1. Is mankind naturally good
or naturally Evil?

2. Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism
laughing by the stream

3. Power to rule was granted by heaven
Zhou Dynasty 1122 BCE – 256 BCE
Mandate of Heaven “天命”
Power to rule was granted by heaven
Dynastic Cycle
Era of Warring States
(403 – 221 BCE)

4. Gave land to warriors for military service
Chinese Feudalism
Local warlords controlled Regions
Warlords control land
Gave land to warriors for military service

5. Three Schools of Thought
Confucianism Daoism Legalism

6. Confucius 550 BC Social Philosopher - Social Order
Rule with Moral Example
We learn to behave from our “Superiors”

7. Confucius Superiors – Inferiors Social Philosopher - Social Order
Rule with Moral Example
We learn to behave from our “Superiors”
Superiors – Inferiors

8. Confucius Superiors – Inferiors Social Philosopher - Social Order
Rule with Moral Example
We learn to behave from our “Superiors”
Superiors – Inferiors
Ruler to Subject

9. Confucius Superiors – Inferiors Social Philosopher - Social Order
Rule with Moral Example
We learn to behave from our “Superiors”
Superiors – Inferiors
Ruler to Subject
Father to Son - Filial Piety

10. Confucius Superiors – Inferiors Social Philosopher - Social Order
Rule with Moral Example
We learn to behave from our “Superiors”
Superiors – Inferiors
Ruler to Subject
Father to Son - Filial Piety
Husband to Wife

11. Confucius Superiors – Inferiors Social Philosopher - Social Order
Rule with Moral Example
We learn to behave from our “Superiors”
Superiors – Inferiors
Ruler to Subject
Father to Son - Filial Piety
Husband to Wife
Older brother to younger brother

12. Confucius Superiors – Inferiors Social Philosopher - Social Order
Rule with Moral Example
We learn to behave from our “Superiors”
Superiors – Inferiors
Ruler to Subject
Father to Son - Filial Piety
Husband to Wife
Older brother to younger brother
Friend to Friend
Friendship – Only equal

13. Social Philosopher - Social Order
Confucius
Social Philosopher - Social Order
Ancestor Worship
Family as a basis for an ideal government

14. Social Philosopher - Social Order
Confucius
Social Philosopher - Social Order
Ancestor Worship
Family as a basis for an ideal government
"Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself " Golden Rule

15. Daoism - Taoism “The Way” Laozi “The Old Master”
People are good
Useless to build Governments
Governments lead to fighting
Less Government the better

16. Daoism - Taoism “The Way” Laozi “The Old Master”
Three Jewels of the Tao:
Compassion
Moderation
Humility
Harmony with Nature

17. Daoism - Taoism “The Way” Laozi “The Old Master”
Martial arts
Traditional medicine
(in harmony with nature)

18. Saw government as “unnatural” and felt that
government was the problem that led to feudal wars

19. Sun Tzu
Born
544 BC
Died
496 BC

20. Han Feizi 280–233 BC Philosopher – School of law Legalism
Man is, essentially bad .
The law must severely punish any unwanted action, while rewarding those who follow it.

21. The First Emperor Qin Dynasty Shi Huangdi
Adopted Legalism as form of government
Shi Huangdi
The First Emperor
of unified China in 221BC

22. Qin Dynasty Shi Huangdi
First Centralized Dynasty (Government) Construction of ambitious projects
Began what became the GREAT WALL OF CHINA
Achieved increased trade and agriculture

23. Qin Dynasty Shi Huangdi
First Centralized Dynasty (Government)
Standardization
Currency
Weights and Measures
System of writing

24. Qin Dynasty Shi Huangdi
Broke down Feudal States of China
First Centralized Dynasty (Government)
Standardization
Standardized accepted thought -
Burning of books and
Burying of scholars

25. HAN DYNASTY 206 BC - 220 AD “The Golden Age of Chinese History”
Officially sponsored
Confucianism School of Thought
in education and court politics
Imperial University
Service Exam

26. HAN DYNASTY 206 BC - 220 AD “The Golden Age of Chinese History”
Officially sponsored Confucianism in education an court politics
Most technologically advanced empire in the world
The nautical steering rudder
Negative numbers in mathematics
Raised-relief map
hydraulic-powered armillary sphere
for astronomy
seismometer
Paper

27. HAN DYNASTY 206 BC - 220 AD “The Golden Age of Chinese History”
Officially sponsored Confucianism in education an court politics
Most technologically advanced empire in the world
Paper
China’s Trade route became known as Silk Road

28. Assignment: relevance to today
In paragraph form, write how ancient Chinese philosophy is part of our cultural debates in America, today.
1. Do we need more gun laws?
Do we take more of our freedoms/rights away from our law abiding citizens in order to deal with the few that are evil?
Is our society so evil that most of us need government to create harsher gun laws, or have them taken from us, in order to keep society safe from one another?
2. What would Laozi and Han Fei feel about the debate?