Confucius,
From the Analects
This particular text
explains the beginning of Confucianism by Confucius himself. The major tenants
are: “filial piety, virtuous conduct, governance by good example, tradition,
rites, music, and dance”. The section ‘On Government by Mortal Force’ explains
the “governance by good” by stating how a governor or ruler should act. If a
governor or ruler is virtuous and does right by the people, the people will
obey and follow. If he doesn’t rule virtually, his people will not obey him. In
section thirteen it sates: “If a ruler himself is upright, all will go well
even when he doesn’t give orders. But if he himself is not upright, even though
he gives orders, they will not be obeyed”.
Legalism
Legalism was founded by
Han Fei who was a student of Confucius but later rejected his principles. The
major tenants for this piece are the opposite beliefs of Confucianism. He
believed people wouldn’t follow the government unless you gave them some sort
of measures. “When the sage rules the state, he does not count on people doing
good of themselves, but employs such measure as will keep them from doing any
evil”. Han Fei goes on by saying that
the government shouldn’t rule by the people because “The intelligence of the
people is not relied upon any more than the mind of a baby”. He continues
disagreeing with Confucianism by saying those who are upright shouldn’t be
praised because they haven’t done anything special.
Laozi,
Taoism: The Classic of the Way and the Power.
This piece was written by a mystical philosopher between
the sixth and fourth centuries. The major tenants are “opposing authority an
absolute power. The Way is power that come from inside if a person and will
never run out and it will never dry. Laozi explains that you get power from
being lower than the people, by being humble. He must also put himself behind
everyone else.
Ban
Zhao “Lessons from a Woman”
This is another Confucianism text written by Ban Zhao who
explains women are nothing more than housekeepers, and servers to their
husbands, even though Ban Zhao herself was an advisor to Empress-Dowager Deng.
She starts of by saying as a woman she is dumb and just naturally stupid. She
must be virtuous and conduct herself in a “correct manner and upright in
character”. She must perform her household duties and never stray from them. A
woman has four qualifications:
1) Womanly
virtue
2) Womanly
words
3) Womanly
bearing
4) Womanly
work
If she follows these qualifications love will come
her way.
Liu
Tsung-Yuan, “Camel Kuo the Gardener”
“Camel”
Kuo is known for his love of nature, which I believe is part of the
Confucianism principles. He was a gardener and a great one at that. He would
care for trees like a mom would care for a child. He knows how to help a tree grow
and how to keep it firmed in the ground. Once he was asked by a philosopher:
Why don’t you apply your philosophy of art to the government? He answered
saying that government isn’t for him. He continues his speech by saying that
common people can’t find peace in their daily lives because of all the
officials. The philosopher is happy by his statements by saying I came to find
a way to plant my trees, but found a way to help the people. Let this be a lesson
for the future.
I
think the Qin Dynasty was based more on power and control rather than
faithfulness and devotion. Legalism gave the Qin Dynasty a guide on how to rule
the people properly and how to run a kingdom with an iron fist. When Han Fei
was under suspicion for treachery the kings’ advisor had him arrested and
poisoned. As for the Han Dynasty they were more concerned for the people
well-being and not so much for power and force.
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