paraphrasing 2

Ch8

Confucius is an English corruption of Kong Fuzi, (551 – 479 B.C.E.) often called "Master Philosopher Kong" by his disciples. He was born in Lu, in Southern China to an aristocratic family and attempted to obtain a position at court; however his strongly held principles conflicted with political expediency, and he failed to obtain a position anywhere. He returned to his home in 484 B.C.E. bitterly disappointed at what he considered a personal failure, and died five years later. Although he never served as a powerful minister, he did serve as an educator and political advisor, which led to his reputation. He had numerous disciples, some of whom compiled his teachings in a work known as the Analects. The ideas preserved there have had a profound effect on Chinese political and cultural tradition.

Confucius’ teachings were not abstract philosophy or even politics; nor did they deal with religion. His personal philosophy of government was that positions should be filled with persons who were well educated but also conscientious and morally upright. These persons he called funzi, meaning "superior individuals. Since a formal educational system was lacking, Confucius had his disciples study the available literature from the Zhou dynasty, including the Book of Songs, the Book of Rites, etc. His influence and that of his disciples was so profound that these literary works became the foundation of Chinese literature for over two thousand years, until the early twentieth century.

Advanced education represented only a part of the preparation needed by the ideal government official. Confucius encouraged his students to cultivate high ethical standards and to hone their faculties of analysis and judgment. He emphasized several qualities in particular. on of those, called ren, by which he meant an attitude of kindness and benevolence or a sense of humanity. He argued that individuals possessing ren were courteous, loyal and respectful. Ren is considered as a characteristic desperately needed in government officials.

Daoism is an indigenous religion and philosophical tradition that has shaped Chinese life for more than 2,000 years. In the broadest sense, a Daoist attitude toward life can be seen in the accepting and yielding, the joyful and carefree sides of the Chinese character, an attitude that offsets and complements the moral and duty-conscious, austere and purposeful character ascribed to Confucianism . The Daoism represented an effort to understand the fundamental character of the world and nature. the central concept of Daoism is “dao”, and it means “the way”. Or “the way of nature” and “the way of the cosmos”. Dao is an elusive concept, and the Daoists themselves did not generally characterize it in positive and forthright terms.

During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, a productive agricultural economy supported the emergence of complex society in China. The agricultural productivity continued during their dynasties. The vast majoruty of the Chinese population worked in the countryside cultivating grains and vegetables, which they harvested in larger quanteties than ever before. cultivators often strengthened their plows with iron tips in Zhou’s late era.

The end of the might Han Dynasty was in 189C.E. The dynasty was about to fall apart as there were so many factions fighting for the throne. Also, internal struggle amongst the family led to the destruction of the dynasty. These factions composed of warlords and different nobles and even officials from the imperial court. The Han Dynasty ruled for over two hundred years. Its rise and fall are all part of what makes China the country that it is today. Chinese civilization and culture owes a lot to the mighty Han Dynasty.