Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Confucius Ideology and Mao Zedong
After taking power, Mao, consider traditional Chinese value, such as Confucius Ideology, as a threat to his power and need to introduce new ideas into China, to replace the existing values, to secure his power. For example, the people of China work with international community, to overthrow Mao is a threat to Communism, but if the people of China hate people of other race, culture and heritage, they won't unit with the international community. China have over 50 ethnic groups. If people of different ethnic group hate each other, they will be to busy fighting each other, than to unite against the Communist. But Confucius ideology teach people to unite with the masses and not to create little circles to conspire against other.
After taking control of China, the Communist first created the cult of Mao, students must study Mao ideology in school and literally prey to Mao three times a day. After taking control of China, Mao initiate a series of Communist policies, such as the Great Leap forward, which is a complete economic disaster and people throughout China was starving to death, there was even those who eat the dead, because there are nothing to eat or even people murdering others, to eat. Amount the majority of Chinese who are not willing to become a cannibals, there was cases where people eat sand or eat wood, to stop the hunger and later died from it. Seen the obvious failure to Communist economy, there are many people, even amount party members, calling for reforms. To secure his power, in 1966, Mao call for the youth that are taught to believe Mao is a living god and let Mao's will be done, to become the red guards and initiate his cultural revolution. The culture revolution began with the following statement.
Decision concerns the great proletarian Cultural Revolution pass on 8 August 1966 by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. a new stage in the socialist revolution, The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution now unfolding is a great revolution that touches people's soul, a new stage in the development of the socialist revolution in our country, a stage which is both broader and deeper. At the tenth Plenary Session of the Eights Central Committee of the party Comrade Mao Zedong said "to overthrow a political power, it is always necessary first of all to create public opinion, to do work in the ideological sphere. This is true for the revolutionary class as well as for the counter revolutionary class. this thesis of Comrade Mao Zedong has been proved entirely correct in practice. Although the bourgeoisie has been overthrown it is still trying to use the old ideas, culture, customs and habits of the exploiting classes to corrupt the masses, capture their minds and endeavor to stage a comeback. The proletariat must do the exact opposite. It must meet head on every challenge of the bourgeoisie in the ideological field and use the new ideas, culture, customs and habits of the proletariat to change the mental outlook of the whole of society. At present, our objective is to struggle against and overthrow those persons in authority, who are taking the capitalist road, to criticize and repudiate the reactionary bourgeois academic authorities and the ideology of the bourgeoisie and all other exploiting classes.
Throughout China, Mao's Red guards, attack anything and anybody that is a threat to Mao's power, Speeches that contradiction Mao, especially Buddhism ideology, Confucius ideology and pro multicultural ideology was considered as an enemy of the state.
According to James Price Dillard and Michael Pfau there is a type of brainwashing technique call "Response Shaping Process", the idea is to persuade people to a point of view, under a circumstances where they have little or no understanding towards a situation. It is especially effective amount children, because they have no real understanding towards anything. According to Psychologist Philip C. McGraw, the reason Response Shaping Process can be so effective, is because when people have little or no understanding towards a situation, they can be easily be persuaded to a distorted point of view, because they don't have the necessary fact to contradict what they are been persuaded to believe in. As a result, Mao had over 11 million red guards. As a result, the red guards successfully penetrated every part and every aspect of China's society, everything or person that is blasphemy to Mao, is either suppressed, destroyed or executed. The Red Guards become a dominant agent that police all aspect of China's society, as if they are the religious police of the cult of Mao. The red guards, also destroy things that is of foreign symbol, for example they killed white people, destroyed Christian symbols and raided and destroyed the British embassy. The Red Guards also executed, Communist Party member that contradict Mao. The Cultural Revolution only end in 1976, by that stage, million of people have died.
The influence of Mao's work, can be seen in many part and aspect of modern China. Modern China is full of Chinese people who hate those who are of different race, culture and heritage, because they grew up with the Communist education. For example, A few years ago, a black Chinese girl with a Chinese mother and an African father went on national TV, for a show similar to American Idol and spark a wide debate about race, with angry racists, telling her to get out of China, due to her race and in response anti racist, backing her up. China include at least 50 different ethnic groups, with many different culture, heritage, religion and even racial background. But prior to the Communist rule era, everybody live in peace and harmony with each other and don't create us vs them relationship, base on their race, culture, heritage, religion or ethnic, but unite against threats to the peace and freedom of the people of their nation, both foreign and domestic. After the Cultural Revolution follow by years of Communist rule and brainwashing, today, that have all changed and modern China, frequently have tension problem, due to people creating an us vs them relationship based on racial, culture, religion, heritage and ethnic difference. On YouTube, they even call people from Taiwan, free from Communist rule, as traitor to their own people, for refusing to unite with people of their same ethnic and heritage, against others. If you can read Chinese, then if you read the comments on youtube comment section, you realized, some young Chinese today, believe the traditional value of China, have always been to create us vs them relationship, due to the different ethnicity, because this is the only world, they know of. Some agree with this view, while others, think this is what is wrong with China and China need to change. These people credit the Communist party, for pulling people of all ethnic in China together, through their policy of giving indigenous Chinese ethnic minority benefits, in exchange for them willing to unite with the masses, in a culture, where people hate each other, due to their racial, cultural, heritage, religion and ethnic differences.
In modern 21st century China, Confucius ideology have now become legal, however, it frequently come with great restraint and sometime even portray a distorted version of Confucius ideology. One of the examples is the Confucius Institution created by the Communist China government. The Chinese communist government, created many institution of such, in partnership with universities around the world, saying they want to promote Chinese culture to the rest of the world. However, after a while, it become increasingly clear, the Communist frequently, limit what aspect of Chinese traditional culture can be express through these institution, traditional Chinese value, that is a threat to the Communist, including aspects of Confucian Ideology, are been censored. They also use their authorities within these institutions, to limit the type of people that is allow to teach in it, for example Tibetan monks and people who practice Falun gong, are not allow to teach here. All teachers of these institution must be approve by the Communist party representative here. The study materials of the institution, must be created and approved by the Chinese Communist party. The schools are not allow to conduct academic studies in regards to, how to deal with certain modern political and social issues, using Confucius philosophy. In addition, the syllabus frequently put Communist ideologies, into its teaching. This have resulted in a situation, where more and more university, which partner with the Chinese government, choosing to close down the Confucius Institute, in their school. Many Asian and western experts condemn these school, of not been a real representative of Confucius ideology and Chinese culture, due to the Communist control, some even criticized it for been an instrument, to spread Communist propaganda. The Chinese Communist Party accuse the closing of this school to be due to western racism to China. But many Asian scholars, state, universities, should be institutions that allow people the freedom to pursued all knowledge, thus, the western university's action, is appropriate.
After taking control of China, the Communist first created the cult of Mao, students must study Mao ideology in school and literally prey to Mao three times a day. After taking control of China, Mao initiate a series of Communist policies, such as the Great Leap forward, which is a complete economic disaster and people throughout China was starving to death, there was even those who eat the dead, because there are nothing to eat or even people murdering others, to eat. Amount the majority of Chinese who are not willing to become a cannibals, there was cases where people eat sand or eat wood, to stop the hunger and later died from it. Seen the obvious failure to Communist economy, there are many people, even amount party members, calling for reforms. To secure his power, in 1966, Mao call for the youth that are taught to believe Mao is a living god and let Mao's will be done, to become the red guards and initiate his cultural revolution. The culture revolution began with the following statement.
Decision concerns the great proletarian Cultural Revolution pass on 8 August 1966 by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. a new stage in the socialist revolution, The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution now unfolding is a great revolution that touches people's soul, a new stage in the development of the socialist revolution in our country, a stage which is both broader and deeper. At the tenth Plenary Session of the Eights Central Committee of the party Comrade Mao Zedong said "to overthrow a political power, it is always necessary first of all to create public opinion, to do work in the ideological sphere. This is true for the revolutionary class as well as for the counter revolutionary class. this thesis of Comrade Mao Zedong has been proved entirely correct in practice. Although the bourgeoisie has been overthrown it is still trying to use the old ideas, culture, customs and habits of the exploiting classes to corrupt the masses, capture their minds and endeavor to stage a comeback. The proletariat must do the exact opposite. It must meet head on every challenge of the bourgeoisie in the ideological field and use the new ideas, culture, customs and habits of the proletariat to change the mental outlook of the whole of society. At present, our objective is to struggle against and overthrow those persons in authority, who are taking the capitalist road, to criticize and repudiate the reactionary bourgeois academic authorities and the ideology of the bourgeoisie and all other exploiting classes.
Throughout China, Mao's Red guards, attack anything and anybody that is a threat to Mao's power, Speeches that contradiction Mao, especially Buddhism ideology, Confucius ideology and pro multicultural ideology was considered as an enemy of the state.
According to James Price Dillard and Michael Pfau there is a type of brainwashing technique call "Response Shaping Process", the idea is to persuade people to a point of view, under a circumstances where they have little or no understanding towards a situation. It is especially effective amount children, because they have no real understanding towards anything. According to Psychologist Philip C. McGraw, the reason Response Shaping Process can be so effective, is because when people have little or no understanding towards a situation, they can be easily be persuaded to a distorted point of view, because they don't have the necessary fact to contradict what they are been persuaded to believe in. As a result, Mao had over 11 million red guards. As a result, the red guards successfully penetrated every part and every aspect of China's society, everything or person that is blasphemy to Mao, is either suppressed, destroyed or executed. The Red Guards become a dominant agent that police all aspect of China's society, as if they are the religious police of the cult of Mao. The red guards, also destroy things that is of foreign symbol, for example they killed white people, destroyed Christian symbols and raided and destroyed the British embassy. The Red Guards also executed, Communist Party member that contradict Mao. The Cultural Revolution only end in 1976, by that stage, million of people have died.
The influence of Mao's work, can be seen in many part and aspect of modern China. Modern China is full of Chinese people who hate those who are of different race, culture and heritage, because they grew up with the Communist education. For example, A few years ago, a black Chinese girl with a Chinese mother and an African father went on national TV, for a show similar to American Idol and spark a wide debate about race, with angry racists, telling her to get out of China, due to her race and in response anti racist, backing her up. China include at least 50 different ethnic groups, with many different culture, heritage, religion and even racial background. But prior to the Communist rule era, everybody live in peace and harmony with each other and don't create us vs them relationship, base on their race, culture, heritage, religion or ethnic, but unite against threats to the peace and freedom of the people of their nation, both foreign and domestic. After the Cultural Revolution follow by years of Communist rule and brainwashing, today, that have all changed and modern China, frequently have tension problem, due to people creating an us vs them relationship based on racial, culture, religion, heritage and ethnic difference. On YouTube, they even call people from Taiwan, free from Communist rule, as traitor to their own people, for refusing to unite with people of their same ethnic and heritage, against others. If you can read Chinese, then if you read the comments on youtube comment section, you realized, some young Chinese today, believe the traditional value of China, have always been to create us vs them relationship, due to the different ethnicity, because this is the only world, they know of. Some agree with this view, while others, think this is what is wrong with China and China need to change. These people credit the Communist party, for pulling people of all ethnic in China together, through their policy of giving indigenous Chinese ethnic minority benefits, in exchange for them willing to unite with the masses, in a culture, where people hate each other, due to their racial, cultural, heritage, religion and ethnic differences.
In modern 21st century China, Confucius ideology have now become legal, however, it frequently come with great restraint and sometime even portray a distorted version of Confucius ideology. One of the examples is the Confucius Institution created by the Communist China government. The Chinese communist government, created many institution of such, in partnership with universities around the world, saying they want to promote Chinese culture to the rest of the world. However, after a while, it become increasingly clear, the Communist frequently, limit what aspect of Chinese traditional culture can be express through these institution, traditional Chinese value, that is a threat to the Communist, including aspects of Confucian Ideology, are been censored. They also use their authorities within these institutions, to limit the type of people that is allow to teach in it, for example Tibetan monks and people who practice Falun gong, are not allow to teach here. All teachers of these institution must be approve by the Communist party representative here. The study materials of the institution, must be created and approved by the Chinese Communist party. The schools are not allow to conduct academic studies in regards to, how to deal with certain modern political and social issues, using Confucius philosophy. In addition, the syllabus frequently put Communist ideologies, into its teaching. This have resulted in a situation, where more and more university, which partner with the Chinese government, choosing to close down the Confucius Institute, in their school. Many Asian and western experts condemn these school, of not been a real representative of Confucius ideology and Chinese culture, due to the Communist control, some even criticized it for been an instrument, to spread Communist propaganda. The Chinese Communist Party accuse the closing of this school to be due to western racism to China. But many Asian scholars, state, universities, should be institutions that allow people the freedom to pursued all knowledge, thus, the western university's action, is appropriate.
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Reference
美國之音中文網 23rd/Jan/2015 焦點對話：孔子學院連遭關閉誰之過? viewed 18/Dec/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWq6v71dGwE
NorthernControversy 10/Apr/2014 Chairman Mao Documentary – The Cultral Revolution – Destruction of China viewed 18/Dec/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXMMzL5THPk
…"of INTEREST"!? Viewed 19/Feb/2013 Mao's Bloody Revolution Revealed; Hosted by Philip Short, BBC
– www.ofINTEREST.net viewed 18/Dec/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v3EjxieKgvWY
Juiweiang2000 31/Jan/2014 文化大革命是這樣開始的 CCP declares the cultural revolution viewed 18/Dec/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQfX3idm-Ng
Person1204 25/Dec/2009 中籍黑人女孩在中國飽受種族˙岐視 viewed 18/Dec/2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyCRDwZSrfE
Dillar J & Pfau M 2002 The Persuasion Handbook Sage Publication
Philip C. McGraw 2001 Self MattersSimon & Schuster Source New York
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Confucius and the Age of Enlightenment
Confucius and the Age of Enlightenment
While many westerns think Asia have no influence on the west. According to a paper published in Columbia University by Dr. Derk Bodde argue, Confucius and Chinese influence, is solely responsible for the initiation of the Age of Enlightenment, which bring about modern western values, modern western political and economic system and modern western civil service exam system and without it, the west would still be in the dark and middle ages and provided many evidence that support the argument.
After the fall of Roman Empire, China gradually become a myth in Europe, till Europeans ships arrived to China in the 17 century. However, prior to the fall of Rome, trade between China, Rome, Persia, Egypt and India was very frequent, using the silk road and people migrate back and forward between these places frequently, some even became social elites. For example, the second Emperor of China's Tang dynasty, his mother is a white western woman. After Europe fall to dark ages, such exchange between Egypt, India, Persia and China, continue and was just as frequent. Even after the Ottoman Empire decide they won't let foreign state conduct direct trade through their nation, thus, people can't trade via the silk road, anymore, the Chinese, Indian and Arab traders, just simply create a new trade route that connect them via water and keep on trading and while at it also create a new route to trade with East Africa, after helping them to establish city states, along their ports and adding South Asia nations into the trade route. Despite been a myth, Chinese goods such as magnetic compass was still been sold into dark ages Europe, after Chinese ships reached Arab ports. They drew the Christian cross onto the compass been sold to Europe, because originally many Europeans thought the compass is made by Satan, because they don't understand the science and during the early day, Europeans kill people using compass, thinking they associate with the devil. Also, despite China was a myth to dark ages Europe, Europeans was still migrating to China, through the established trade route. White European girls was even been preferred by Chinese elite, because they find white European girls been liberated from the church, after coming to Asia, to be more exotic and erotic. For example China's Emperor Zehngde who lived between late 15th to early 16th century, is well known to have a thing for white girls and took a lot of European girls as his concubine. Emperor Xuanzong's who lived during the 7th and 8th century, his second favor concubine, is also a white European woman name Anna. Their daughter was known as Princess Shouan. It can be argue, although China is a myth to dark ages Europe, Europe most likely is no stranger to dark ages China, but then Chinese are simply not interest in going there, probably because how Europe was, during that time. However, since the dark ages, Chinese ideology was never been spread to the west, until the 17th century and if any was been spread to the west during the Roman era, it would have been lost, just like how all other knowledge that contradict the church, was lost to Europe.
According to Dr. Bodde, Chinese influence on the west, first began in the 17th century, when Europeans ships first reached China. The Catholic Church also sent many Catholic priests to serve as missionaries, to convert Chinese to be Catholics. However, after arriving in China, many priests was shocked by the technological level of China, which was centuries ahead of Europe and after spending over 1000 years in dark ages, the 1st world economy of China, amazed the priests. Many of these priests later converted to Confucianism and try promote Eastern values to the west. Because priests been send to China are usually highly educated, they also earn the respect of the Chinese and some was even been given position in the than Chinese government. Many of these priests first tried introducing Chinese ideology to the west, by writing books to be published in the west. Some of these books include, "Confucius, the Philosopher of the Chinese (1687)", "the Description of China (1735)" in four volumes, "the long series of Edifying and Curious Letters" in 34 volumes, "the General History of China in 13 volumes (1777-85)" and "the lengthy Memoirs on the History, Sciences, Arts, etc., of the Chinese", in 16 volumes (1776-1814). These writing gave the west for the first time an accurate view of China.
The coming of Confucius ideology, come in an era of Renaissance where people of the west become more fascinated with their pre Christian era roots, in the Roman and Greek era and started to question established system, of the then modern west, dominated by feudal society, "King is god's given right" and the great power and influence of the church. The coming of Confucius ideology gave many then Europeans educated who ask these questions answer. Many of these educated become the first western Confucius followers, including German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), Christian Wolff (1679-1754), US founding fathers including Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. These western Confucius followers become the people who initiated the push for the Age of Enlightenment. Their ideas are frequently based on Confucius' teaching and other existing Eastern values. According to Bodde, the father of the Age of Enlightenment is Frenchman, Voltaire (1694- 1778), who is also a follower of Confucius. In 1697 Voltarie wrote in his book "Novissima Sinica" "I almost think it necessary that Chinese missionaries should be sent to us to teach the aims and practice of natural theology, as we send missionaries to them to instruct them in revealed religion."
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| Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz |
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| Benjamin Franklin |
.jpg/220px-Official_Presidential_portrait_of_Thomas_Jefferson_(by_Rembrandt_Peale%2C_1800).jpg) |
| Thomas Jefferson |
The push to initiate the Age of Enlightenment was in fact a dangerous process, during its time. Confucius ideology frequently contradicts the teaching of the bible. For example Confucius ideology teach the principle of politeness, is determine base on, whether you cause disturbance to peace and harmony. Thus, even if a person act in a manner that is a sin or not moral, if he/she didn't disturb peace and harmony, he did nothing contradict politeness. Thus base on this principle, Confucius preach tolerance to those who are not moral and those who are sinners. This have great similarity to modern western liberal value of a person should have the freedom to do anything he wants, if he doesn't affect another's freedom and to show tolerance to the behavior of others, if they don't violate such principle. However, such ideas greatly contradict the teaching of the bible, for example the bible said
And
If there is found among you, within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant, and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have forbidden, and it is told you and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently, and if it is true and certain that such an abomination has been done in Israel, then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you shall stone that man or woman to death with stones. (Deuteronomy 17:2~5)
As a result, the ideas these 17th century western Confucius followers, are pushing for, within the Age of Enlightenment, their idea was frequently been seen as dangerous and evolutionary, by the established authorities and it is true, some was even been persecuted for their beliefs. For example, Christian Wolff suffered persecution because in a lecture he gave in University of Halle in 1721, he praised Chinese system for successfully harmonizing individual happiness with state's welfare and praise Confucius way of life and it have no real conflict with Christianity. He was been accused for atheism by the then authority and force to resign his position in the university.
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| Christian Wolff |
Another reason why so many 17th century western educated are seduced to become a Confucius follower, is because, despite been totally independent of Christ, China demonstrate significant greater peace, harmony, liberation, advancement in knowledge and technology and prosperity, then the west. A first world economy, is unknown to dark and middle ages Europeans, even today, there are many westerners finding it hard to image a first world economy, in pre-industrial revolution era. Also, despite also been ruled by an absolute King, the Emperor of China doesn't practice the concept of "Divine right of the King" instead, he exercise his power with great restraint, by focusing on ruling for the people, much like a modern President.
This is despite the fact, till date many modern western church still preach the belief that life can only be of maximum benefit, by following of the Christian doctrine, without it, a society would fall. For example, the bible wrote
And
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. (John 1:7)
And
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for
many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every
spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that
does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was
coming and now is in the world already. (John 4:1~3)
Yet in China, these educated see evidence that not only contradict such Christian teaching, but reverse it completely.
In 1755 Voltaire, the father of the Age of Enlightenment, produce the play "the Chinese orphan" set in 13th century China. During Voltaire's time, Rousseau wanted people to return to nature movement, arguing that science, arts and human institutions are harmful, by corrupting the goodness of human nature. In his play Voltaire show, how China, through been a society of human arts and culture is able to pushed the Mongols out of China. However, such action of Voltaire is also a risky move in than Europe, because it is a sin in Christianity, because the bible wrote
The person who acts arrogantly, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there serving
the Lord your God or to the judge, must die. You must purge the evil from Israel. Then all the
people will hear about it, be afraid, and no longer behave arrogantly. (Deuteronomy 17:12~13)
And
If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of
God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his son (John 5:9~10)
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| Voltaire |
Yet, as we know today, many truth we learn through science, art and human institution, contradict the teaching of the bible and such bible teaching, we now know for certain to be false. Voltaire died eleven years before the French revolution.
The influence of Confucius ideology is also responsible for the revival of democracy and separating the church from school in the west and it also have an influence on modern western economic theories, through a group of French politicians and economics known as Physiocrats. The Physiocrats are also followers of Confucius their leader is Francis Quesnay, of the French royal court.
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| François Quesnay |
Another thing that the Physiocrats also pushed for is to separate education and the church and make it universal arguing this is the only way to bring forward the true talent of a nation, to be trained for benefiting the nation.
Economically Physiocrats introduce the idea of "nature order". It believes all of a nation's wealth comes from the land, through agriculture, mining and lumbering. Manufacturing and trade are secondary. Therefore the state should encourage industry such as agriculture, mining and lumbering and not care about manufacturing and trade.
Physiocrats' idea is completely the same as those system been established in East Asia and those been spoken by Confucius, except for in one aspect of economic, China do have concern in manufacturing and trade and is sometime a highly regulated industry. In Taiwan for example, this remain the case, till date, where the oil price is regulated by the government, to prevent oil company from rising the price too high and there are rules, in regards to selling industrial goods to overseas, some of the nation's most high tech technology cannot be sold overseas, while some others, can only be sold to certain nations. There was a time where price of renting farmland was also regulated by the government, to prevent landlord for raising the rent so high, that farmer would struggle to pay their rent. And currently, to deal with the continue rise of house prices and more and more young people can't afford to buy a home as a result, a new law is been put in place, that after purchasing a set number of property, if you purchase more, there would be dramatic increase in property ownership tax for such person. We also seem to be seen some modern western nations, doing the same. For example, most modern western nations outlaw the trade of drugs that can lead a person to cause serious harm to self and others and further discourage the trade, by making the consumption of such substance, without doctor prescription, illegal. In some nations, even doctors are not allowed to prescribe it. According to Bodde the most significant evidence is within Quesnay's book "The Despotism of China" which he wrote in 1767, where he presents his doctrine in Physioctrats. The first seven chapter is a studying of the political and economy of China and then in chapter eight draw his own theories, from the system been used in China.
Another influence of Confucius upon the west, is the creation of the civil service examination system, which exist in many modern western nations, a system where a person applying to become a public servant must passed a test, to prove they are the right person for the job. The civil service examination system, was first been established in China in 581AD~605AD, by Emperor Wen of the Sui dynasty, inspire by Confucius idea of promoting the best person to the right post and to established the best human resource system possible to achieve that goal. It become the standard way to appoint government officials between 690AC~705AC, by Empress Wu Zetian, the only female Emperor in China's history.
The civil service examination system was been established in France in 1791, but soon seized, but was later re-established in 1840. In the US the civil service examination system was established in 1883, because during the first one hundred year of US' history, the civil service was extremely corrupt. The British civil service examination system is established in 1855. However, by the time, civil service examination system was been established in the US and UK, it was already in the 19th century, it was an era, where, firstly, the west, is no longer in need of Asia influence to modernized from the horror of dark and middle ages and secondly, due to the Manchurian Empire who rule Taiwan, Manchuria, China, Mongolia, Tibet and Xian Jiang, since the 18th century's ill policy to secure their power, which is to centralized all power to the executive branch of the government, operated by the Emperor, the entire Empire include China, saw complete collapsed, by the 19th century, due to increase corruption with the executive government, by late 18th century, due to the Emperor relying on his chief of staff, who turns out to be corrupt, to operate the executive government, by the time the Manchurian Empire thought of, solving the corruption problem, by giving local government and other branch of the federal government more power, it is too late. As a result, the introduction of civil service examination into the US and UK, met great resistance from the western conservatives, like all western conservatives, these conservatives are against none western influence, upon the west and believe white people are supposed to be superior. Despite strong opposition from conservatives within the British parliament and angry protest from US conservatives, due to the fact introducing civil service examination system, means none western influence on the west, it was quickly made into law, by both the UK and US.
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| Emperor Wen of Sui dynasty |
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| Empress Wu Zetian of Tang dynasty |
The civil service examination system was been established in France in 1791, but soon seized, but was later re-established in 1840. In the US the civil service examination system was established in 1883, because during the first one hundred year of US' history, the civil service was extremely corrupt. The British civil service examination system is established in 1855. However, by the time, civil service examination system was been established in the US and UK, it was already in the 19th century, it was an era, where, firstly, the west, is no longer in need of Asia influence to modernized from the horror of dark and middle ages and secondly, due to the Manchurian Empire who rule Taiwan, Manchuria, China, Mongolia, Tibet and Xian Jiang, since the 18th century's ill policy to secure their power, which is to centralized all power to the executive branch of the government, operated by the Emperor, the entire Empire include China, saw complete collapsed, by the 19th century, due to increase corruption with the executive government, by late 18th century, due to the Emperor relying on his chief of staff, who turns out to be corrupt, to operate the executive government, by the time the Manchurian Empire thought of, solving the corruption problem, by giving local government and other branch of the federal government more power, it is too late. As a result, the introduction of civil service examination into the US and UK, met great resistance from the western conservatives, like all western conservatives, these conservatives are against none western influence, upon the west and believe white people are supposed to be superior. Despite strong opposition from conservatives within the British parliament and angry protest from US conservatives, due to the fact introducing civil service examination system, means none western influence on the west, it was quickly made into law, by both the UK and US.
According to Bodde, the last western Confucius follower that become an social elite that have a major influence, is Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803~1882), through using Confucius’s teaching, he draw his conclusion that good government must be based on sound moral foundation and responsibility to each individuals of the society. Bodde argue Emerson's theories have a dramatic influence on modern western values.
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| Rralph Waldo Emerson |
Confucius might even have an influence on modern Christianity. The modern version of Christianity, have increasingly become, what this book would refer to as Selective Christianity or New Christianity, where people ignore or contradict aspect of the bible, they believe to be problematic. However, aspect of the bible that New Christianity have a problem with, are also bible values that contradict Confucius. For example New Christianity and Confucius both disagree with the bible teaching of non virgin and non believer murdering. It can be argue New Christianity isn't Real Christianity, because it sometime ignore or contradict the bible. But this book believe, if one want to be a Christian, it is better to follow New Christianity, then Real Christianity, because action such as non virgin and non believer murdering, is evil. However, some modern Christian also follow some Christian value that contradict Confucius. For example, prior to 1980s, Ireland's Catholic Church is allowed to throw women into its private prison, name Catholic Church Home for Unwed Mothers, for life, for been unwed mothers and confiscate their baby, because of bible teachings, that is frowned upon by Confucius.
The origin of the Age of Enlightenment, is a very important part of western history. There could many reason in regards to why, the mainstream forgotten it. However, this article would theorist it was been forced to be forgotten by conservative western value. Psychologist points out sometime, when a person believe in something badly enough, they look for example and construct opinion in favor of their belief and ignore all else, to sustain their belief and traditional western value believe white people are supposed to be superior. When China collapsed in the 19th century and the west is no longer in need of Asia's influence to get out of the horror of the dark ages, it give the conservatives a good chance to push this memory out of mainstream western history, to sustain their believe of white superiority and considering these ideas that came due to none western influence, are now a part of western value, the west can function without knowing where this value come from. In addition the misconception of these is all invented by the west, without outside influence, is great boost for the belief of white men are superior. Thus, the article argues that this part of western history, is intentionally been pushed out of mainstream western history, by conservatives.
Sadly, important people like Voltarie, Leibniz, Christian Wolff and Francis Quesnay have also been forgotten by mainstream western history. But without these people, the Age of Enlightenment, would never have taken place, thus the revival of democracy, industrial revolution and modern western value would never have emerged and the west would still be living in the dark and middle ages and people would still be executed for saying the earth is over 6000 years old, yet instead of honoring these people by setting their birthday as a public holiday, building status and memorials to remember them or putting their face on money, few in the modern western world, even know of these important men's existence.
Reference
Derk Bodde 2005, Chinese Ideas in the west Colombia UniversitySt John University, viewed 5th January 2015, http://www.learn.columbia.edu/nanxuntu/html/state/ideas.pdf
Sina 全球新聞17th Feburary 2009 南書房 皇權集中地 viewed 5th Deceomber 2015 http://news.sina.com/oth/chinesedaily/301-000-101-113/2009-02-17/11283644734.html
Philip C McGraw 2001 Self Matters Simon & Schuster Source New York
Openbible.info 2015 Openbible.info viewed 1st January 2016 http://www.openbible.info/
Ancient History Encyclopedia 2016 Silk Road viewed 24th January 2016 http://www.ancient.eu/Silk_Road/
24 小時文教．通識頻道14th June 2011【Discovery Channel】-海上霸主：鄭和下西洋1/4 viewed 6th December 2015https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGtKHZw2sf4
24 小時文教．通識頻道14th June 2011【Discovery Channel】-海上霸主：鄭和下西洋2/4 viewed 6th December 2015https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfBOTV7Rn1Q
24 小時文教．通識頻道14th June 2011【Discovery Channel】-海上霸主：鄭和下西洋3/4 viewed 6th December 2015https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKEE_RkPxWE
24 小時文教．通識頻道14th June 2011【Discovery Channel】-海上霸主：鄭和下西洋4/4 viewed 6th December 2015https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfmuR_zmaaM
StephenG7 2008 Inventions of the Great Ancient Chinese Empire (1 of 5) viewed 24th January 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxceQ9-6uHQ
StephenG7 2008 Inventions of the Great Ancient Chinese Empire (2of 5) viewed 24th January 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGAZgGAMlMY
StephenG7 2008 Inventions of the Great Ancient Chinese Empire (3of 5) viewed 24th January 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJFQzGV85x0
StephenG7 2008 Inventions of the Great Ancient Chinese Empire (4of 5) viewed 24th January 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec9OD_uCueg
StephenG7 2008 Inventions of the Great Ancient Chinese Empire (5of 5) viewed 24th January= 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToFTgYUNCpc
TTV 台視官方頻道 TTV Official Channel 2013 熱線追蹤 2013-07-16 pt.3/5 亂倫 女女戀 畸戀 viewed 24th January 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p092KULTX0s
China, Confucius and the US
While a lot of people think Confucius ideology has no influence on the west, research have suggest otherwise and during the 18th century, China and Confucius ideology has major influence on the US. According to a paper published by St John University, during the 18th century, China and Confucius ideology had influence the US on a wide range of topic, including, economic, political, ideology, culture, industrial, legal and national infrastructure. Many of these influences can still be seen today. Most of these influences are firstly, initiate by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, which adopt aspect of China that can be of benefit to the US and when necessary, use it to replace certain problematic aspect of existing western culture. Then, it was through an increase of trade with 18th century China. The Chinese influence only ended due to the successful of the industrial revolution and sudden collapse of China, in the 19th century.
China's economic influence on 18th century US was due to firstly, the US' need for a new trade partner, due to British economic sanction on the US, after failing to defeat the US forces, in the American independence war. And secondly, because the founding father believe China, which was the most powerful nation of the 18th century, has much for the newly formed US to learn from. Thirdly, demand for Chinese product, in the US, is already high, prior to the American Revolution war.
The British economic sanction on the US and France not willing to loan more money to US, was making US' economy struggle greatly. For example, a bag of tea cost $100, while the monthly salary of an army private is only $4 per month. The worth of the paper money was so little, people were using it as wallpaper. Desperate for trade, China became the US' first choice of a new trade partner. On 22nd February 1784 the ship Empress of China left New York, for China and returned successfully on May 11 1785, the success of the trip saved the US economy and soon inspire further trade with China and by 1795, US become China's second largest trade partner. By early 19th century (China only collapsed by mid-19th century) China's port saw around 40 American ships per year, loading and unloading cargos and the sail of the Empress of China is been consider as the brightest chapter of US maritime history. Successfully establishing trade relationship with 18th century China, also established US' independent status on international commerce. New York became the main trading port with China and as a result, in 1755 Alexander Hamilton placed the national bank, there. Three years after the success of the Empress of China, George Washington, send David Stuart to Potomac River, to find a good location to build a warehouse for US trade with China, so to induce China's trade with the South of the US. Prior to the success of the revolution war, by law, the US is only allowed to trade with Britain. Thus, the Empress of China also carries a significant political meaning, which is, the US is now an independent country, not a British colony.
Reference
China's economic influence on 18th century US was due to firstly, the US' need for a new trade partner, due to British economic sanction on the US, after failing to defeat the US forces, in the American independence war. And secondly, because the founding father believe China, which was the most powerful nation of the 18th century, has much for the newly formed US to learn from. Thirdly, demand for Chinese product, in the US, is already high, prior to the American Revolution war.
The British economic sanction on the US and France not willing to loan more money to US, was making US' economy struggle greatly. For example, a bag of tea cost $100, while the monthly salary of an army private is only $4 per month. The worth of the paper money was so little, people were using it as wallpaper. Desperate for trade, China became the US' first choice of a new trade partner. On 22nd February 1784 the ship Empress of China left New York, for China and returned successfully on May 11 1785, the success of the trip saved the US economy and soon inspire further trade with China and by 1795, US become China's second largest trade partner. By early 19th century (China only collapsed by mid-19th century) China's port saw around 40 American ships per year, loading and unloading cargos and the sail of the Empress of China is been consider as the brightest chapter of US maritime history. Successfully establishing trade relationship with 18th century China, also established US' independent status on international commerce. New York became the main trading port with China and as a result, in 1755 Alexander Hamilton placed the national bank, there. Three years after the success of the Empress of China, George Washington, send David Stuart to Potomac River, to find a good location to build a warehouse for US trade with China, so to induce China's trade with the South of the US. Prior to the success of the revolution war, by law, the US is only allowed to trade with Britain. Thus, the Empress of China also carries a significant political meaning, which is, the US is now an independent country, not a British colony.
Philip Freneau, who is an iconic poet and patriot, during the America revolution era, wrote in one of his widely circulated poem
With clearance from BELLONA won/ She spreads her wings to meet the Sun/ Those golden regions to explore/ Where George forbade to sail before....To that old track no more confin'd/ By Britain's ealous court assign'd/ She round the STORMY CAPE shall sail/ And eastward, catch the odorous gale.
From a modern political point of view, by establishing independent trade, with US, regardless of the British rules that only allows the US to trade with Britain, we can argue, China might be one of the first nations, to recognize US as an independent nation, after the US revolution war.
The early founding father of the US consider China as an important place to gain the resource require to promote US' own agricultural and industrial development and also tried to transplant valuable plants from China to North America. Chinese agriculture products such as dry rice and soybeans were been important into the US. During that time, when Asia's is still technologically superior to the West, Franklin also showed interest in China's industrial technology, such as house heating system, shipbuilding, paper making, candle and mill technology. The Chinese canal construction technology had the largest impact on 18th century US, the usage of these Chinese skills, allowed the building of the Erie Canal, which help making New York one of the greatest cities, in the future. Franklin used the house heating technology and practice of colder region of China, to invent a furnace and apply Chinese shipbuilding techniques to a proposal of passenger service between France and US. In Thomas Jefferson's own architectural design, he incorporated Chinese railing into Italian design and this new design by Thomas Jefferson, remain influential, till date.
However, the demand of Chinese product has already been high prior to the American Revolution war. Prior to the revolution war, Chinese tea and porcelain was already very popular in the US, but, the US can only purchase the more expensive ones, that is firstly imported from China to Britain and then from Britain to the US. Tea imported from China, was an extremely important consumption of 18th century Americans, where people consume number of times, per day and many Americans are angry about the fact, the Chinese tea they consume, must be imported from China to England and then from England to the US, rather then been exported directly from China to US. Thus become an important trigger that leads up to the American Independent war.
However, the influence of 18th century China on the US is not only economic, but also in the arena of cultural, political and ideology. The culture influence of China is not forced upon the US against its will. This is unlike the pre modern Catholic Church, which forced their interpretation of Christian values upon others, through Crusades, Inquisition and burning people on the stake or the modern Taliban, which enforce their own version of harsh Sharia law, by massacring girl schools, for violating it. The Chinese never forced their own culture value upon others, against their will. The influence of China, on 18th century US, is a selective and volunteering influence, firstly, with founding fathers of the US as the agent choosing aspect of China that would better suit the US and adopt it and if felt necessary, used it to replace existing western system, which they felt to be problematic and secondly through trade, by exporting books in the arena of agriculture, science, philosophy, art and technology from China to the US, many of those books, was already been sold in Europe.
The two most important agents were Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, who already have much contact with Europeans who studied Chinese culture and thus have much knowledge on the subject.
Through Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson’s' selective and volunteering adoption of the positive aspect of Chinese civilization, Chinese policies are frequently been used as reference to resolve the political, social and economic issue of the 18th century US. This created a new form of western culture, which is one where certain aspect of Chinese culture is incorporated into western culture.
As a result, Confucius ideology also has a lot of influence, on the view of US elites, during the 18th century. Many early elite of colonial US, highly regard Confucius ideology, including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, John Bartram and Edidiah Morse. In 1737, Benjamin Franklin started promoting Confucius virtue, by publishing a book known as "the moral of Confucius" in his widely circulated Pennsylvania Gazette and made it clear that he consider Confucius as his role model in 1749.
In the book "Age of Reason", written by Thomas Paine, listed Confucius, Jesus and Greek philosophers as the greatest moral teacher of the world.
In Jedidiah Morse's book, "American Universal Geography", he cited two ancient Chinese books "The Great Learning" and "The Doctrine of Mean" two of the four books Confucius spoke very highly of. Morse refers to the two books as "The most excellent precepts of wisdom and virtue, expressed with the greatest eloquence, elegance and precision."
An example of the influence of Chinese political and culture value, was been demonstrated in the early years, of winning the American revolutionary war, some veterans of the war, want to established a aristocracy system, similar to Europe, with themselves as the nobles. This idea was right away, been opposed by Franklin. within his statement Franklin said
Thus among the Chinese, the most ancient, and, from long Experience, the wisest of Nations,Honour does not descend but ascent. If a Man from his Learning, his Wisdom or his Valour, is promoted by the Emperor to the Rank of mandarin, his Parents are immediately entitled to all the same Ceremonies of Respect from the People, that are established as due to the mandarin himself, on this Supposition, that it must have been owing to the Education, Instruction and good Example afforded him by his Parents that he was rendered capable of Serving the Public. This ascending Honour is therefore useful to the State as it encourages Parents to give their Children a good and virtuous Education. But the descending Honour, to Posterity who could have had no Share in obtaining it, is not only groundless and absurd, but often hurtful to that Posterity, since it is apt to make them proud, disdaining to be employed in useful Arts, and thence falling into Poverty and the Meanness’s, Servility and Wretchedness attending it; which is the present case with much of what is called the Noblesse in Europe. Or if, to keep up the Dignity of the Family, Estate are entailed entire on the Eldest Male Heir, another Pest to industry and Improvement of the Country is introduced, which will be followed by all the occasioning continual Extinction of Family by Discouragement of Marriage and improvement of Estates. I wish therefore that the Cincinnati, if they must go on with their Project, would direct the badges of their Order to be worn by their Parents instead of handing them down to their Children. It would be a good precedent, and might have good Effects.
Many of our modern western value, bare great similarity with Eastern traditional value, but are frown upon, within traditional western value. A first example is, traditional western value believe in racial centralism, which itself, can be argue as a form of racism. Modern western value, condemn such traditional view and encourage people not to make such distinguish and unite with the masses and during the 90s, many western nation, join the international community, to conduct economic sanction to the white supremacist of South Africa. Confucius ideology, also frequently speak of not to create a little gang to conspire against the world, but to unit with the masses.
Further example is, in the bible, it wrote
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
John 1:9~11
And
And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul, but that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.
Chronicles 15:12~13
And
If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.
They must be put to death, their blood will be on their own head.
Leviticus 20:13
There are many more disturbing passages like these in the bible. But modern western world, not only frown upon teachings like these, but frequently turn a blind eye to it and pretend these passage don't exist or become selective in what Christian value to follow and ignore problematic passages, like these. Most westerners today, believe in showing tolerance and respect to people who are different and adopt a live to let live attitude, towards others, including those who are not moral or sinners. The gays who continue to find themself been discriminated by Christian groups, receive more support, respect for their difference and tolerance than condemnation, from the modern western public, even amount those who don't agree with the gay people's behavior. Institution like the Catholic Church Home for Unwed Mother is been frowned upon, by people of the modern western era, despite the bible said
Let marriage be held in honour among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
Hebrews 13:4
On the internet, there are some YouTube channels, which go as far as saying "god is evil". Even
including YouTube animations, created by white westerners that are dedicated to trash talking
the Christian god.
The changing attitude is even been reflect in our attitude of mythology, in pre 20th century, vampires, are been accepted to be evil undead, simply because they are not of Christ, today's pop culture, need to find various methods to try justified the evil vampire, in some TV series there are even humane vampire, who respect other people's right of not wanting to be turned and not take human blood. In some movie and TV series such as Blade and Angel, the vampires even become the hero. During the eighteenth century, people use to burn people alive accusing them for been witches. In today's pop culture, witches are frequently been celebrated and are frequently been portrayed as kind and beautiful. Witches from shows such as Bewitch and Charmed, become women that all men want to have and all women want to be.
The founding father of the US put a great deal of effort into learning Chinese culture, because as the most powerful nation of the time, China had a lot of things, worthy for the US to learn from, so the US can grow strong. Thomas Paine once said the Chinese are people of good moral and mild manners and after looking at some of the more disturbing passage of our bible, we can argue, this statement made by Paine, is a fair comment, for its time. Benjamin Franklin also said
The Chinese are an enlightened people, the most antiently [anciently] civilized of any existing, and their arts are antient [ancient], a presumption in their favour"
and
Could we be so fortunate as to introduce the industry of the Chinese, their arts of living and improvements in husbandry, as well as their native plants, America might be in time become aspoulousas China, which is allowed to contain more inhabitants than any other country, of the same extend, in the world.
Jefferson once said
A better idea of the state of science in China than the relations of travellers have effected.
Ezar Stile who lives between 1727-1795 and who was then President of Yale University refers to
than China as the greatest, the richest and most populous kingdom now known in the world.
Despite books from China was also been published in Europe, eighteenth century China had a significantly greater influence on the US than Europe. This is because, disregards to its pros and cons, Europe was already an established society. The US on the other hand, is a brand new society, starting from scratch. For example, the three books "A Voyage to China and the East Indies" written by Chaplain Peter Osbeck, "A Voyage to Suratte" by Chaplain Olaf Toreen and "Account of the Chinese Husbandary" written by Charles Gusavus Eckeberg, was published firstly is Swedish, in 1757 and then translated to German in 1765 and translated to English in 1771 was been widely neglected in Europe, but was spoken highly by 18th century US elite. Thomas Paine introduced and recommended the three books to the US in 1775 and presented a quote from "A Voyage to China and the East Indies" saying
Their observation on the heavens and earth and their history are remarkable, on account of their antiquity. (According to their accounts, they go as high as the times of Noah.) Their moral are looked upon as amaster-piece; their laws are considered as excellent maxims of life, their medicine and natural history are both of them founded on long experience; and their husbandry is admired for the perfection it has risen to.
By the 19th century the west has caught up with Asia, through the success of the industrial revolution. The Manchurian Empire, that ruled China, Manchuria, Mongolia, Tibet, Xian Jiang and Taiwan, since the late 17th century, initiated a policy to dramatically increase the power of the executive branch of the federal government, which is administer by the Emperor and decrease, the power of all other branches of the federal and local government, due to fear of revolt. By the 19th century, this was leading to a range of problems including corruption, economic meltdown and civil unrest, and to resolve this problem without contradicting this early Manchurian Empire policy is not possible. (If the executive branch hold all power, then if the Emperor screw up, due to bad policy or negligent or if the executive branch become corrupt, the entire nation would be in big trouble, because, no other branch have the authority to do anything. Plus, issue of the state, are frequently too complex for one man to handle and nobody can be an expert on everything. But, if other branches have more authority, the Emperor only needs to appoint the right person to administer those branches and supervise them.)
By 1840, this leads to British easily defeated China in the opium war. In 1840 the British send a fleet of forty warships and four thousand marines to invade China. However, if it wasn't because of the corruption, China should have been able to defeat the British in the Opium war. The military of the Manchurian Empire include the federal force and regional militia. Taiwan naval fleet was composed mostly of regional militia. So, it is not corrupt, like the federal forces. During the opium war, the Taiwan fleet, defeated the British easily and captured number of British sailors and officers. However, the federal troops that was a part of the Taiwan fleet, was completely useless. Most of the defense force on the mainland is composed of Federal forces, usually even refusing to engage the British, leaving the fighting against British navy and marines, to the local police force and as a result, the British face close to no opposition on the mainland.
The uselessness of the Federal forces of the Manchurian Empire, demonstrated in the war with British, inspire the Chinese, to rebel against the now corrupt Manchurian Empire and push them out. Just as the Chinese expected, the federal force, was just as useless, as when they faced the British. But it turns out, the new government form by the rebel leaders are even worse, thus allowing the Manchurian Empire to finally recruit enough militia to defeat the rebels. But the civil war bankrupts the Manchurian Empire and with the death of the Emperor, it allows Cixi one of his concubines to take power. The four years old prince that was crowned Emperor, was merely a puppet. Since then, Cixi would initiate a series of policies that further crippled the entire Manchurian Empire. For example, despite she knows to dissolve the original useless federal military force and make the militia to be the new federal military force. She initiated a series of policy that would cripple the militia navy. According to naval and historical experts, the militia Chinese navy, of the late 19th century, should be extremely powerful. Their technology isn't inferior, like most Europeans think and they are not ill trained or discipline, like most Chinese think. Its naval fleet was the 8th most powerful in the world, its commanders are some of the best, formal commanders of the British navy and its sailor are better discipline and trained than many modern navy sailors. However, because Cixi decided to spend so much of tax payers' money fixing her private garden, it affected China's defense budget. For three years straight, the navy received o% budget, modern historian claim, the amount of money Cixi spend on fixing her private garden, was enough, for the then Chinese navy, to build a fleet with ten most powerful warships, of the 19th century. Because they received no funds, the battleships received no logistic support, so, the sailors cannot maintain their ships and by the time the Chinese went to war with Japan, their warship, don't even have the ammo required for 19th century warfare and had to use new year celebration's explosive, as substitution, something that is useless in 19th century naval warfare and their cannon, already rusted, because the crew, can't afford to maintain it. Despite winning the initial battle, the fleet cannot receive necessary supply to repair damages to their ships or to get resupply in ammo. So, they can't afford to fight a second battle against Japan, so when the Japanese returned for round two, they easily captured its most powerful battleship and sank the rest of the fleet. Modern historians claim the sailors and officers of the late 19th century Chinese navy perform exception well, in this war, under extremely difficult circumstances. Some commanders of the Chinese navy took their own life, due to losing this war. A 21st century formal naval warship commander, said, the performance, of the sailors of late 19th century China navy, in the war against Japan, is exceptional good, even in comparison to the standard of modern navy sailors.
If it wasn't because of Cixi, China would have won that war. If the Chinese didn't rebel, the Manchurian Empire could recover from the corruption issue, because after the Opium war, the Emperor had proposed reform, including restoring power to other branches of the federal government and local government. If Cixi didn't take power, China would only be weak, for a short while, during the mid-19th century.
But, it is easy to imagine, why, after the 18th century, China is no longer the place, for the US to learn from. But, despite today, US has long replaced China as the most powerful nation and China is now under the dictatorship rule of the Communist, the important influence of China to the US during the 18th century, is still been recognized, by modern US politicians. In 2009, President Barack Obama said
Americans know the richness of China's history because it helped to shape the world and it helped to shape America.
Reference
St John University 2009, How China helped to shape American Cultural: The founding Fathers and Chinese Civilization St John University, viewed 5th December 2015,
http://www.virginiareviewofasianstudies.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/wang-china.doc
中天新聞20142014.07.30 新聞龍捲風part1 甲午戰爭「大翻案！」「黃龍軍旗」大清戰敗真相是？中天新聞viewed 5th December 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3LVVcDUgzQ
Sina 全球新聞17th Feburary 2009 南書房皇權集中地viewed 5th December 2015
http://news.sina.com/oth/chinesedaily/301-000-101-113/2009-02-17/11283644734.html
李其霖2010 鴉片戰爭前後臺灣水師布署之轉變viewed 5th December 2015
http://tkuir.lib.tku.edu.tw/dspace/bitstream/987654321/91878/2/%E9%B4%89%E7%89%87%E6%88%B0%E7%88%AD%E5%89%8D%E5%BE%8C%E8%87%BA%E7%81%A3%E6%B0%B4%E5%B8%AB%E5%B8%83%E6%9A%91%E4%B9%8B%E8%BD%89%E8%AE%8A.pdf
台灣海外網2003 鴉片戰爭中英艦進犯台灣一八四一年viewed 5th December 2015
http://www.taiwanus.net/history/3/71.htm
24 小時文教．通識頻道14th June 2011【Discovery Channel】-海上霸主：鄭和下西洋1/4 viewed 6th December 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGtKHZw2sf4
24 小時文教．通識頻道14th June 2011【Discovery Channel】-海上霸主：鄭和下西洋2/4 viewed 6th December 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfBOTV7Rn1Q
24 小時文教．通識頻道14th June 2011【Discovery Channel】-海上霸主：鄭和下西洋3/4 viewed 6th December 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKEE_RkPxWE
24 小時文教．通識頻道14th June 2011【Discovery Channel】-海上霸主：鄭和下西洋4/4 viewed 6th December 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfmuR_zmaaM
Openbible.info 2015 Openbible.info viewed 1st January 2016 http://www.openbible.info/
StephenG7 2008 Inventions of the Great Ancient Chinese Empire (1 of 5) viewed 24th January 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxceQ9-6uHQ
StephenG7 2008 Inventions of the Great Ancient Chinese Empire (2 of 5) viewed 24th January 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGAZgGAMlMY
StephenG7 2008 Inventions of the Great Ancient Chinese Empire (3 of 5) viewed 24th January 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJFQzGV85x0
StephenG7 2008 Inventions of the Great Ancient Chinese Empire (4 of 5) viewed 24th January 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec9OD_uCueg
StephenG7 2008 Inventions of the Great Ancient Chinese Empire (5 of 5) viewed 24th January 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToFTgYUNCpc
Saturday, May 26, 2018
The Analects of Confucius: Scroll Twenty
Passage Five Hundred
堯曰：「咨！爾舜！天之曆數在爾躬。允執其中。四海困窮，天祿永終。」舜亦以命禹。曰：「予小子履，敢用玄牡，敢昭告于皇皇后帝：有罪不敢赦。帝臣不蔽，簡在帝心。朕躬有罪，無以萬方；萬方有罪，罪在朕躬。」周有大賚，善人是富。「雖有周親，不如仁人。百姓有過，在予一人。」謹權量，審法度，修廢官，四方之政行焉。興滅國，繼絕世，舉逸民，天下之民歸心焉。所重：民、食、喪、祭。寬則得眾，信則民任焉，敏則有功，公則說。
English Translation
When Yao passed the throne to Shun, he said: Alright, the gods have now chosen you. Let you be the
King. But if the world is poor, then your reign is over.
When Shun passed the throne to Yu, he said the exact same thing.
Shangtang said: All mighty gods. As your child in the mortal world, I would only use the black cow to worship you, pray to you. I do not dare to pardon those who committed a crime. I don't dare to hide
those who are kind or evil. You are all knowing. If I am guilty, please don't blame the peasants. If the
peasants are guilty, I am willing to be punished, for their sins.
Jhou dynasty created world peace. All the good people have become wealthy.
King Wu said: Having humane people, is better than having relatives. If the peasants are at fault, let me carry their wrong for them.
Confucius said: Conduct detail research. Make well thought out laws. Establish a just human resource
system. Let the law work fluently. Let the dying states revive. People have no need, to worry about, not having decedents. Promote talent people, who have otherwise been forgotten. This way, the people of the world, would all follow you.
Confucius said: When governing, the government should focus on the people, food, funeral, praying.
Been generous would let the people, to be protected. Been truth to your word would let the people be
willing to obey you. Been keen and cheap in governing, would achieve the good result for its policy.
Been just, would give the people happiness.
Note: Even those who lived over 2000 years ago know to tolerate those who doesn't affect another's
freedom or hurt others, even if they are sinners, in relationship to religion. Despite, living in a superstitious era, due to a lack of understanding towards science, instead of conducting discrimination or persecution acts against those, who are sinners. The humane King of the past asked the gods, not to punish the people for their sins and let him the King, be punished for them. Considering people over 2000 years ago, living in the superstitious era, due to a lack of understanding towards scientific knowledge, can have such wisdom.
Isn't it an embarrassment, despite we live two thousand years later, in a none superstitious era, due to having a better understanding of science, we are seen people who conducting act of persecution and discrimination upon others, for been sinners in relationship to our religion, even if such sin doesn't affect another's freedom or hurt others?
Isn't it an embarrassment that prior to the 1980s, in Ireland there was the Catholic church home for
unwed mothers, which is really a life in prison for unwed mothers, simply for been sinners in
relationship to Catholicism?
Isn't it an embarrassment, in the 21st century the Middle East, we would see Taliban attacking girls school in Pakistan and Afghanistan simply because they felt it is a sin in relationship to the Muslim faith? Isn't it an embarrassment, in the 21st-century western world, we are seen the issue of gay discrimination, by some Christians, because been gay is a sin in relationship to their religion?
Passage Five Hundred and One
子張問於孔子曰：「何如斯可以從政矣？」子曰：「尊五美，屏四惡，斯可以從政矣。」子張曰：「何謂五美？」子曰：「君子惠而不費，勞而不怨，欲而不貪，泰而不驕，威而不猛。」子張曰：「何謂惠而不費？」子曰：「因民之所利而利之，斯不亦惠而不費乎？擇可勞而勞之，又誰怨？欲仁而得仁，又焉貪？君子無眾寡，無小大，無敢慢，斯不亦泰而不驕乎？君子正其衣冠，尊其瞻視，儼然人望而畏之，斯不亦威而不猛乎？」子張曰：「何謂四惡？」子曰：「不教而殺謂之虐；不戒視成謂之暴；慢令致期謂之賊；猶之與人也，出納之吝，謂之有司。」
English Translation
Zihjhang asked: What should one do, to be someone worthy, to be in politics?
Confucius said: Worship five good moral and get rid of four bad behaviours. Then you will be worthy to be in politics.
Zihjhang asked: What is the five good moral.
Confucius said: You should benefit the peasants, but not be wasteful in spending. You must let the
public be willing to work hard and have no complaint. You must let the economy prosper, but not
greedy. You must be close to the peasants, but not arrogant. You must gain the peasant's respect, but
not be aggressive.
Zihjhang said: How to benefit the peasants, but not be wasteful in spending?
Confucius said: Do things that are good for the public interest, give the people advantage, isn't that
giving the peasants benefit, but not wasting money? Create a policy that is to public interest and let the public put it into practice, who will complain about working for the government then? If the economy is prospering, there is no need for the people to be greedy. Disregards to whether this person is young or old, disregards to whether the population is large or small, always respect the peasants, isn't that been close to the peasants and not been arrogant? Dress up in a tidy manner and be serious, would give people reason respectful to you, isn't that giving people reason to respect you, but not been aggressive?
Zihjhang asked: What are the four evil?
Confucius said: Arrest the peasants before they are educated. Not supervising their work, yet ask them to have the result. Have a loose policy, but expect them to complete their job within time. Decide to reward the peasants for their effort, but give them less than they deserve.
Passage Five Hundred and Two
孔子說：「不懂得客觀規律，就不能做君子；不懂得道德規範，就無法建功立業；不懂得分辨言論，就不能瞭解人。」
English Translation
Confucius said: If you don't know how to be objective, you are not a gentleman. If you do not
understand politeness, you cannot have a career. If you cannot differentiate between people's words,
you cannot understand people.
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Reference
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The Analects of Confucius: Scroll Nineteen
Passage Four Hundred and Seventy Five
子張曰：「士見危致命，見得思義，祭思敬，喪思哀，其可已矣。」
English Translation
Zihjhang said: When seen a danger, a paladin who have ambition, will forget about his own safety.
When seen an advantage, he would think about justice. When he is praying, he would be faithful.
Passage Four Hundred and Seventy Six
子張曰：「執德不弘，信道不篤，焉能為有？焉能為亡？」
English Translation
Zihjhang said: Not spreading advantage, not faithful to justice. This sort of people may as well don't exist.
Passage Four Hundred and Seventy Seven
子夏之門人問交於子張。子張曰：「子夏云何？」對曰：「子夏曰：『可者與之，其不可者拒之。』」子張曰：「異乎吾所聞：君子尊賢而容眾，嘉善而矜不能。我之大賢與，於人何所不容？我之不賢與，人將拒我，如之何其拒人也？」
English Translation
Zihsia's student asked Zihjhang, how to make friends.
Zihjhang said: How would you do it?
The response said: Zihsia says, "Those who you can make friend with can make friend with you.
Otherwise, reject the friendship."
Zihjhang said: I heard differently. A true gentleman respects wise men, tolerate those who are different, praise those who are kind, show sympathy to those who are weak. If I am a good person, I can tolerate anybody. If I am a bad person, everybody would reject me. Then, who are there for me to reject?
Note: Therefore, within Confucius ideology, a truly good man is somebody who tolerate others, even
those he hate. He might still dislike or think ill of various people due to various, reason, but, he will show tolerance to all people, including those who he hate and think ill of, but encourage the enforcement of peace, harmony and justice. He would not agree with the action, of white supremacist, KKK or Nazis, because not only do they not tolerate those who are different, but discriminate against them. If he is a Muslim, he will not join Taliban or ISIS because he tolerate and respect other people religion difference and he tolerate and respect those who are sinners in relationship to his religion. He will not join Christian extremists, groups that hate and discriminate people who are sinners (including gays) in relationship to the Christian faith. He will not endorse the Catholic Church Home for Unwed Mothers that exist in Ireland, prior to 1980s, where women who are unwed mothers are been thrown into this private prison run by the Roman Catholic Church because been an unwed mother is a sin in Catholicism. He will not endorse the gay discrimination, conducted by many Christian groups, which felt been gay is a sin, in relationship to the Christian faith, even if he also believes been gay in a sin, because, he is a devoted Christian. He would not endorse the Inquisition or the Crusades. Because he respects and tolerate those who are different, including those who are sinners, in relationship to our western Christian faith, even if this sinner chooses to be sinners, knowing it is a sin. Even more, he would stand against, these action of white supremacist, KKK, Nazi, Taliban, ISIS, Christian extremists that discriminate against people (including gays) for been sinners, the Catholic Church Home for Unwed Mother operation,
Inquisition or Crusade, because these actions are a disturbance of peace and harmony and they are anti-justice.
Passage Four Hundred and Seventy Eight
子夏曰：「雖小道，必有可觀者焉；致遠恐泥，是以君子不為也。」
English Translation
Zihsia said: Even if it is a minor principle, there are still places where it can be used. But it cannot be
useful in major events. So, a gentleman should not focus on minor principles.
Passage Four Hundred and Seventy Nine
子夏曰：「日知其所亡，月無忘其所能，可謂好學也已矣。」
English Translation
Zihsia said: We can learn new things every day. Don't forget about things you learn, every month. That would be good enough.
Passage Four Hundred and Eighty
子夏曰：「博學而篤志，切問而近思，仁在其中矣。」
English Translation
Zihsia said: Learn a wide variety of skills and keep moving forward to your goal. Focus on asking
questions and use practical methods to examine it. Humane is within this.
Passage Four Hundred and Eighty One
子夏曰：「百工居肆以成其事，君子學以致其道。」
English Translation
Zihsia said: A worker, manufacture goods, within the factory. A gentleman learns about the principle.
Four Hundred and Eighty Two
子夏曰：「小人之過也必文。」
English Translation
Zihsia said: When a savage makes a mistake, he will try to hide it.
Passage Four Hundred and Eighty Three
子夏曰：「君子有三變：望之儼然，即之也溫，聽其言也厲。」
English Translation
Zihsia said: A gentleman morph three times, at first sight, he seem serious. After interacting with him, you realize, he is very warm. But when you listen to him talk, it still sounds serious.
Passage Four Hundred and Eighty Four
子夏曰：「君子信而後勞其民，未信則以為厲己也；信而後諫，未信則以為謗己也。」
English Translation
Zihsia said: A government can only command the public if it gains the people's trust. If the people don't trust the government, they will think you are bullying them. Only after gaining the government's trust, would the government listen to your opinion, otherwise the government is going to think you are defaming them.
Passage Four Hundred and Eighty Five
子夏曰：「大德不踰閑，小德出入可也。」
English Translation
Zihsia said: When dealing with major issues, be clear and insist on what is right or wrong. But don't get obsess on minor manners.
Passage Four Hundred and Eighty Six
子游曰：「子夏之門人小子，當洒掃、應對、進退，則可矣。抑末也，本之則無。如之何？」子夏聞之曰：「噫！言游過矣！君子之道，孰先傳焉？孰後倦焉？譬諸草木，區以別矣。君子之道，焉可誣也？有始有卒者，其惟聖人乎！」
English Translation
Zihyou said: Zisia's student is always doing minor things like watering flowers, sweeping the floor or
greeting the guest. They haven't learnt anything for real.
After Zihsia heard it he said: Zihyou is wrong. What subjects should we teach first? What subjects should we teach later? It is just like the grass and the wood, they all have their difference. We cannot say one is the other. Been able to teach a student everything, that is something only a Saint can do.
Passage Four Hundred and Eighty Seven
子夏曰：「仕而優則學，學而優則仕。」
English Translation
Zihsia said: Even when you are a Lord, you cannot forget to study. When you finished your study, you should go and be a Lord.
Passage Four Hundred and Eighty Eight
子游曰：「喪致乎哀而止。」
English Translation
Zihyou said: In the funeral, showing your sadness should be sufficient.
Passage Four Hundred and Eighty Nine
子游曰：「吾友張也，為難能也。然而未仁。」
English Translation
Zihyou said: My friend Zihjhang is a pretty good, already, but not yet good enough, to be qualified as
humane.
Passage Four Hundred and Ninety
曾子曰：「堂堂乎張也，難與並為仁矣。」
English Translation
Zengzih said: On the surface, Zihjhang might seem dignified, but he is very hard to work with.
Passage Four Hundred and Ninety One
曾子曰：「吾聞諸夫子：人未有自致者也，必也親喪乎！」
English Translation
Zengzih said: Normally, people find it hard to show their emotion, only when somebody dies, would they show it.
Passage Four Hundred and Ninety Two
曾子曰：「吾聞諸夫子：孟莊子之孝也，其他可能也；其不改父之臣，與父之政，是難能也。」
English Translation
Zengzih said: I heard master once said "Mengjhuangzih" is somebody, who really honours his parents. He doesn't change the policy made by his father or his ministers. That is something, very hard to do.
Passage Four Hundred and Ninety Three
孟氏使陽膚為士師，問於曾子。曾子曰：「上失其道，民散久矣。如得其情，則哀矜而勿喜。」
English Translation
Meng became a judge and asked advice from Zengzih.
Zengzih said: The government today is not just. The peasants have already lost faith in it. If you want to understand the truth behind a case, you must show sympathy towards the peasants and when you
complete a case, don't act so proud of yourself.
Passage Four Hundred and Ninety Four
子貢曰：「紂之不善，不如是之甚也。是以君子惡居下流，天下之惡皆歸焉。」
English Translation
Zihgong said: King Jhou might be a bad King, but is not as bad, as they say in the urban legends. So what a gentleman hate the most, is to have a flaw and people focusing on your flaws only.
Note: Mandarin use picture writing, so there are numbers of words that have the same pronunciation,
once translate into English. This King Jhou exists before the emergence of the Jhou dynasty, which
Confucius live in. Legion believe the Kings throughout China came together to defeat King Jhou and then formed the Jhou dynasty, much like how nations come together to defeat Hitler in WW2 and then formed the UN.
Passage Four Hundred and Ninety Five
子貢曰：「君子之過也，如日月之食焉：過也，人皆見之；更也，人皆仰之。」
English Translation
Zihgong said: A gentleman's flaw is like the missing part of the moon. The second he has a bit of flaw, everybody can see it. Once it has been fixed, everybody can see it.
Passage Four Hundred and Ninety Six
衛公孫朝問於子貢曰：「仲尼焉學？」子貢曰：「文武之道，未墜於地，在人。賢者識其大者，不賢者識其小者，莫不有文武之道焉。夫子焉不學？而亦何常師之有？」
English Translation
Gongsunchao from Wei nation asked Zihgong: Who is Confucius' master?
Zihgong replied: The principle of the god of wisdom and god of war, still exist in the mortal world. A
smart person is able to understand the real big principle behind their philosophy. A less intelligent
person can only understand the smaller principle. Master learns from everywhere. He doesn't have a
single master.
Passage Four Hundred and Ninety Seven
叔孫武叔語大夫於朝，曰：「子貢賢於仲尼。」子服景伯以告子貢。子貢曰：「譬之宮牆，賜之牆也及肩，窺見室家之好。夫子之牆數仞，不得其門而入，不見宗廟之美，百官之富。得其門者或寡矣。夫子之云，不亦宜乎！」
English Translation
Shusunweshu said to the ministers in government hall: Zihgong is wiser than Confucius.
Zihfujin told Zihgong about it. Zihgong said: Let’s use a wall as an example. The height of my wall reachesmy shoulder. So, I can see the beautiful garden, from outside the fence. Confucius' wall is few meters high. You can’t see the garden inside unless you enter from the main gate. But very few people, ever walked into that gate. So, I can understand, why he could think this way.
Passage Four Hundred and Ninety Eight
叔孫武叔毀仲尼。子貢曰：「無以為也，仲尼不可毀也。他人之賢者，丘陵也，猶可踰也；仲尼，日月也，無得而踰焉。人雖欲自絕，其何傷於日月乎？多見其不知量也！」
English Translation
Shusunweshu speak ill of Confucius.
Zihgong said: Don't be like that. You can't speak ill of him. There are many wise people, you are able to surpass. But Confucius is like the sun and the moon, you can't surpass him.
Passage Four Hundred and Ninety Nine
陳子禽謂子貢曰：「子為恭也，仲尼豈賢於子乎？」子貢曰：「君子一言以為知，一言以為不知，言不可不慎也。夫子之不可及也，猶天之不可階而升也。夫子之得邦家者，所謂立之斯立，道之斯行，綏之斯來，動之斯和。其生也榮，其死也哀，如之何其可及也。」
English Translation
Chenzihcing said to Zihgong: I think you are polite. In what way is Confucius wiser than you?
Zihgong said: The wisdom of a gentleman can be seen if they just speak one sentence. So, they need to be careful of their speech. Confucius' wisdom is so high that you can't reach it with any ladder. It is just like you can't reach the sky via a ladder. If he became the King of a nation, he would definitely be a legendary King. The people would love and support him. The people would be uniting as one. There will be peace. Confucius live honourably, he died miserably. Who can catch up to him?
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While a lot of people think Confucius ideology has no influence on the west, research have suggest otherwise and during the 18th century, C...
