Imperial State in China and Confucianism as an Ideology

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Introduction

Many citizens in America may think that China has carried on its tradition, economic policies, and political views through the centuries. In reality the Chinese customs, economic polices, and political views have changed and are no longer as strict, enforced, and rigid as they were a few millennia ago. China is now a country of technological advancements, economic tranquility, and hard working citizens. China is a vastly growing country and the world has not recognized this. If the world does not recognize the problems facing China it will slowly become an isolated country focused on traditions and simplicity.

Main Text

“In recent years people can look at Confucianism with a more rational state of mind, some even suggest returning to Confucianism for wisdom while opponents hold that Confucianism should be held responsible for the backwardness of China’s development and for that reason its dominance should not be revived. In any event, that would not be possible.” To many citizens around the world, it would seem that the traditional Chinese customs have carried on for many generations, and have not been forgotten. In fact they have done just the opposite; the customs have faded and are only practiced by a handful of Chinese citizens.

China like any other country has been changing and continues to change. However, China has and still is facing numerous problems with change. During the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) Confucianism was taught to the people of China. They believed that a leader must be a role model, everyone could become “perfect,” and they can use their intelligence and wisdom to overcome obstacles instead of using brute force.

During the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties the economic policies of China were adjusted once again. Western foreigners were watched closely to insure the safety of the Chinese people. The economy became firmer. In modern China, some believe that the internal affairs of China and economic progress were more important than worrying over a few western traders. The Qing dynasty, which took power, next was the most powerful dynasty that China had ever had.

After a century of gloriousness the Qing dynasty became brittle and inflexible. The dynasty could not adjust itself to combat the new problems that arose. Bad harvests, warfare, rebellions, overpopulation, economic disaster, and foreign imperialism contributed to the dynasty’s collapse. A revolution soon erupted in October 1911 and the emperor of the Qing dynasty, Xuantong (1912) stepped down and ended the last dynasty of China.

Soon the views and economic structure were to be radically opposed and changed as China moved, slowly, into modernization. A leader by the name of Mao Zedong (1893-1976) believed that China must upgrade its technology, weapons, and change the way the economy is built and operated. Mao Zedong redistributed the land, eliminated landlords, and established industry in the cities. Mao Zedong also sought to insure political unity in China.

Mao Zedong also believed that China must isolate itself. Chairman Mao Zedong was intent on keeping the world away from China and would not expand ties with neighboring countries. Thus, countries such as Japan were able to modernize and become more powerful than China, on a militaristic standpoint because they accepted foreign influence. Although Mao Zedong believed that when the people became “perfect” that they could take control of the government and rule their own country.

“Many scholars devote themselves to the study of Confucianism and its application to modern society. Such study is important as the Chinese language has experienced considerable changes over the centuries and the lack of any punctuation in the ancient classics has made it difficult for us to fully comprehend Confucius’ ideology.”

When Deng Xiaoping took power he strongly influenced the acceptance of Western teachings. Deng Xiaoping took the traditions of China and incorporated them into the economy. Deng Xiaoping believed that the obedience and servitude of the child should not be as strict as it was during his ancestor’s times and that the child is allowed some freedom. During Deng Xiaoping’s time in power China’s population was growing vastly. To prevent this, Deng Xiaoping created a law that limits families to one child. This law proved to be useful and slowed the growth of China to an acceptable rate. Deng Xiaoping also believed that anyone in society has the ability to raise his or her status in China.

Deng Xiaoping stressed the need to remember and keep certain traditions such as burial and funeral ceremonies. Most citizens of China now hire a Taoist priest to perform religious chants and ceremonies for the dead.

“Two Edicts From The Emperor” states the prevailing situation in the following words, “Moreover, Our Celestial dynasty possesses vast territories and tribute missions from the dependencies are provided for by the Department for Tributary States, which ministers to their wants and exercises strict control over their movements. It would be quite impossible to leave them to their own devices. Supposing that your Envoy should come to our court, his language and national dress differ from that of our people, and there would be no. place in which he might reside. It may be.suggested that he might imitate the Europeans permanently resident in Peking and adopt the dress and customs of China, but, it has never been our dynasty’s wish to force people to do things unseemly and inconvenient.”

One can see that many aspects of China have changed such as, economic policies, political views, and treatment of citizens. Religious customs and traditions have not vanished from China, but they have in fact altered to become part of modern China. China is a country of vast possibilities that require the aid of foreigners, other wise the technology and science to be discovered in China will be lost forever. China is a country of desperation, if the rest of the world does not see this China will be lost to the one thing mankind cannot stop, time. “Confucianism is succinct as well as intensive. Strictly speaking, it is not a religion but more a doctrine than belief, while the meaning behind the beautiful words renders wordy post-modernism pale and dull. Confucianism is part of world cultural heritage and an integral part of Chinese life.”

During China’s long period of development the industrious, courageous and innovative Chinese people collectively created a great civilization which has made many great contributions to both the ancient and modern world. The Chinese civilization was ruled by various dynasties in which several emperors would rule. Within the dynasties there were several emperors all of which played a significant role in the development in the Chinese civilization. Today china is one of the leading countries in economics, but still holds true to its culture and ways of society. Chinese culture and society was directly influenced by dynasties and emperors over time.

In imperial Chinese society, moreover, die superiority of die civilization eclipsed die idea of nationalism based on ethnicity. The Chinese referred to their empire as tianxia (“all under heaven”). Guqjia (“nation-state”) replaced this term only in die modern era.’ As a consequence, foreigners could gain legitimacy as rulers of China if their actions conformed to die norms of Chinese civilization. When the Manchus conquered China and set up die Qing dynasty in 1644, for example, they resumed holding die traditional imperial examinations in die Confucian classics die very next year. During its final one thousand years, imperial China was under foreign rule for approximately half die time.

The Chinese were ruled by various dynasties, since ca. 2,000 BCE. A dynasty is a time period that is ruled by a specific family. The Qin dynasty was short but vigorous. During the Qin dynasty, centralization was achieved by ruthless methods and standardization of codes and procedures, thought patterns and scholarship, and the forms of coinage and writing. “Confucius was revered—indeed worshipped—in China for more than 2,000 years.

But neither the Communist Party, nor the 20th century itself, has been kind to the sage. Modern China saw the end of the imperial civil-service examinations he inspired, the end of the imperial regime itself and the repudiation of the classical Chinese in which he wrote. Harsher still, during the Cultural Revolution Confucius and his followers were derided and humiliated by Mao Zedong in his zeal to build a “new China”.

The Tang period was the golden age of literature and art. The government was supported by a large group of Confucian literati which, were selected through civil service examinations. During the Sung dynasty they re-established Confucianism as the main philosophy and reunified most of China. This dynasty is notable for the development of cities not only for administrative purposes but also as centers of trade, industry and maritime commerce. The Sung refined the Tang ideal of the universal man. Intellects of this time found answers to all political and philosophical questions in the Confucian Classics, this aided in the decline of Buddhism.

The societal development of pre-modern China resulted both in many generations of political, social, and spiritual stability and in the slowness of cultural and institutional change up to the nineteenth century. “with the “reform and opening up” process initiated by Deng Xiaoping, ideology no longer functions as a moral foundation and to many it became apparent that China is no longer governed by either the mores of religion or ideology.”

Works Cited

Backhouse E. and J. O. P. Bland, Annals and Memoirs of the Court of Peking (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1914), pp. 322­-331. Web.

Home / China Discovery / Religions and Beliefs. Web.

Ideology in China: Reassessing China’s great sage. Web.

The Hindu; 2006. Web.

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