Confucianism and Daoism University at Buffalo儒家、道家布法罗大学.pptVIP

Dark side of iron Why did China outlast Rome? Iron Slavery as well as freedom History of Rome: from free citizen to slave state Slavery destroys Roman peasantry Slavery presupposes high labor productivity Slaves are not naturally careful Slaves require external supervision * Implications of rice re Slavery Labor intensive rice cultivation: Low productivity per worker Special care needed to manage irrigation No slave agriculture for rice production Selfless Confucian bureaucracy (ideally) Long duration of Chinese society * Daoism and Rice Production Peasant is close to land, to nature Works with hands, feet in mud Daoism: let nature take its course without human interference (i.e., without interfering high technology) * Rivals or Complementary? Revolutionary rivalry Important differences in doctrine Confucian focus on society v. Daoist focus on nature Daoist revolutionaries fight corrupted Confucians But Confucianism is a philosophy of neo-kinship, and so also emphasizes the natural in society * Dual sources of two philosophies 1) China must respect limitations of nature (12% arable land) 2) But China is also dependent on a complex, state-organized artificial irrigation system two indigenous Chinese philosophies Daoism reflects closeness to nature Confucianism reflects state-based social organization * Unity of two philosophies But both reflect closer-to-nature, neo-kinship society Chinese Syncretism: A “gentleman” can be a Confucian in his public life, and a Daoist in private life. * * * * * * Confucianism and Daoism Learning from the young rice plants * Contemporary problems of Li “Dear Miss Manners: If a woman offers you her hand in greeting, should you shake it only or should you grasp it, squeeze it gently, and at the same time pull her toward you and peck her on the cheek? “It would appear to me most appropriate to kiss a woman on the cheek, but if she offers you her lips instead, what should you do – kiss her on the lips or go round to a chee