Month: September 2021

For number 76 when he explains how trees are born soft and tender but die withered and sere, it relates to human life in a sense that’s how everyone is born but after a fulfilled life our time really has come. Daoism advocates flexibility and humility when it talks about the weak overcoming the strong… Continue reading Tao Te Ching continued..

He writes in 2:15, “To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous.” When you look at that from a practical angle it makes clear sense but when you dig even deeper into what he was saying he really makes you think. What if you not only think but… Continue reading What Confucius 2:15 tells us about our society

After watching the documentary, I was astonished by the desecration of the gravesite of one of the most influential philosophers known to man. I wanted to know more so I did a little bit of research, and I came across an interesting article that tackles the ideas of Anti-Confucianism and Pro-Confucianism and their effects on… Continue reading Reactions to Confucianism Over The Years

I noticed a lot of poems expressed the idea of everything having an equal opposite. For example, poems 58 and 59 talk about how if the government does one thing, the people will do the opposite. A line that I really liked from the poems is the line in poem 55 where they describe a… Continue reading Dao De Jing 41-81

My favorite poem this reading assignment is: In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired. In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped. Less and less is done Until non-action is achieved. When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. The world is ruled by letting things take their course. It… Continue reading Daodejing Part 2

A few days ago, I took a picture with the Terracotta Warriors. It was interesting to see how the replicas looked so similar to the real Terracotta Warriors. While I’ve never been to see the real ones, it was still special to see the replicas. I’ve seen pictures of the giant tomb of the warriors… Continue reading Photo with the Terracotta Warriors

Before diving into the Analects of Confucius, I want to briefly acknowledge some of the history of Confucius that was provided courtesy of the BBC documentary titled Genius of the Ancient World Confucius. Although born in a war period in 551 BC, Confucius did not believe that violence was a solution to the problems that the… Continue reading The Analects of Confucius

There are many different ways that humans learn: by example, by reading, by watching, and by experience. In the Daodejing, poems 41-81, there are a few major takeaways that I gained that I think need to be discussed for the betterment of everyone. In poem 44, it explains how we need to “know what is… Continue reading Life Lessons

Continuing our discussion of the Daodejing this week and exploring numbers 41-81, a recurring theme that stood out to me was the idea of opposites, which also goes back to the concept of yin and yang and all things being in balance in the universe. In number 41, it states “The bright path seems dim;… Continue reading Daodejing 41-81 Reflection

Two excerpts that I found very interesting are 17:15 and 17:17, which emphasize the importance of using the right words. In 17:15, Confucius explains that skillful speech and flattering expressions are only used by people who aren’t good. I think he means that people who talk a lot in order to flatter others do this… Continue reading Excerpts from Analects of Confucius