Neo-Confucian Synthesis of Chinese Traditions
The Confucian principles had dictated the Chinese way of life for a long time. Everything seems to be guided by the Confucian way of thinking, from the government operations and processes, to people’s social life, religion, and culture. The imperial system had ensured that the Confucianism philosophy remained strong and influential, by governing using its principles. The religion began to lose ground when the imperial system collapsed (Poceski, 2009). The emergence and spread of other religions such as Buddhism and Daoism threatened to weaken the system, as more people became followers of the two religions. The two new philosophies incorporated metaphysical elements, thus appealing to more people. Besides, many people had come to associate Confucianism with the government, since the government ruled the people using the principles advanced by Confucianism. The Buddhist and Daoism traditions had challenged Confucians, and neo-Confucianism emerged because of this challenge. The basic principles of neo-Confucianism have the traditional themes of classical Confucianism. The neo-Confucianism scholars incorporated different elements of Buddhism and Daoism, but they maintained the basic and strong points of Confucianism, thus managing to strengthen the Confucianism traditions, that had been slowly ebbing away. In this manner, neo-Confucianism is regarded as Confucianism.
The neo-Confucianism scholars knew that for them to encourage more people towards practicing Confucianism, they had to make the philosophy more appealing and convincing to the people. They took the elements of Buddhism and Daoism, which appealed to the people, and they incorporated them with Confucianism principles. This is despite the fact that they had strongly opposed the two religions, especially Buddhism. By doing this, they interested the people that were drawn towards the two religions. Confucianism scholars were knowledgeable in many matters, and the government during the Tang dynasty hired them in various government positions and other institutions. The sociopolitical elites had thorough knowledge of historical and philosophical texts. The Confucianism classics were used as part of the curriculum in government schools. The state examinations were used to get positions in government. These positions were a sign of prestige and status in the society. Therefore, as one would expect, there was high competition among the scholars. The Confucianism scholars were the main custodians of historical records. They wrote and compiled the official history and bibliographies. Non-Chinese dynasties ruled the north. They did not understand the importance of upholding the Confucianism traditions, and they only used the traditions when justifying their rule. They employed other philosophies, as well as Confucianism.
The neo Confucianism scholars adopted the metaphysical concepts as a way of building and enhancing the foundation for the Confucianism principles, and this enabled the people to understand the universe in a better way. The scholars incorporated the social and moral principles of Confucianism, which had made the old philosophy strong over the years. The scholars interpreted the traditional Confucian classics that dealt with spiritual and ethical principles and values. The scholars adopted most of the philosophies of Confucianism. They acknowledged the reality of the universe, and they observed that man was part of the world of nature. The scholars recognized the existence of a supernatural power, which they referred to using various terms such as heaven, great harmony, and way. They believed that this supreme conduct sets the standards by which people should live. They believed that man should be in harmony with the universe, and with other people.
The scholars enhanced the principle that had been passed on by the Confucians, which recognized man’s ability to attain excellence through education. They concurred with the Confucians that although not all people were good, they nevertheless had the potential to attain moral excellence through moral discipline education. The neo Confucians did not separate knowledge and morals. They believed despite the level of knowledge that someone claimed to have; it would not benefit him if he did not have any morals. They asserted the importance of value of knowledge in maintaining ethics (Huang, 1999). Neo-Confucians upheld the Confucianism principles and virtues of humanity, wisdom, righteousness, and propriety. They advocated the idea that humanity is the source of all social relationships.
For people to live in harmony, they must strive to seek and maintain peace. The principles are the source of peace and stability in the home and in the society. Humanity is considered a paradigm of virtue and a principle of goodness. Humanity is above knowledg4e, although both are important concepts of Confucianism (Cheng, 1991 pp. 252). This reiterates the importance of using knowledge as a way of depicting humanity, rather than using it for self-gain. In Confucianism culture, knowledge is more than gaining facts. It also includes knowing the values and norms, and knowing what to do at certain appointed times. It includes knowing the meaning of life, knowing oneself, and knowing others.
People gain knowledge using different means such as experience, induction, reflection and reasoning. The neo Confucians were concerned that the increasing number of people who used to pass the national exams based on Confucius principles were not ready to apply the knowledge they had learned. They knew well what the Confucianism principles but they were not ready to practice it. The neo Confucians wanted to ensure that the people exercised the basic principles of Confucianism. Confucius encouraged knowledge by reflection, which the neo Confucians included as one of the principles in neo Confucianism. The concept is also present in Buddhism, in the form of meditation. Confucius contended that reflection would enable people to look at things from different angles.
Confucius asserted that man does not know everything, and that he should be honest about what he knows and what he does not know (Cheng, 1991 pp. 252). By including some of the principles in Buddhism and Daoism, the neo Confucians wanted to ensure that people increased their levels of knowledge. They were willing to include what they considered the positive aspects of the two schools of thought, although they had opposed them fervently. Wisdom enables the society to attain the peace and stability needed for harmonious living. Confucius contended that people were able to gain wisdom by learning from knowledge. Learning from experience encompasses different processes, which include rectification, cultivation, and fulfillment. Action, practice, knowing, and thinking are part of the learning process (Cheng, 1991 pp. 253). The concept of action and knowledge was advanced by neo Confucians. They proposed that knowledge was the beginning and the direction for action, and that action was the effort and the completion of knowledge.
The neo Confucian scholars emphasized the Confucians principles on the importance of family. They believed that a person should be devoted to, and take care of his family. Neo Confucians were concerned with the government, public morality, and political involvement (Poceski, 2009). The neo Confucians were concerned that the people who were taking, and passing the national exams were not true Confucians, in the sense that they did not practice the true principles of Confucianism. They wanted to change the national exam system to ensure that the people who took the exams were qualified to be in their positions. They wanted leaders who took the principle of Confucianism seriously. They wanted people who would reform the government, and guide the people in the right direction.
People used to study so that they would pass examinations. Very few people sought to gain knowledge. Zhu Xi encouraged the people to learn and study, so that the knowledge would benefit them. He argued that real learning would make people more responsible, and they would be able to take care of their families and the society. The doctrine of the mean was one of the most fundamental doctrines in neo Confucianism. It emphasized the importance of observing hierarchy. The doctrine proposed and advanced the idea of the service and sincerity. It observed that people who are inferior positions should have confidence in their superiors, and this will enable them to govern the people. Having confidence in the superiors was one of the most important things for people in the society. Confidence could be achieved in different ways, including trust. All the elements were related in one way or the other. Friends and family were important to an individual. He supported the idea that had been passed on by Confucius regarding the superiority of the male members in the family, and ultimately in the society, and the inferiority of the women. He asserted that husbands and fathers are the leaders in the family, and the wives and daughters are secondary and inferior. He proposed further that women are subject to the males in their lives throughout their lives. He claimed that women are obedient to their fathers when they are young, to their husbands when they are married, and to their sons when they are widowed (Rainey 169). Although he noted the importance of hierarchy in the society, he was also adamant, that the people in superior positions were not to abuse their power. He observed that superior people were gentle and cautious, and they were not to show any contempt for those who were inferior.
One of the most important neo-Confucianism scholars was Zhu Xi. He noted that the main goal for Confucianism was not to gain wealth and success, but it was for the moral improvement of the individual. He noted that there was need for the individual to be transformed in order to attain sagehood. Many people strived to attain sagehood. The neo-Confucianism scholars noted that people could become sages if they studied. The concept of sagehood was important in the Confucianism traditions, and many Confucians looked for ways to attain and achieve it by studying canonical texts and spiritual cultivation. Zhu Xi was followed the ideas proposed by Mencius, who believed that human nature is fundamentally good. Mencius was a Confucianism scholar, and he proposed other ideas such as the mind and self-cultivation, which were essential elements of neo Confucianism.
It is important that neo Confucianism remains Confucianism, for the sake of understanding it better. It contains very many principles that are advanced from the classic Confucianism. Knowing and understanding Confucianism will help people to understand the essential elements of Confucianism. Although neo Confucianism contains some elements of Buddhism and Daoism, it contains more elements of classical Confucianism. The elements of the two other philosophies do not influence neo Confucianism too much to the extent that the philosophy can be understood as a branch of either of them. Neo Confucianism reminded the people on the true meaning of Confucianism, by emphasizing the practice of many of the classic principles. They recognized that the people had changed since the Tang dynasty. Although the people were willing to follow the Confucianism way, they recognized that it was not the only religion or philosophy. Neo Confucianism made the classic texts more engaging and appealing to the people. In addition, neo Confucianism is not a new and original philosophy, and it cannot stand on its own, without the teachings and principles of Confucianism.
Works Cited:
Cheng, Z. (1991). New dimensions of Confucian and neo-Confucian philosophy. New York, NY: SUNY Press
Huang, S. C. (1999). Essentials of neo-Confucianism: Eight major philosophers of the Song and Ming periods. United Kingdom: Greenwood Publishing Group
Poceski, M. (2009). Chinese religions. London, United Kingdom: Routledge
Rainey, D. L. (2010). Confucius & Confucianism: The essentials. Hoboken, HJ: John Wiley & Sons
Sommer, D. (1995). Chinese religion, an anthology of sources. Oxford, United Kingdom; OxfordUniversity Press
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