Kim,+Sung+WooB2011

Current Events: 인육캡슐 (Human Flesh Capsule)

B Kim SungWoo Sean Unit III Ancient History

Go to the Essential Quotes of Taoism above and read through them. Be sure to note down answers to the following questions. (Be prepared to share your answers):

1. In //Lectures on the Tao Teh Ching//, Lao-Tzu says, that, "The mystery of the Mysterious is the gateway to all indescribable marvels". Does this quote have an equivalent to in Christianity? Are there other parts of the Tao Teh Ching that remind you of Christian ideals? To me, this quote seems a bit like the heven and hell idea from Christianity, more specifically the gateway to either of them. There are many parts of this small quote, but overall, the mystery can be referred to the Hell and Heaven concept in Christianity.

2. See Passage 2, "Not honoring men....Not wanting rare things...Not paying attention..." How are does this help one understand how Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism found common ground and were not mutually exclusive belief systems? The beginning part refers to the ideas of Confucianism, where they say "Not honoring men". It talks about how Confucianist people only respect the people with knowledge and education other than people without them. Then it leads to the idea of Buddhism as it says "Not wanting rare things" because the main idea of Buddhism is Nirvana and that tells people to let go of wanting things and just not pay attention to anything desirable. Lastly, it talks about Taoism as it says "Not paying attention". The main idea and philosophy of Taoism is simplicity and by not paying attention to minor prioritized items, you can sort of reach the whole Taoist idea.

3. In Passage 2, what do you think is meant by the lines, "relaxing the mind, reinforcing the abdomen, gentling the will, strengthening the bones"? This, as seen in Question 2, can also be broken in parts to see all three beliefs being mixed together. "Relaxing mind" shows me the idea of Taoism in how it always specifies the importance of Inner Peace. Then, "Reinforcing the abdomen" shows Confucianist ideas of stressfully improving one's mind to be successful. "Gentling the will" comes to me as some ideas from Buddhism. Buddhism specifies the importance to lose your desire for desirable things. To wrap all three up, "Strengthening the bones" means that these 3 are specifically for inner body and not for the exterior.

4. Consider the last three entries from D.C. Lau's //Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching//, Lao Tzu describes government. How is this ideal different from Confucius' ideal? What present day system of government are you reminded of when you read this section? Do you think this is a good system? Explain.


 * 1) Regarding the third treasure that Lao Tzu describes, what do you think is his message? Do you agree? What does this say about people who are ambitious?

1. Why does the author choose a butterfly? Butterfly goes through Metamorphosis, so this sort of shows that someone can go through a big sudden change. Also, butterfly can show the meaning of freedom. 2. What is the importance of the water cycle? Circle is a very important figure in many places. Cycle shows that what comes around goes around. It is sued in Won Buddhism, other Buddhism branches, etc. 3. What is the point about the 'man raising melons'? In the world, no one can expect what can happen to a man. The man raising melons was once a prince. This shows that not everything will go the way you want it. 4. What is the author attempting to convey to the reader? Change is very important and essential to everything.

__Tao of Pooh Questions:__ 1. What is the significance of the painting Hoff describes named The Vinegar Tasters? (2) This painting showed the Three Teachings of China on the Essence of Life. Three vinegars symbolizes Confucius (unhappy look), Lao-tse (smiling), and Buddha (not satisfied/bitter look).

2. What is the theme of life according to Hoff’s interpretation of Taoism? (5-6) Happiness is Hoff’s interpretation of Taoism. Happiness comes from living in a harmonious society.

3. How does Hoff explain the “uncarved block” metaphor? (10) This “Uncarved Block” shows the pure simplicity and the special powers it has. A carved block would be very fancy and decorative, but it is Uncarved showing it has not much details, but has its own special simple look. Pooh shows this in his character. He never goes through the time to actually think deeply about a topic and just think simple and easy.

4. What is the secret message of the “uncarved block?” (2 Thinking too deeply and sophisticatedly, won;t always help one, but thinking simply will get rid of the stress and help achieve an answer quite easily.

5. What was the main conflict between the Confucianists and Taoists according to Hoff? (24) Confucianist were thought of as an intruder and disturbing factor in Taoist studies. They were both educated, but they both did not understand each other.

6. Which of Milne’s characters represent Confucianists and Taoists according to Hoff? The rabbit and the owl are shown to be Confucianist because they had the thought in mind to study “Knowledge for the sake of knowledge”. Pooh, as I stated before, is known to be the Taoist character out of the book from the simple thinking mind.

7. What is Hoff’s opinion of Confucianist scholars? (26) Hoff sort of thinks of them as the group of people that are very limited in what they say. They try to talk in a very sophisticated way in order to cover up and not distribute their ideas throughly. Also, the way he talks shows me that he thinks that Confucianists are very limited in what they think as well. they only depend on knowledge, and nothing more.

8. What does Hoff say about knowledge vs. experience? (29) He states than they are definitely not similar items to consider. Having knowledge doesn’t mean much more than having experience. Knowledge may come from a certain experience one went through.

9. What do most scholars blame for problems in the world? Why isn’t it justified? (32) Many scholars blame the “Uncovered block that represented the pure simplicity. It is not fully justified because there are some excuses to be taken by the scholars, but no one does.

10. What is the difference between “cleverness” and “Inner Nature?” (38) Cleverness is the word I would describe to have a certain limit, but inner nature is something that is not clearly describable.

11. Why is it important to discern your own Inner Nature? (41) By discerning your own Inner Nature, you are able to see if that Inner Nature is correct or not.

12. Explain Hoff’s interpretation of the Chinese quote: “One disease, long life; No disease, short life.” (48) So, it basically means that those who know that something is wrong with them and know how take care of themselves would be able to live a longer than those who consider themselves to be happy and that it is alright to neglect their weakness.

13. What does Hoff mean when he states that we must learn to “work with Things As They Are?” (50) It means that we should try to not use science and other ways to answer questions and raise more questions but rather try not to be meddlesome and let the answers come naturally with no combative actions involved.

14. What happens to people who do not listen to their Inner Nature? (57) They will not be able to reach the level of Wu Wei but instead have difficulties with working out things as things get in their ways by trying so hard.

15. What is the Way of Self-Reliance? (57-8) It is the way to know that one can lead oneself to believe in oneself. Believe in thyself.

16. How can we change ourselves effectively through the principles of Taoism? (58) We can open our Inner Nature and be opened with the natural flow of everything. We must not try to try hard or force to solve questions but rather let the answer flow like rivers and naturally come to oneself through self-reliance.

17. What is the Wu Wei or “The Pooh Way” according to Hoff? (67-8)

18. It is the way to live the life like a flowing water. The water flows around the rocks (obstacles or question that we want to answer). This shows how the Wu Wei is to learn to work with our Inner Nature and let the natural laws to operate around us.

19. How does the quote, “Tao does not do, but nothing is not done,” explain Wu Wei or “The Pooh Way?” (70) It shows how the Wu Wei is done by saying that Tao does not force or try to oppose the natural things that operate around us. However, that does not mean that nothing is done because nature always flow and it does something all the time.

20. How does Tai Chi reflect Wu Wei or Taoism as a martial art? (87-8) Wu Wei or Taoism is reflected as more than a simple mean of defense but as a gateway to the spiritual world.

21. Are you a Bisy Backson? (94) I guess I am because it means the Western people who think in their own philosophies and as a Christian, I suspect that Taoism would see me as one of them.

22. What is the Bisy Backson view of American history according to Hoff? (103-104) They see the history as the period with no peace. Since there were many wars and conflicts, it is considered as a time of chaos.

22. How does the Bisy Backson waste time by trying to save it? (108-109) The Bisy Backson society appears to be wasting time by not changing themselves but trying to interfere and change others. They also try to change their youthful looks through plastic surgery as well as cosmetics to try and stay youthful, or destroy it as it is mentioned in the book. Therefore, they are trying to save time but instead they waste time trying. (They waste their time dying instead of living).

23. What is the Youthful Immortal? (108-9) Individuals who have discovered the Secrets of Life at a young age.

24. What makes us happy in life the goals or the process we go through to reach the goals? Why? (111) Both make us happy in life. The goals cause us to go through the process we go through to reach them in our Life, therefore making us happy because it would be rewarding in the end. Goals just itself will not make us happy because there’s not much to it except the accomplished goals while together the process and the goals (time and goals), makes it worthwhile spending our time. The goal must be beneficial and right for us to create a beneficial process.

25. What is the significance of The Stonecutter? (118-9) The significance of The Stoncutter, as stated later on page 120 is that we need to believe in the power that is within us. We need to stop imitating and competing against others, and soon enough it will begin to work for us. Only “time and patience” will tell. If the Stonecutter believed that he could be a good Stonecutter, he will do well and will not need to envy the officials or rich merchants. In the end, he ended up as a stone and the person chiseling the stone was the Stonecutter.

26. Explain the significance of the following line from the Tao Te Ching: “From caring comes courage.” (128) From caring and loving comes courage or the will to do something for someone. Knowledge does not play a key role in this statement, but wisdom does. If one is wise and knowing of what to do in the following sense, then they will have the courage to put their wisdom to use and care for those around them. If we cared for our parents, then we will have the courage to step up and fight for them.

27. Where does one find Wisdom, Happiness and Courage? (137) One finds Wisdom, Happiness, and Courage in themselves. It is part of a continuous cycle. They begin their journey to be wise, to be happy by being appreciative of who they are and what they have, and to care and have courage. In the end, it is their life where they will find Wisdom, Happiness, and Courage being created and not waiting.

28. What is the “Great Nothing?” (143) The Great Nothing is Nothing that is something. As indicated on page 143, the Taoists are trying to unlock the secrets of wisdom, happiness, and truth but there is nothing. And that Nothing is significant because it means something and shows us that we do not need to try so hard or find something to show that we are wise, happy, and truth. It is all within us. Something is indeed Nothing, because in the end if we try to be happy desperately in life, then we will be discontented with the results.

29. Why is an “Empty sort of mind” so valuable according to Taoism? (146-7) An empty sort of mind provides clear vision to all aspects of life, where as an overstuffed mind will only narrow down and go beyond what is important. Therefore, it is valuable to have an empty mind to take in what is around you and to not analyze so deeply past what is important or simple in the case of their example used of a bird singing. Enjoy the bird’s song, do not focus on what it is singing or else you won’t hear it.

30. Interpret the following quote: “To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.” (148-9) To keep knowledge, you can read books and add what you want to know to your mind. You can know Geometry, you can know Asian studies. To keep and gain wisdom, remove what is unimportant to you in life to create a clear mind that is relaxed and not stressed.

31. Why is the child the highest stage of development? (151) The child’s mind is filled with the Great Nothing and the Way of the Universe. They are what is already there and who they are. The child is happy and enjoys what is around us, but is aware of what is around them. They do not clutter their minds with useless knowledge or over think. They accept who they are, they enjoy what they have, and they are wise.

32. Why may knowledge and cleverness destroy life as we know it? (154) Knowledge creates people who think too much but care too little. Cleverness disconnects the individual from reality from finding ways to avoid situations through a certain way (That person is clever!). Those who are caring to a certain extent and are wise will not destroy life, but make it better and benefit from it. Knowledge and cleverness will cause conflict and destroy life because people will search for things that cannot be sean with an over-stuffed mind. Wisdom and a clear-mind will show them the way, and that way will lead to the answer with the Great Nothing.

__Confucius says:__

1. What qualities of Confucius do you think might have made him a good teacher? Do you think he would still be considered a good teacher if he were alive today in our own society? Why or why not?

Answer: Confucius was wise and understanding of the world. These qualities made him a good teacher through allowing him to express his ideas based off of what he has been through. Confucius grew up with no father and was rather poor, but he was given good education throughout his life. He became wise about how the world functioned through his own life as well as his surroundings during the time that China was growing apart. With the knowledge of how society was working and his own personal experience by rising up from the poor, he became a good teacher with his teachings and scripts.

Confucius would probably still be considered a good teacher if he was alive today in society to a certain point. In Korea, respecting your elder brother, your father, and your elders is important. The idea of women being inferior to men will not go down as easily as it did in the past. Therefore, Confucius would still be a good teacher with his wise sayings and important ideas on relationships but would not always be agreed with based off his old conservative ways of superior and inferiors.

2. What qualities do you think Confucius would look for in an educated person?

Confucius thinks following men are educated... The one who acts before he says it. The one who thinks and learns. The one who can tell what one knows and does not know. The one who lives a day fully. The one who values righteousness rather than profit. The one who treats others as he wants to be treated. The one who is modest and seeks for knowledge. The one who does not rank people in education. The one who sees clearly. The one who hears distinctly. The one who expresses warmly. The one who looks respectful. The one who speaks sincerely. The one who takes relationship seriously. The one who asks questions when he has doubts. The one who knows how to control anger.

3. How do you think Confucius saw his own role?

//Confucius said, "I transmit but do not create. I believe in and love the ancients. I venture to compare myself to our old P'eng (an official of the Shang dynasty, 1766-1122 B.C., who loved to recite old stories)." (Quote 10)//

This throughly tells us a message that Confucius is not actually wanting to force people to follow his ways. The name Confucianism wasn’t actually made by Confucius himself, but others following after him named it as so. This shows that he wasn’t actually trying to make his ideas into a philosophy, but into what people should know to make a harmonious and peaceful society.

__Confucius response:__

__Notes of Confucius and Confucianism:__

__Reading questions:__ Comparison Chart is not done 0/5

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Religion and philosophy is similar in the way that it was made to not persuade people, but it is persuasive. It tries to get many people to believe in it.

We should know and understand many of philosophy and religion in order to open the gateway to a more global society. In order to live in a multi-cultural and global society, we need to understand other people's minds in order to understand some of their actions.