Author: bmangum

In a letter from Feng Yen to his brother-in-law, Feng Yan explains to his brother-in-law why he must divorce his wife. Feng asserts, “According to the rules of society that have been set down by the sages, a gentleman should have a primary wife and a concubine as well.” Feng then explains that since his… Continue reading Letter from Feng Yen to his Brother-in-law Reflection

The story “Mencius’ Mother,” recounts Mencius’ upbringing and brings up several important aspects of raising children in China. One recurring idea I noticed throughout the story is that Mencius’ mother is very careful about the environment that her son is raised in. For example, at the beginning of the story, when Mencius is very little,… Continue reading Mencius’ Mother Reflection

In Ha Jin’s short story “Alive,” a businessman, husband, and father named Tong Guhan husband is attempting to search for a job for his daughter and an apartment for his son. Tong is also up for the position of Vice Director of the cannery and one morning, he takes a train trip from Muji City… Continue reading Ha Jin’s “Alive” Reflection

As we circled back to Daoism this week and after discussing the excerpts from Chuang Tzu in class, I found it interesting that Tzu recognized that we have both a limited lifespan, but also that knowledge is not limited and people can continue learning throughout their lifetime. However, because we have limited minds and lives,… Continue reading Excerpts from Chuang Tzu Reflection

Ha Jin’s “Flame” explores the story of a couple, Nimei and Hsu, who were once in love; however, their ill-fated relationship soon becomes full of revenge and Hsu seeks revenge on Nimei. Early on in the short story, things are going well in their relationship and the couple meets each other in secret. But then,… Continue reading Ha Jin “Flame” Reflection

Hsun Tzu’s “Man’s Nature is Evil” essentially states that “man’s nature is evil and goodness is the result of conscious activity.” One line I found interesting within the first page is the idea that because man is born with evil, hatred, and envy, and if this leads him toward violence and crime, “all sense of… Continue reading “Man’s Nature is Evil” Reflection

One of the assigned readings for this week, Han Fei Tzu’s “Eminence in Learning,” discusses the idea that although both Mo Tzu and Confucius followed the teachings of Yao and Shun, their doctrines and practices differ greatly. For example, for funerals, Confucians state that mourning garments must be worn for three years as a symbol… Continue reading “Wisdom of Confucius” and “Eminence in Learning” Reflection

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

In previous world history courses we had touched upon The Great Learning and of Confucianism, but I enjoyed learning more about this concept and going more in-depth. I found it interesting to note that The Great Learning, although they closely represent the views and ideas of Confucius and attributed to him, they were not actually… Continue reading The Great Learning Reflection

In preparation for class this week, I found reading through the excerpts from Analects of Confucius to be very interesting, and I thought referencing the translation by A. Charles Muller to be especially helpful in making sense of some of these teachings. The concept of ren, in terms of Confucian thought, was something I was… Continue reading Analects of Confucius Reflection