlife that is today known as the Terracotta Army. He was so convinced of his immortality that he left no successor and his empire only lasted 4 years after his death. Throughout the next three thousand years China was ruled by a succession of kings until in 1912, the last emperor left The Forbidden City in Beijing. In 1949, the People’s Republic of China was formed, proclaiming that the people would rule China but in fact little has changed in the political structure. Party elites still live in a heavily guarded compound once part of the palace and are selected, not by the people but by a small party of the highest-ranking officials in the country. He who has the loyalty of the military still controls China and still makes the policies that effect the lives of each citizen, from how many children they are allowed to have to where they are allowed to …show more content…
Confucianism involves learning a complex set of virtues valued by society that places high importance on moral conduct and respect for the hierarchy of the family. The family has always played an important role in the life of every Chinese. Loyalty to ones family remains a high regarded virtue today. Parents continue to support their children well into adulthood, often saving for years to help them purchase a home before marriage. When a young couple starts a family it is commonplace for the grandparents to move into the home for the early years of the child’s life and their opinions of raising the children are respected. As the parents age, it is seen as the responsibility of the children to care for them and again they move into the home of their children. Even outside of the immediate family, the larger extended family unit is seen as the place to turn for favors, loans or a place to stay in a time of need. Although Chinese do indeed seem to lack compassion for strangers in need, they will not turn away from a family