Mandarin Chinese

The Three Chinese Philosophies The Zhou dynasty was one of the earliest dynasties of China. It started in 1045 and ended in 256 B.C.E, making it one of the longest lasting dynasties in Chinese history. The Zhou rulers used feudalism to help their role. This allowed the king to have most of the power, but he gave some to others called lords, to help manage other things. This worked very well until about 700 B.C.E. At this time some of the lords had gained so much power that they had near the same…

goals were to spread, and keep order, peace, and also harmony throughout China. Confucianism and Taoism (Daoism) are two totally different teachings that responded to disorder differently. Still to this day some Chinese thinkers study both philosophies. Both their teachings influenced the Chinese culture and religion. Confucius and Lau Tzu taught what they thought would make the world a better place. They both impacted China with their teachings and legacy. Confucius was born on 551 B.C.E. in…

Five Discourses on Worldly Wisdom is a collection of stories that teach people of all ages morals of living. The book uses a very lively style of writing and colorful imagery to get it point across. Book IV entitled “On Losing What You’ve Gained,” tells the story of an old monkey king named Vali-Vadnaka who is exiled from his kingdom after a younger monkey decided to take his place. He lost everything and still learned to appreciated the little that he had. The monkey king found joy in a fig…

Is difficult to accept the world the way it is, just as it comes. Sometimes we tend to force things to happen and in response we just create more problems, making ourselves unhappy and suffer unnecessarily. Sometimes the best thing to do is to let things go and let them take a natural curse, in order to be leaded to success, whatever that is in each of our lives. Correspondingly, Tao Te Ching and Border Town, focus on Taoism and in both the idea of wu wei is deeply express by giving meaning to…

bridge to San Francisco. The foggy, eccentric city is where I spent, and still spend, my life. I consider myself very lucky to be able to openly identify as a Chinese American girl. Most of this can be attributed to me living in San Francisco. Being raised in San Francisco truly shaped me and my values. It accentuated my Chinese culture while bringing out other stereotypes many San Franciscans face. More so, being located in San Francisco I was surrounded by many other…

The traditional notion of the time in China is that they are weak and unable to fend off a foreign invasion. Their men are spineless, civilized, and self-restrained. These men were unfit to become soldiers to defend their nation and attack its foes. However, the Ming and Qing Dynasties proved this to be a false statement. Both the Ming and Qing Dynasties expanded the country’s borders through conquest. Troops were sent to countries throughout Asia to assimilate them into the Empire. Their…

The United States has always been a land of opportunity for immigrants. In fact, the overwhelming majority of people here are descendants of immigrants. Ellis Island figures prominently in the minds of many. Millions of Irish and German citizens arrived through its ports during times of hardship in Europe. Citizens from China flooded the Pacific coast looking for opportunities building railroads for the United States. Norka Luque is just the latest in a line of many successful international…

character. Ethnicity and culture can make you different from others, but it is your personality that builds the character inside of you and makes you a unique person. While embracing my culture is good, embracing myself is better. In the end, being Chinese or American doesn’t matter as much, because I am still me. Instead of asking myself which culture I should choose, I ask myself, who is the person inside of me, because that is who I…

When modernization is often discussed in classes, it is usually depicted as a rapid welcomed event of progress for the society involved. However, in “A Daughter of Han” by Ida Pruitt, Ning Lao T’ai-t’ai’s autobiographical account illustrates China’s gradual modernization against its reluctant conservative society. Modernity is defined by the presence of themes such as: industrialization, the increase of global integration, the expansion of political participation, the expansion of mass society,…

” Legalism, Confucianism, and the “Mandate of Heaven” were employed by the Chinese and originated in ancient China. Legalism is a school that emphasizes and teaches law. Confucianism is a lifestyle, some people even consider it a religion. The Mandate of Heaven was a philosophy that emperors should be given the “right to rule based on their ability to govern (Mandate of Heaven). Legalism was a “classic school of Chinese philosophy (Legalism).” The development of legalism set boundaries for the…