Laozi

During the middle of the semester, we began discussing Eastern Philosophy. Kung Fu Tze, Lao Tze, Mo Tze, and Siddartha Gautama were the four Eastern Philosophers we discussed. Each of these philosophers had different objectives. Kung Fu Tze, also known as Confucius, believed that life ought to be lived in accordance with Heaven. Secondly, Lao Tze focused his concept around the Universe. Thirdly, Mo Tze based his philosophy on Jian Ai which is “Indiscriminate Love.” Lastly, the final philosopher…

Confucian & Taoist Portrait of a Traditional Chinese Gentleman In examining the Confucian and Taoist ways of life, an image is created displaying how the ideal Chinese gentleman should be. These ancient Chinese styles of living clearly outline key virtues and principles that one should internalize in order to fulfill his or her spiritual duty. The Analects, written by Confucius, defines the superior man as one who strives for social harmony by renewing traditional ways of life in order to…

Though Zhuangzi’s true thoughts on death (as on many things) are occasionally unclear and apparently contradictory (in some instances, he seems to regard death as something bad that should be avoided and a long, natural life as a positive, as is implied by the stories of Hundun and Crippled Shu [95, 61], while in most others he expresses the more accepting view of death I explore here), one view dominates throughout his work. That view is this: death is an unavoidable part of life, and we…

Taoism, known as “The Way,” is the Eastern Philosophy and religion of Chinese. It focuses on the balance between humans and nature. It has many profound theories for which may be difficult to understand by the common person. The most basic concept is the Tao, which is based on three approaches to te or power. The first concept is the way of ultimate reality. According to Lao Tzu in his writing, Tao Te Ching, “The Tao that can be spoken is not the true Tao” (198). The second concept is the way of…

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu can be translated as The Book of the Immanence of the Way or The Book of the Way and of How It Manifests Itself. Lao Tzu, author of the book, can also be known as “The Master”. He has a form of government planned and wishes to everyone follows and support this plan. His main goal is simplicity and naturalness. When he thinks of a way to govern someone it comes to his mind the idea that the more rules and obligation you put to a person, the less they will do it. He just…

Sun Tzu was a Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher who lived in the Spring and Autumn Period of ancient China, 771 to 476 BC. His name at birth was Sun Wu, known outside of his family by the name Changqing, later he became known as Sun tzu (Sun Zi to some). He is credited for writing “The Art of War”, an extremely influential Chinese novel on military strategy. Sun Wu has had a significant impact on Asian, especially Chinese, history and culture, both the an author but also…

Charismatic Culture Imagine if every question we could ask, could be answered. What is the purpose of life? Why must people suffer? These questions, gone. No further research or time would be wasted pondering the unknown. The reality is, as famous Greek thinker Aristotle would vouch, we can’t solve every question we create. But we can approach the unexplained through the enlightenment of ourselves, and the awareness of our self-existence. This is Philosophy. Greek Philosophy is largely…

In Lao Tzu’s ‘‘Thought from the Tao-te Ching’’and Machiavelli’s ‘‘The Quality of prince’’, they both develop how an outstanding ruler should be by striking a balance between the people and the ruler. Lao Tzu believes since human nature is a part of the holistic universe, all human beings should follow the Way in order to be original people. If the ruler is enlightened by the Way and Tao, he will not try to compete with others because the ruler realizes everything is ought to be moderate and…

In Watson’s depiction, “Zhuangzi’s: Basic Writings” Confucius and the followers of his religion, Confucianism, are depicted as fools in Zhuangzi’s perspective because their views contrast with those of Daoist traditions and customs. Confucius taught and spread the ideas of societal structure, rather than to be in tune with the Tao, and hence focused more so on oneself. Throughout Watson 's depiction, Zhuangzi illustrates Daoist traditions and how they are implemented, along with criticism of…

Robert Weller, in chapter 7 of “Chinese Religious Life,” notes that the Chinese word tian was once translated as “heaven,” but is now more commonly translated as nature. The Chinese conception of nature is unparalleled in the English language, as it encompasses “all the forces that shape the cosmos” (Weller, 125). Further, he explains that this term implicates that humans are a part of nature because humans play an integral role in the “anthropocosmic world,” a world in which the heavens and…