Transcript Ming Dynasty Worldviews Three men are standing around a vat of vinegar.

Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Three men are standing around a vat of
vinegar. Each one has dipped his finger into
the vinegar and has tasted it. The expression
on each man's face shows his individual
reaction. Since the painting is allegorical, we
are to understand that these are no ordinary
vinegar tasters, but are instead representatives
of the "Three Teachings" of China, and that
the vinegar they are sampling represents the
Essence of Life. The three masters are
Confucius, Buddha, and Lao Zi, author of the
oldest existing book of Taoism. The first has a
sour look on his face, the second wears a
bitter expression, but the third man is smiling.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
To Confucius, life seemed rather sour. He
believed that the present was out step with the
past, and that the government of man on earth
was out of harmony with the Way of Heaven,
the government of the universe. Therefore, he
emphasized reverence for the Ancestors, as well
as for the ancient rituals and ceremonies in
which the emperor, as the Son of Heaven, acted
as intermediary between limitless heaven and
limited earth. Under Confucianism, the use of
precisely measured court music, prescribed
steps, actions, and phrases all added up to an
extremely complex system of rituals, each used
for a particular purpose at a particular time. A
saying was recorded about Confucius: "If the
mat was not straight, the Master would not sit.”
Ritually reconfirmed commitment to
maintaining the just order was the primary
concern of Confucianists.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
To Buddha, the second figure in the
painting, life on earth was bitter, filled with
attachments and desires that led to suffering.
The world was seen as a setter of traps, a
generator of illusions, a revolving wheel of
pain for all creatures. In order to find peace,
the Buddhist considered it necessary to
transcend "the world of dust" and reach
Nirvana, literally a state of "no wind."
Although the essentially optimistic attitude
of the Chinese altered Buddhism
considerably after it was brought in from its
native India, the devout Buddhist often saw
the way to Nirvana interrupted all the same
by the bitter wind of everyday existence.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
To Lao Zi, the harmony that naturally
existed between heaven and earth from
the very beginning could be found by
anyone at any time, but not by
following the rules of the
Confucianists. As he stated in his Dao
De Jing, the "Tao Virtue Classic," earth
was in essence a reflection of heaven,
run by the same laws - not by the laws
of men. These laws affected not only
the spinning of distant planets, but the
activities of the birds in the forest and
the fish in the sea. According to Lao
Zi, the more man interfered with the
natural balance produced and governed
by the universal laws, the further away
the harmony retreated into the
distance.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
In the painting, why is Lao Zi smiling?
After all, the vinegar that represents life
must certainly have an unpleasant taste,
as the expressions on the faces of the
other two men indicate. But, through
working in harmony with life's
circumstances, Taoist understanding
changes what others may perceive as
negative into something positive. From
the Taoist point of view, sourness and
bitterness come from the interfering and
unappreciative mind. Life itself, when
understood and utilized for what it is, is
sweet. (http://www.edepot.com/taoism_3vinegar-tasters.html)
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
There are other versions of this
painting, but all symbolize the
same message: the Three Teachings
are three visions of the same life.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
The Japanese were quite familiar
with the Three Teachings, and
came up with their own parody
in 1821, the difference being that
the three tasters were feminized.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Ming Dynasty painting of Lao Zi, Buddha, and Confucius
(all lived in the 5th century B.C.E.)
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
The founding of the Ming Dynasty was in many ways the
product of "Three Teachings Syncretism." In Chinese, this
movement is often known as “san-jiao he-yi” or “san-jiao
yi-zhi.” The Ming founding emperor Tai Zu used
Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist symbols, institutions, and
rituals in order to heighten the dignity and prestige of his
throne. He was the grandson of a shaman, a fact which
sheds light on the origin of his deep fear of and respect for
all “shen” or "spirits." He initiated extensive Buddhist rites
at the Tai-ping Xiang-guo Chan Monastery on Jiang-shan
outside Nanjing on several occasions, and he ordered the
construction of a large Taoist temple in the city, the Shenyue Guan, which rivalled to some extent the great Buddhist
monasteries there. All of this was, of course, in addition to
the traditional Confucianist rituals.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Confucianism, the major system of thought in China,
developed from the teachings of Confucius and his disciples,
and is concerned with the principles of good conduct,
practical wisdom, and proper social relationships.
Confucianism has influenced the Chinese attitude toward life,
set the patterns of living and standards of social value, and
provided the background for Chinese political theories and
institutions.
It has spread from China to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam and
has aroused interest among Western scholars.
Confucianism aims to minimize conflict by turning to the
teachings of the ancient sages to find models for human
behaviour.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Laozi wanted people to be closer to nature. He wanted to get away
from the rules made by the government or society. To him, the
government was selfish and power-hungry. In his world, he would
have no rules. He would have people live simple and peaceful lives.
“They would find that their plain food is sweet, and that their simple
clothes fancy. They would have their war horses become plow horses.”
And their homes would then be happy places.
Tao (also written as Dao) means The Way (of Nature).
Taoists believe that if you look at life and think about things in the
right way, you'll be much happier. Daoism, which emerged at about
the same time as Confucianism, tended to appeal to the
underprivileged.
Taoism aims to minimize conflict and maintain stability by looking to
Nature to find models for human behaviour.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
The starting point and the final goal of Buddhist thought are the
same: how to achieve relief from suffering. The answer given by
the Buddha (who was not a god, but a mortal teacher like Confucius)
was essentially simple, easy to understand, but hard to practice:
Learn to control appetites, desires and attachments.
The Buddha taught his followers to seek balance in their lives. The
path to happiness is neither through indulgence nor denial, but a
”Middle Way."
Like Confucius, the Buddha was an oral teacher; he left no written
body of thought. His teachings were later codified by followers and
disciples.
Buddhism aims to minimize the suffering that is inevitable when
behaviour is guided by worldly desires.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
What holds the “Three Teachings” together?
“The Middle Way”
One of the “Four Books” of Confucianism is entitled “Zhong
Yong”, “The Middle Way”.
The essence of Taoism, “Doing without ado, with nothing left
undone” (wu wei er wu bu wei), in practice means “don’t overdo”,
which means “follow the Middle Way.”
The Buddha’s first topic in his first sermon after achieving
enlightenment, was “The Middle Way” -- not too much self-denial,
and not too much self-gratification.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Now let’s look at a few samples of the “Three Teachings”
mindset as found in a famous Ming Dynasty volume of
aphorisms, wise observations on life and living, written
by Hong Zicheng, better known as Hong Yingming, who
flourished in the late 16th century.
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Keep control of yourself,
as if you were Mount
Tai, then blame and fault
may pass you by.
Blossoms bloom and fall
in the stream, swept
away. Life is just like
this, so enjoy today.
(Confucian and Buddhist)
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Stand still, and observe
all moving things, don't
worry, just watch while
other people hurry. Only
then may you know the
joy transcendence brings.
When you're busy, know
how to feel at ease;
surrounded by clamour,
learn to be still.You may
live a good, long life once
you master this skill.
(Taoist and Buddhist)
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Understanding need not
come from far away.
Scarcity and abundance do
not amount to much. Fistsized rocks standing in a
shallow dish of water may
have all the force of mighty
mountains and rivers. Just a
few words from a sage, and
truth is shown, but this is a
realm only the very wise
have ever known.
(Essentially Confucianist)
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Only after being humbled
can we see the danger of
climbing high; only after
obscurity do we see the pain
the limelight brings.
Only in tranquility do we see
the stress of much ado. And
only in cultivated silence is
heard the clumsiness of the
spoken word.
(Buddhist and Taoist)
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
People know how to read
books with words, but not
without words. People
know how to play
instruments with strings,
but not without strings. If
you only know how to use
their formal aspect and
ignore the sublime, how
will you ever appreciate the
wonders of music and
books?
(Taoist and Buddhist)
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Without material
desires, the mind is like
the autumn sky and the
open sea. Just let me sit
down with good music
and a book, and I
become a sage in a
mountain hideaway.
(Buddhist and Confucian)
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Real emptiness is not really
empty. Clinging to images is not
reality, nor is abandoning them.
So, tell me please, what are we
to do? While you must exist in
this world, you may reach out
beyond. Indulging in desire is
painful, and abstention is
painful too. So cultivate what
strengths you have -- it's all up
to you.
(Zen/Chan Buddhist)
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Pine Tree and Water
The music of pine trees in the woods,
the babbling of stream water over the rocks,
in stillness, everything we hear at all
is truly Nature's call.
The haze that hovers above the grass,
the shadow of clouds upon the water -to watch these things in leisure is to behold
the greatest story ever told.
(essentially Taoist, looking to Nature for Truth)
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
“When the Canglang’s waters are clear,
I can wash my hat-strings in them;
When the Canglang’s waters are muddy,
I can wash my feet in them.”
(the song sung by a fisherman to Qu Yuan,
who was lamenting about being slandered by
unscrupulous colleagues and banished from
the imperial court: participate in society when
society is just (Confucian worldview); withdraw
from society when it is unjust (Taoist view).
A Buddhist would say “Take the Middle Way”
and don’t get too involved with either.)
Ming Dynasty Worldviews
Thank you for your attention!