中国文化unit2.doc

Unit Two Religion Philosophy China has an approximately 4100-year recorded history. ( From the endless primeval period, around 2,100 B.C.) Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are the three great thoughts. Most social values are derived from Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Confucianism Confucianism?is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher?Confucius?( Master Kong, 551–478 BC). It is a complex system of moral, social, political,?philosophical, and quasi-religious thought that influenced the culture and history of East Asia. It might be considered a?state religion?of some East Asian countries, because of state promotion of Confucian philosophies. Cultures and countries strongly influenced by Confucianism include mainland?China,?Taiwan, Korea,?Japan?and?Vietnam, as well as various territories settled predominantly by?Chinese people, such as?Singapore. Principles of Confucianism Confucianism had been regarded as an ethic-political system in ancient China. For more than thousand years it has moulded and shaped the civilization of China and exerted a profound influenced upon almost one fourth of the human race. Humanity is core in Confucianism. A simple way to appreciate Confucian thought is to consider it as being based on varying levels of honesty, and a simple way to understand Confucian thought is to examine the world by using the logic of humanity. In practice, the elements of Confucianism accumulated over time. There is classical Wuchang consisting of five elements:?Ren?(Humanity), Yi?(Righteousness),?Li?(Ritual), Zhi (Knowledge), Xin (Integrity). ? Confucianism has left us a rich literary heritage knows as the Four Books and Five Classics:?The Great Learning,?The Mean,?Analects, and?Mencius;?Book of Change,?Book of History,?Book of Odes,?Book of Rites?and?Spring and Autumn Annals. For six centuries these four texts became the elementary requirements of Chinese education in the feudal society an