GHS208-05 Fall 2019 China and the Islamic Middle East

When we talk about ideology Confucianism and Communism seem to be at odds with one another. Two main departures of ideology lay clear in the means to lead a nation. Confucian words on leading “When one rules by means of virtue, it is like the north star, it dwells in its place and the other stars pay reverence to it” it seems to lean towards an idea that leaders must lead by example and those who live under their rule will naturally out of respect for the character of the leader will live in peace. In contrast we look at famous words by Mao in regards to leadership, “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun” implying that strength and power over those below you will have them follow you out of fear first nor respect. So the question that the article “Is China headed for a clash of cultures as Xi Jing Ping fuses Confucius and Marx?” by Paul F. Scotchmer in the South China Morning Post tries to ask is will these ideologies work together or are they so different Xi Jing Ping is setting himself up for a cultural battle.

I always thought that Confucianism and Communism could work together, but I found in the reading that Mao Zedong actually denounced the teachings of Confucius and burned artifacts, writings and turned temples into government buildings. Despite the disgust for Confucianism that Mao had the “religion held strong as its embedded deep within Chinese culture. I am wondering how honest Xi Jing Ping is about bringing the two ideologies together, after all this isn’t Mao’s China anymore its not even close to the China he left. China has liberalized to a degree, even though modern Chinese leaders are strengthening their grip on China once again. Could Confucianism and this modern style communism work better than in the past? I personally do not see how it could work naturally/ the Rule by force and Rule by virtue alone set the ideas too far apart.

When reading about early schools of Chinese thought, I was reminded how heavily Confucius emphasized the importance of respect and virtuous relationships. One of the main values of Confucianism is filial piety: showing great respect for one’s parents and upbringing both in the home—and in the heart—but also outside the home when representing one’s name. This concept plays a great role in understanding the Chinese family structure. The value extends too beyond the family unit representing respect of the hierarchy and obedience in other duties such as superiors in one’s occupation, in scholastic endeavors, and as a citizen. This is a characteristic rather well known of Chinese culture, but how did its early introduction and influence alter the society of those who live there? What does it look like today? Has it changed? I was sparked by the reading and in class discussion to see how people today think their nature and nurture has been affected by their societal norms of family relationships and the hierarchy.

In China, filial piety is not only a core value, but is also expected. In its origins, filial piety was defined as “the principle of Heaven, the righteousness of Earth, and the proper conduct of the people”. Today people in China see it as duty given to children to be good to their parents, treating them with respect and care, but also to provide for them and not cause harm. The duty extends past the lifespan of one’s ancestors, teaching that it is one’s obligation to honor the dead as they do the living. Often people today reference the phrase that ‘blood is thicker than water’ to note the strong ties to family despite circumstances.

When reading about the commitment to family in modern Chinese society, I noticed a stark difference between their culture and life here at home. In China, being filial at home means being committed and dedicated to one’s family; here in the States, many people are disconnected from their extended family, and some their immediate family as well. It is custom in China for people to take leave from work during the Chinese New Year to honor their families and pay visit. Here you constantly hear people complaining about having to spend time with family, especially during the holidays, and some chose to work the holiday hours for the increased pay as opposed to spending time with family. In China, filial piety is standard, but here there is less of an equated norm with many people holding different moral and religious beliefs.

I do not think that filial piety has changed in China over the past several couple decades, but it has adapted in the time to better suit the abilities of modern society. From everything I read online, it seems that most Chinese people living in China and those that live here in America see their experiences as improved as a result of growing up in a home with the teachings of filial piety. I was unaware that there are some actual laws pertaining to filial piety, one law just past in 2013 that attempted to regulate and encourage adults to visit their elderly parents; with no specified punishment it seems that society will conform as it already partakes in this behavior. Legally regulating moral conduct seems questionable to me, but if the behavior is already engrained in their behavior it may not cause issue.

I think that we view Confucianism as archaic and too conservative especially in the modern west. After reading and doing some additional research on the teachings of Confucius I have come to the conclusion that Confucianism is portrayed very differently today than what it teaches. For example, the Bible has many teachings that are considered conservative and outdated however it is still a very influential piece that is simply interpreted in a more modern way. I think that Confucius’ teachings can be interpreted in a more applicable way that centers around the “golden rule” that could benefit society.

I believe that Confucian teachings have been manipulated to fit the ideals of certain aspects of society. For example, a Confucian society focuses on the idea of harmony which is acquired when everyone fulfills their responsibility and role in the society. It is interesting that this ideal is presented by the Communist party in a completely different way. The Communist party also uses the word “harmonious” but in this context, harmony means that a society is cooperative under one political party. Similarly, filial piety is an ideal that emphasizes the importance of respect for role models and leaders and it has been skewed to idealize strict rules and blind obedience. Overall, I would love to read up more on the teachings of Confucius and how they can fit into our modern-day society.

Hey everyone! In light of our discussion about Confucius, I thought I would share a Confucian joke!

I doubt he said this, but I thought this would make you smile… or want to hit me next time in class!

Going into this lunch I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. We met Mr. Benny Cole (sorry if I spelled it incorrectly) and he got me really excited for not only the lunch, but for the course itself. I came into the course eager to learn but as we got closer to the actual lunch I truly was anxious.
The day of the lunch it was on my mind heavy. Partially because I did not know what to expect, and also because I love food, but not always trying new food. My nerves were not eased either when I walked in Jordan Hall and could smell the food throughout the hallway. I was trying to figure out what it was but my nose was not trained enough to be able to tell. When I walked in ands saw two trays of dumplings all my nerves went away. I love dumplings, especially fried dumplings, and thats exactly what was in there.
I introduced myself, made myself a plate, and engaged in conversation. We spoke about the terracotta warriors and future possibilities with interactions between the Indianapolis Chinese community. I am looking forward to the next opportunity to do something like this.

hi!

I have been looking around this weekend for a good article about this topic and I finally found one! I have taken 4 semesters of American Sign Language here at Butler! But I was recently asked about the different variations of Sign Language around the world, and I didn’t really have a good answer because in class we had only learned about American Sign Language! I knew there had to be some variation of Sign Language everywhere, because there are deaf people all around the world from all different places! After doing some research I found this website that gives a very brief summary of some of the deaf culture and how the deaf community came to be in China. Just like ASL (American Sign Language), its Chinese counterpart varies depending on where exactly you are. In different parts of the country there are different signs for the same word! You can even see this in the U.S.! After learning all about the deaf culture from my ASL class it’s crazy to learn about  the hardships the deaf community has gone through! There is a large deaf population here in Indy because of the deaf school being so close, if you guys ever have a chance to see a basketball game there it’s really an awesome experience!!

here’s the website 🙂

https://www.handspeak.com/study/index.php?id=155

 

Confucius grew up in China when it was split into states and constantly fighting. This is what probably inspired Confucius’ teaching. He is trying to figure out how to view and understand the world in his 20s, which in my opinion is a time where people discover who they are. College students, like myself, are trying to figure out what we value, believe, and what we want out of life. I think it was only natural for Confucius to be curious. Confucius thought at the time that society was corrupt and that it needed to be restored (by rituals). It was the foundation of Chinese custom and presentation. He taught curtsey and etiquette. In my opinion, I think he was trying to promote respect. “Before you can respect the dead, you need to respect the living,” is a quote I heard in the BBC documentary on Confucius. He wanted society to be sincere and wanted people to love others. He saw the values taught in family: loyalty, honestly, and love. He thought family should show correct authority and obedience. He thought rulers should take the values taught in family and use that ideology when they ruled. What do all of you value?

After reading “When Cowboy Chicken Came to Town” I began to think about the differences in workplaces between capitalist countries like the United States and communist countries like China. I decided to do a little research on the differences in medical workplaces since I hope to work in such a place in the future. I first found this article that provided a general overview on the health care in China: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/04/03/397158218/what-china-can-teach-the-world-about-successful-health-care

I enjoyed reading about the idea of barefoot doctors and the major successes that resulted from these rural healthcare providers. Indiana has one of the highest infant mortality rate in the United States so reading about the fact that the infant mortality rate decreased as a result of access to barefoot doctors was uplifting and motivating.

I found it interesting that the primary health care system is severely understaffed and that the general population does not have access to proper preventative healthcare. I did not know that violence against doctors is very common due to the frustration that patients experience. The violence seems to stem from an overall mistrust of the healthcare system since primary care doctors are extremely underpaid and they resort to corruption and incentives from drug companies.