Introduction
“Love of wisdom” is called “Philosophy;” Philosophy is, in the broader sense, an activity which individuals do to comprehend fundamental realities about themselves, their world, and their connections with each other. Philosophy is the same as a university discipline. Those who study philosophy are constantly working to inquire, answer and argue for the most fundamental issues of existence. To achieve such a more systematic academic philosophy, main fields of research are typically split into.
Religion is the relationship of human beings to what they consider holy, sacred, ultimate, divine, or dignified veneration. People deal with the last concerns about their life, and their fate after death is also generally considered. These ties with or attitudes towards the gods or spirits are articulated in many traditions regarding the relation with, our attitude with, the wider human society or the natural world, as stated in more humanistic or naturalistic forms of religion.
Philosophy and religion significantly influenced the life of the states of the Ancient East. With the arrival of a new emperor, his philosophy sometimes changed radically from the previous one. It was due to the lust for power and their interests. Religion directly influenced the life of people. With the advent of Buddhism, the local population relaxed, and the rulers were furious over the lack of labor. Initially, Confucianism came to the Asian lands, and everyone adhered to its rules, but over time, the students of Confucianism decided to betray the teachings and insist on their philosophies, which, unfortunately, were more hostile. Philosophy and religion are essential parts of those times’ life, and they should be studied more.
Confucius
Confucius or Kong Qiu lived when the Zhou monarchy had dissolved into a slew of de facto autonomous feudal kingdoms that were only nominally subordinate to the Zhou monarchs. Confucius was a native of Lu, a tiny feudal state. Like many other educated elite men of the Eastern Zhou, Confucius went around the kingdoms, offering his skills as a political counselor and official to feudal kings and taking on pupils to teach for a fee. Confucius had a mediocre career as a petty official but a thriving career as a teacher. First- and second-generation pupils compiled recollections of Confucius’ teachings a few generations after his death.
The Analects is the English name for these tales and recordings of brief talks. For example, the Master said to lead them through rules and put sanctions in order between them, and the people will avoid them and lack a feeling of shame. Lead them by moral strength (de) and preserve order amongst them by ritual (li), and they feel humiliation and will likewise rectify themselves. This statement of Confucius speaks about how he treated the rules and instructed his students. The rules were like prohibitions; his main message was not to prohibit so that it would not be possible to achieve the set goal but to teach and show to bring it to an end.
In addition, certain concepts of Confucius are still applicable to actual life problems alongside society and changing times. Learning what you have learned is not also joy and, at times, to practice? Is it not also a joy to have pals from afar? Is that not also a wonderful person to be unaware, without even being bitterly distressed? The words “pleasure” and “joy” of Confucius expose individuals throughout the world.
Confucianism first emphasized learning, which paves the path for human growth and lays a solid basis for the future. Learning is not only crucial to the future but also to improve personal achievement. It plays a vital role. Secondly, humans prefer to be sociable animals, and the separation from groups is not simple. So focusing only on learning is not sufficient. Interpersonal communication has become a vital activity; interacting in our knowledge and morality is also an exercise. Good companions may widen horizons and increase knowledge. Third, rather than how others see them, people should focus more on self-awareness. People regularly experience all sorts of unhappiness in jobs and life. It is difficult to accept the reality that someone else is unaware of; this is the cultivation a gentleman should have. People cannot do this without developing self-cultivation and experiencing difficulty. These are, as said above, the cornerstone of society. The domain of life can only be higher and broader by working hard.
Memorial on Annexation of Feudal States
Li Si was a Qin kingdom official and a follower of Xunzi and the legal scholar Han Fei. Li Si was the prime minister of the first emperor, Qin Shihuang when Qin destroyed the last feudal kingdoms of the Zhou Dynasty and created a new centralized empire. As Prime Minister, Li Si had the chance to apply the legist political theory to the challenge of unifying and administering the former kingdom of Zhou’s patchwork quilt of defeated feudal kingdoms.
There are also inscriptions, which serve as two instances of Li Si’s policies that Qin Shihuang was successfully persuaded to adopt. Sima Qian, a Han Dynasty historian, has documented the monuments as they are now. As a result, they might reveal Khan’s prejudice, whether via his selections or the veracity of his writing. However, there are no other options for comparing records and determining the type and amount of any bias. As a result, these papers should become one of the most significant records of the Qin ruler’s policies of forcing unity on the Zhou system’s fragmentation.
One example of a memorial was how Li Si directed the emperor to restore peace to China. According to Memorial on Annexation of the Feudal States and Memorial on the Burning of Books By Li Si, with the power of Qin and the qualities of the emperor’s Highness, the feudal lords may be killed at the same time, and the imperial rule can also come to pass, like wiping the dust off of the cooking stove. In ten thousand years, that is the first time. However, the feudal Lords restore their strength and arrange themselves into an anti-Qin coalition if the emperor’s High-ness enables it to slip away and does not hastily press the benefit. Then nobody can seize their territory even if he owns the qualities of the Yellow Emperor. This quote shows Li Si’s influence on the emperor. Li Si pursued his philosophy, which he propagated to the emperor, bringing about political changes and influencing the empire’s life.
The Five Vermin
Han Feizi worked as an official for the Qin state, supposedly accused by a fellow official, Li Si, who was also an ex-student fellow under Xunzi. People find in his book that bears his name – a work he is maybe the author of but which is recognized as a pretty accurate illustration of his thought. Han Fei was a philosopher Xunzi pupil; however, he retired from Confucian philosophy to favor the more pragmatic and hard-headed attitude of persons like lord Shang, who are all labeled as “legalists.” the most renowned of these is Han Fei’s elaboration of a comprehensive and consistent summary of the philosophy of the lawyers and Daoists.
Here is an example of Han Feizi’s opinion about Confucian philosophy. According to Selections from the Han Feizi: Chapter 49, The Five Vermin, Humanity may cry tears and be hesitant to administer sanctions, but the law shows that these sanctions have to be implemented. The ancient Kings made the law supreme, and they did not accept their desires. It is therefore apparent that to create state order, humanity cannot be exploited. This statement shows the attitude towards Confuacism and the gradual renunciation of it.
Dong Zhongshu
During the Han Emperor Wu’s reign, Dong Zhongshu was a prominent Confucian scholar and government official. The reign of Emperor Wu was marked by territorially expanding territories in the period of the former or western Han Dynasty, the fast growth of land trade along the “silk road,” which led to Central Asia, and the consolidation of Confucianism Daoism intellectual heritage, legalism, and yin yang theory. In creating and expressing a philosophical synthesis, Dong Zhongshu played an essential role in incorporating the Daoist and legal principles and the yin and yang concepts as he relied on Confucianism.
Here is an example of Dong Zhongshu’s statement about the emperor. According to The Responsibilities of Rulership, the basis of the state is the emperor who governs the people. Now nothing is more vital than reverence for the basis of government management for the transformation of people. The monarch will alter individuals as if they were a spirit if the basis is honored. On the other side, the governor lacks the means to unify the people if the foundation is not appreciated. If they lack the means to unify people, even if they impose stringent sanctions and harsh punishments, people do not present themselves. This expression shows the mood of Dong Zhongshu’s philosophy. He says that to control people, total control must appear.
Buddhism
Buddhism had an essential role in Tang China’s culture, religion, and even skyline. As a result, it is not surprising that Tang emperors had mixed views about Buddhism, both as a religion and, more importantly, as a collection of organizations and individuals – temples, monasteries, monks, and nuns – who possessed significant land and other resources yet did not pay taxes. Emperor Wuzong (r. 841-846) issued the following edict, demonstrating how seriously Tang monarchs took Buddhism. Emperor Wuzong was a devout Daoist eager to find a Daoist elixir of immortality and so was greatly influenced by Daoist priests, which lends another twist to the narrative.
An excellent example of the influence of Buddhism on political, cultural, and economic events is the statement of Emperor Wuzong. According to Selection from Emperor Wuzong’s Edict on the Suppression of Buddhism: the Edict of the Eighth Month, Buddhism has spread to all nine provinces in the hills and plains and the walls and towers of our two cities. Every day, his monks and followers are increasing, and his temples are becoming numerous. It utilizes people’s power, with earth buildings and wood pillagers, to reap their riches for gold and valuable decorations, leads men to give up their lords and parents to the company of professors, as well as severs men and women with their monastic decree. Nothing overtakes this philosophy by undermining law and hurting humanity. This statement shows a negative attitude towards Buddhism that it only harms and relaxes the population, farms are emptying, the army is decreasing, as many people go to monks, and relations between a man and a woman are also deteriorating.
Conclusion
Philosophy and religion played almost a key role in government and decisions when choosing the vector of development. Each ruler had a “helper” who directed the chapter in the direction he needed using his philosophy. With the advent of Confucianism, people tried to prove to the rulers that humanity is in the first place and there is nothing more important than a good attitude towards a person and his life. Buddhism was well-received only by ordinary people, as it was an opportunity to believe in something new. However, some rulers wanted to eradicate him because he relaxed the people and discipline disappeared. Over time, Confucianism and Buddhism stepped aside and promoted their philosophy for each ruler to ensure control over the population.
References
The Analects.” Asia for Educators, 2021.
Memorial on Annexation of the Feudal States and Memorial on the Burning of Books By Li Si. Asia for Educators, 2021.
Selections from the Han Feizi: Chapter 49, The Five Vermin. Asia for Educators, 2021.
The Responsibilities of Rulership. Asia for Educators, 2021.