is to wear spring robes in late spring and to swim in the Yi River with five or six adults and six or seven children.We shall enjoy the breeze where people pray for rain.Then we shall go home,singing all the way."Confucius sighed,"Ah.I share Dian's aspiration."The different aspirations of the four students reflected their different outlooks on life.Confucius'agreement with Zeng Dian indicates that while he stressed individual contribution to society,he regarded the highest state of life as harmony among people and harmony between people and nature. His was a true aesthetic outlook on life. Under the influence of Confucius,Chinese thinkers of later generations all believed that students and scholars should not only increase their knowledge, but also and more importantly,broaden their minds and enhance their spiritual ethos.In other words,they should continually seek the greater meaning and value of life.Many modern scholars think the theory on the perspective on life is the most valuable feature of Chinese philosophy.It all began with Confucius. Hanbi Pavillion in Jichang Garden.Wuxi.Jiangsu Province. keoptngonegindpeanaaCeneninghe means encompassing green Confucian ideal o
2.Baozi's Philosophy of Non-action The book Laozi was written around the sixth century BC.The author is generally believed to be Lao Dan,or Laozi-a recluse who lived during the Spring and Autumn Period(770-476 BC).Few records have survived about Lao Dan.who was said to have once held a low civil position in the royal court,in charge of the archival records of the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC).Yet.due to his great learning,even Confucius was said to have traveled miles to consult him. Laozi (Laozi).also known as Classic of the Way and Virtue (Dao de jing). consists of just over 5,000 Chinese characters.Its 81 chapters are divided into two parts,Dao(the Way)and De (Virtue).Short as it is,the book has played a tremendous role in the development of Chinese culture.It became the basis of Daoism,the school of philosophy parallel to Confucianism in ancient China. The thought of Laozi formed the foundation of Daoism,the most influential indigenous school of religion in China.It has also exerted a direct impact on the characteristics.trends of thought and aesthetic sensibilities of the Chinese nation.Today Laozi still plays a role in the development of Chinese thinking. Inoights into Chinee Culune
Laozi was first introduced into Europe possibly as early as the 15th century and has been one of the most translated philosophical works of ancient China.Many of Laozi's enlightening views are based on his philosophy of naturalness and non-action. Naturalness and Non-action "Naturalness"is an important concept of Laozi's philosophy.It refers to a natural state of being.an attitude of following the way of nature.Laozi emphasized that everything in the world has its own way of being and development:birds fly in the sky.fish swim in the water,clouds float in the sky.flowers bloom and flowers fall.All these phenomena occur independently and naturally without following any human will,and humans should not try to change anything natural.Laozi admonished people to give up on any desire to control the world.Following the way of nature is the way to resolving conflicts between humans and the world. "Non-action"is another important concept of Laozi's philosophy.It is the guarantee of"naturalness."Laozi said,"(Dao or the Way)acts through non- action,"by which he did not mean that one should do nothing and passively wait for something to be achieved.Neither did he deny human creativity.What he meant is that human enterprises should be built on the basis of naturalness, not on any attempts to interrupt the rhythm of nature.Human creativity should be in compliance with the ways of nature Laozi said,"Great ingenuity appears to be stupidity."This is the essence of “naturalness'"and“non-action.”“Great ingenuity'”refers to the highest level of ingenuity,arising so naturally that it does not resemble ingenuity at all. Ingenuity can be achieved through human effort,but "great ingenuity"is superior to ordinary ingenuity.To Laozi,resorting to deceit is true futility and would accomplish just the opposite result.Those who intend to play tricks are not genuine and therefore are not natural.Deceit is detrimental to naturalness and to the harmony of life. 12 Ineights into Chinese Culture
Zhuangzi (369-286 BC),the philosopher who carried on Laozi's philosophy,had the following story to tell about a"useless tree" A carpenter went with his apprentice to the State of Qi.On the way they came across a giant tree by the local temple for the deity of the earth.Its trunk was several dozen meters thick and as tall as a mountain.Its branches could provide shade to several thousand cattle.While people thronged to worship the super tree,the carpenter passed it without taking a look.The apprentice,however,was fascinated.After carefully studying the tree, he ran to catch up with his master and asked. "Ever since I became your apprentice,I have never seen such fine wood.But you just kept walking without even looking at it.Why?"The master replied,"That tree produces useless wood.If you made a boat out of it,the boat would sink.If you made a coffin out of it,the coffin would soon rot. If you made utensils out of it,they would wear out quickly.Its wood is of no use at all. That is why this tree has been able to live so long."The wisdom of the"useless tree"lies strips in n Hubei exactly in its uselessness,or its naturalness. bamboo strins were ed in the tomb of an aristocrat of The Philosophy of Non-contention the State of Chu.c.300 BC.This is the earliest version of Laozi discovered so far. On the basis of"naturalness"and"non-action," Laozi proposed the view of"overcoming the strong by being weak."The era Laozi lived
渾 视身 属 有 失高 不 馬一 此三者 名口希 之不见 天下 天下若可記 身吾何 大 志者 之若 目故 名 人行妨是 五 令 心载 日 室當其無有 馬利無之以 上不其 致 之不得 下 狂 有 身 大杰 五音 天 名 之 下 身及 之着 过 之用故 腹 田 Calligraphy from Laozi by the Yuan-dynasty calligrapher Xianyu Shu(1246-1302) in was replete with endless wars.Therefore,war was an important theme for philosophers,and anti-war thinking was the norm.Even the great strategist Sunzi advocated"winning a war without fighting it,"not to mention the great thinker Confucius,who strongly championed a government based on love.Their contemporary Mozi (c.468-376 BC),founder of Mohism,also condemned wars while calling for"love for all." According to Laozi,war springs from humanity's bloated desires.Conflict arises out of people's struggles to satisfy their desires,and conflict escalates into war. Therefore,Laozi's philosophy is based on "non-contention."To him,human striving and competitive strife is the root cause of decline:desiring nothing is the natural way of life. Laozi said."The greatest virtue is like water."He compared his philosophy of "non-contention"to water,to distinguish it from the law of the jungle.He said. "Water nourishes everything but contends for nothing."To Laozi,humans tend to seek higher positions while water always flows to lower places.Driven by desire,humans like whatever they think is superior while despising whatever they think is inferior.Yet water always flows downward.As the source of life. water nourishes all living things on Earth.No life can exist without water.Water 14Insights into Chinese Culum