chinese philosophy

[clay dube]

Let's use this thread to talk about the ideas presented and how to engage our students in discussions of them.

[clay dube]

We were only able to briefly review several important points for Confucianism. At the next session, I'll speak briefly about Mohism, Daoism, and Legalism. Then we'll give the groups a few minutes to discuss what they intend to highlight and the flaws they see in the other schools. And then we'll begin our four sided debate.

Through the primary source documents in the curriculum guide that's in the binder, those contained in the Ebrey Chinese Civilization reader, and (if you are so inclined) in the EWP East Asia textbook, you’ll be able to gain a sense of the richness of these teachings and how they are intertwined, how their advocates sought to address the problems they identified and realize, in some cases, shared aims.

If we had more time to cover the schools and for the debate itself, I’d have an elaborate debate format, with each group making presentations on several themes, each would also have a hatchet-man/woman whose responsibility would be to attack the perceived flaws in others groups’ thinking. We don’t have enough time to prepare and coordinate in this way, so we have to take a more informal approach. Please look at the following preamble and focus questions as you get ready for our debate on Thursday, Feb. 23.

Encounter: A Hundred Schools of Thought Contend

In capitals throughout the region rulers are consulting their advisors. It is a time of crisis, governments are crippled by corruption and war/war preparation is never-ending. States join schemes against other states and powerful families plot with others to improve their own positions. Little concern is shown common people. The elite tends to see them as a resource to be managed and marshalled in struggle against one's enemies. Commoners can only resist by running away. And they are doing this in great numbers, fleeing greedy lords and officials and brutal armies.

What has led to this danger? Technology has advanced so much. Agriculture has never been so productive. Our cities are sites of terrific trade (aided by new means of exchange) and places of a great cultural flowering. There is dance, music, and scholarly investigation.

But at the same time, weapons have been made even more lethal. Armies are larger and the devastation of war is greater than ever. Small states are being devoured by the large. Or they engage in secret diplomacy and espionage to undermine their neighbors.

In the past, in the days of the sage kings, our ancestors did not have to endure such chaos. There was order. There was peace. There was prosperity. Where have we gone wrong?

At our next session, devotees of Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, and Legalism will gather to reflect on the desperate situation that has emerged. They will engage in a debate over what should be done to overcome this crisis.

Focus Questions

Ideologies have to provide three essential elements:

1. A description of how we arrived at the present situation (a history?) – what’s the problem(s)?

2. A description (proscription) of what should be – how things ought to be.

3. A description of what should be done to move from 1 to 2 – an action plan.

Begin your debate preparation by thinking about how your school of thought addresses these needs.

In the debate, I’ll ask questions of each school and you may ask questions of each other. In general, accent the positive in your doctrine, but it may be occasionally helpful to draw contrasts with the way other schools deal with issues you consider critical.

We’ll definitely explore the following:

Education
Is education necessary? Define a "well-educated" person. What would such a person know and be able to do? Who should provide this training?

Loyalty
To which people/institutions should a person owe his/her loyalty? What is the nature and what are the limits (if any) of these obligations?

Society/Government
Describe the ideal society and government's role (if any) in that society. Be sure to address issues such as stratification, relations between people, and qualifications/responsibilities of leaders.

You may find the chart on pages 44-45 (or that neighborhood) useful as you prepare.

[clay dube]

Confucianism
Corrine Bello
James DeLarme
Vincent Hui
Wilma Killian
Jennifer Reynolds
Richard Rodriguez
Shingo Saito

Mohism
Alex Aguilar
Jack Ashworth
Vimal Gairola
Antonio Garcia
Lara Jacques
Rebecca Puebla
Brad Stevens

Daoism
David Carrillo
Onunwa Iwuagwu (will miss the session, do we have a volunteer from the Confucian/Mohist ranks to join the Daoist team?)
Ernesto Laurell
Walter Rodriguez

Legalism
Richelle Boller
Julie Davis
Monique Galvez
Nathan MacAnish
Sachiko Padilla[Edit by="Clay Dube on Feb 22, 5:04:46 AM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

In class I signed up on the Legalism list, but my name isn't showing on this list. So you can add Monique Galvez to the Legalism list and hopefully that will help even things out a bit. See you all Thursday.

[clay dube]

Hi Monique,

Thanks for noting the mistake! The Legalists are gaining strength.

[Anonymous]

I really enjoyed the debate. It helped solidify for me the basic ideas behind each belief system. Just wanted to share that I am not at all suprised the Mohists didn't make it, how could they have without any music in their lives! (signed, an absolutely devoted middle school music teacher who has seen music change students' lives in incredibly positive ways)
I am looking for Asian music for my orchestras to learn and perform, can't wait to share it with them and to learn more about it myself.[Edit by="ljacques on Feb 27, 8:07:20 PM"][/Edit]

[clay dube]

Lara's point about music is a great one. I don't teach music, but like others I frequently use it to try to create a particular atmosphere. We're not certain what much early Chinese music sounded like, but we have plenty of music from the last century that can be utilized to shake things up a bit. Like putting characters up on the board or on handouts, it reminds our students that there are many ways to write, to express, and to entertain.

[Anonymous]

I was also disturbed by some of the Mohist ideology. On the one hand the concepts of universal love, equality and peace without war, were promised to flourish within the Mohist ideal world, but in reality, it seems that with the Mohists in power, these ideas would be narrowly interpreted by the select leadership. The Mohist thought seems to be more concerned about the utility of things and honoring the most mundane, material goals. I couldn't help but think that Maoism might be a modern day offshoot of Mohism.

Although Mao did mention obtaining goals with the barrel of a gun, his Marxist idealism was rooted in the promise of universal peace, brotherhood and equality, where each gives according to his abiltiy and receives according to his need. The Cultural revolution was something like a Mohist attempt to rid the society of art, muisic, literature etc. and focus on agrarian reform and utilitarian materialism and a strong Red Army to defend the Fatherland. I wonder if the original translation of the Mohist concept of love was the "Agape" type or the Marxist type? Do you think that Mao had ever studied Mo?[Edit by="jashworth on Mar 8, 10:43:03 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

After exposing my students to Chinese philosophy and the various schools of Chinese thought, I divided my class into four groups and after making sure that each student understood his/her position on human nature, government, and rules of conduct, acxcording to the school of thought to which he/she had been assigned, I posed some modern day questions, having the students to answer the questions from the point of view of their particular assigned school of thought. This lesson not only helped the students to understand ancient Chinese philosophy, but also helped them to examine things from the point of view of others, which addresses one of the sixth grade Language Arts standards.

[Anonymous]

What a great lesson! You are truly giving your students a global education and developing their thought processing to utilizing others beliefs on a particular subject.
Your students must have been amazed at how different each of these philosophies are. I am wondering if this lesson has made any impact on changing your students attitude or thinking.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if you are familiar with History Alive, but there is a cool lesson where the students get to experience being from each school of thought. For each day you have the students come in a different way and the class is set up differently. During Confucianism, the students have an elder that they have to listen to. During Daoism, the students are allowed to sit wherever they want and there are few rules, the Legalism day is the one they don't like the most. There are severe punishments for every infraction of the rules. I try to yell and stomp around to make it seem more realistic. After the lesson, the students really get a feel for each of these philosophies.

[Anonymous]

Each day I begin my class with a famous quotation that I have placed on the chalkboard or on the overhead projector screen. We discuss the quotation, the person who said it, and what that person probably meant by it. Then the students respond in writing in their "Quotation Journals" to the quotation by either interpreting the quotation differently or they may respond to a trait of the character of the one who initially spoke the quote. Next the students "connect the quote to their own lives," describing a time when they themselves might have taken the advice of the quotation or a situation when they probably could have or should have applied that counsel had they been familiar with it.

Since there are so many faouus quotes by Confucious and other Chinese proverbsthat are applicable to our day and time, his philosophy on matters, especially those on proper thought and behavior could be incorporated into this activity. Here are a few to help you get started

"Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner anywhere"
Chinese Proverb

"Teachers open the door but you must enter it by yourself"
Chinese Proverb

This one is especially applicable in high school when students need to be concerned about what they are going to do after graduation:

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life"

"

[Anonymous]

Thanks you for this idea, I think it is one of the best suggestions I have heard since I have participated in the seminar and I will pass it on. You have created a way to integrate some values that are sorely missing in education in the context of developing literacy, analytical skills and teaching about Asia in the classroom.
Thanks,

[Author]

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