Axial (Spiritual Age) 6th-4th century BCE
Influential Thinkers• Buddha• Mahavira• Confucius• Laozi ?• Socrates• Aristotle• Plato & other Greeks
New Religions/Philosophical Systems
• Buddhism• Confucianism• Daoism• Greek Philosophy
Zhou Dynasty & Confucianism
I. Dynasties in Chinese HistoryII. Zhou DynastyIII. Confucianism
IDs: Mandate of Heaven, Duke of Zhou, Confucius (Kong-fu-zi), d. 479 BCE, Confucian reciprocity, filial piety
Argument
Zhou Dynasty ideals and the philosophy of Confucianism initiated the political, social and familial ideology that dominated Chinese government and society until the early 20th century.
B. Dynasties as Gov’ts & Periods in Chinese History
Shang Dynasty (1600-1050 BCE)
Zhou Dynasty (1050-256 BCE)
Qin Dynasty (256-206 BCE)
Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE)
Sui Dynasty (581-618 CE)
Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE)Song Dynasty (960-1279)Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)Ming (1368-1644)Qing (1644-1911)
Religious ideas
• Ancestor worship• Di (High God, founding
ancestor of Shang family)• Divination by oracle bones
4. Warring States Period* (770-221 BCE)
Breakdown of unityLots of small statesWar & anarchy
(*actually it’s divided into Eastern Zhou Dynasty period, Spring and Autumn Period, and Warring States Period)
a. Hierarchical Pairs
1. father-son2. ruler-minister3. husband-wife4. friend-friend5. older brother-younger
brother
B. Impact of Confucianism
1. A philosophy rather than a religion
2. Subordination of Individual to Family
3. Reshaping of Elites as Gentlemen Officials
Gov’t service: highest status
Emphasis on educationTraining in virtue