The ancient Chinese are well known for their discovers such as; tea, gunpowder, the compass, silk fabric and acupuncture. But how did these ancient thinkers provide truth to their own lives?

Well, they found their own meaning of truth through art, philosophy, religion and science. Some of these beliefs are still practice today to give modern people a sense of reality in the own lives.

• Three major religions have had a profound influence on China through out the course of history. – Confucianism was the religion to

inspire ancient Chinese art – Taoism – Buddhism, biggest influence on

the art of the region

• Artists worked with swirling brushstrokes to create striking line paintings.

• T ’ang Dynasty paintings depict people, horses, and elaborate landscapes colored with green and blue paints.

• Sung Dynasty paintings, influenced by Taoism and Confucianism, often show tiny people dwarfed by nature.

• Philosophy is the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct.

• Philosophy first came to China during the Early Shang Dynasty. The people of the Shang Dynasty began to observe around them– day and night cycles– seasons progressed again and

again– moon waxed and waned until it

waxed again.

• As time went on these studies began to advance which resulted in three major philosophies of the Chinese culture– Confucianism – Taoism– Legalism

• Legalism is a pragmatic political philosophy synthesized by Shang Yang and Han Fei. – "when the epoch changed, the ways

changed", it upholds the rule of law and is thus a theory of jurisprudence.

• A ruler should govern his subjects by the

following trinity:– 1.Fa ( 法 fa3): law or principle.– 2.Shu ( 術 shù): method, tactic, art, or

statecraft.– 3.Shi ( 勢 shì): legitimacy, power, or charisma.

• Legalism was the chosen philosophy of the Qin

Dynasty. It was blamed for creating a totalitarian society and thereby experienced decline.

• Its main motto is: "Set clear strict laws, or deliver harsh punishment".

• The ruler, alone, would possess the authority to dispense with rewards and punishments.

• The philosophy was highly progressive, and extremely critical of the Confucian and Mohist schools.

• China is one of the most ancient civilizations on earth.

• Chinese religion is not an organized, unified system of beliefs and practices. It has no leadership, no headquarters, no founder, and no denominations.

• Chinese religion is one of the oldest forms of religion.

• Today, Chinese religion is a complex mix of Chinese folk religion, Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism.

• Confucianism is a philosophical school developed from the teachings of the wise, collected in the Analects of Confucius.– To build an ideal society, the family

relationship is an essential part of thinking in The Analects of Confucius

• It is a system of moral, social, political, and religious thought, that has had tremendous influence on Chinese history

• The major Confucian concepts include

– rén (humanity or humaneness),– zhèngmíng (rectification of names; e.g. a

ruler who rules unjustly is no longer a ruler and may be dethroned),

– zhōng (loyalty),– xiào (filial piety), – lǐ (ritual).

• Confucius taught both positive and negative versions of the Golden Rule.

• The concepts Yin and Yang represent two opposing forces that are permanently in conflict with each other, leading to perpetual contradiction and change.

Lived from 551 BC- 479 BC

• Taoism is a philosophy and later also developed into a religion

• All major Chinese philosophical schools have investigated the correct way to go about a moral life, but in Taoism it takes on the most abstract meanings, leading this school to be named after it.

• It advocated nonaction (wu wei), the strength of softness, spontaneity, and relativism.

• Although it serves as a rival to Confucianism, a school of active morality, this rivalry is compromised and given perspective by the idiom "practise Confucianism on the outside, Taoism on the inside."

• Most of Taoism's focus is on what is perceived to be the undeniable fact that human attempts to make the world better actually makes the world worse. – better to strive for harmony, minimising

potentially harmful interference with nature or in human affairs.

• Buddhism remains the dominant religion of the Far East and is increasingly popular in the West.

• Has a wide variety of forms, ranging from religious rituals and worship in favor of pure meditation.

• All share in common a great respect for the teachings of the Buddha, "The Enlightened One.”

• Astronomy– the first planetarium was invented by the ancient

Chinese as a result of imperial patronage. – paid to keep track of the solar, lunar, and planetary

motions. – All these astronomical phenomena used to hold

special religious significance for the ancient Chinese.

• Chemistry– The Chinese chemists were assigned the task of

inventing the ‘Elixir of Life’ that can be used to immortalize their emperors.

– experimented with number of herbs, animals organs, minerals and other elements to invent a range of life saving and healing drugs.

• Mathematics – traced as long back as 14th century B.C. : it was a part

of their religious existence.– The mathematical calculations were also used in the

diverse fields of astronomy, water control and administration.

• Physics– first among other civilizations to invent complex

machines. • The wheel burrow• the blast furnace• the grooves

VIDEO

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEwgjHq1CM0

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