Notes
The Taoist Tradition; Monday, Wednesday 10:00 a.m.
Professor Lee
12/14/2012
Daodejing of Laozi, Chapter 38 (First chapter, due to a Chinese man’s inability to arrange bamboo sticks)
Much of this text is contradictions, e.g. the virtuous thing to do is not to strive for virtue
Confucians are the intended audience (scholars who read certain preconfucian classics); very few people are even literate
Written by somewhat-countercultural beatnik equivalents
A dao which can be daoed is not a real dao
Text is not particularly long, but is quite dense
Broad feeling more important than specific words
Confusions think highest virtue is benevolence
Good life is simple and lacking in curiosity; scripted thought is not true thought
Bring in images for next week
Child falling down well analogy; when we see child falling down well, decision to help is not based on want to make child happy, &c. childlike heard, which we must grow and develop
The Daodejing is not a text in isolation; is a minimalistic text
The Daodejing thinks that you needn’t grow; you, like unhewn wood, are fine the way you are
Hsun Tzu thinks that human nature must be worked on furiously to improve itself
Ch. 12- you needn’t indulge anything but your most basic desires (the chase in the hunt)
The Daodajing believes in laissez faire approach to life & morals chief executioner analogy
Book of Songs Dealt with daily life, e.g. love, harvest, government, &c. Interpretation very important because it’s a bit curious reading a Fifty Shades of Gray Precursor written by Confucius
Southern religious practice and its reflections in Chu ci, The Lyrics of Chu Seventeen Lyrics (meant to be sung) All come from the State of Chu, C. 260 B.C. very sophisticated, albeit Southern, state South of china lush landscape, verbose prose, references to goddesses, shamanism (差不多 medicine men), water goddesses, flowery language, &c. Shamans kicked out of Zhou court by those who subscribed
Professor Lee
12/14/2012
Daodejing of Laozi, Chapter 38 (First chapter, due to a Chinese man’s inability to arrange bamboo sticks)
Much of this text is contradictions, e.g. the virtuous thing to do is not to strive for virtue
Confucians are the intended audience (scholars who read certain preconfucian classics); very few people are even literate
Written by somewhat-countercultural beatnik equivalents
A dao which can be daoed is not a real dao
Text is not particularly long, but is quite dense
Broad feeling more important than specific words
Confusions think highest virtue is benevolence
Good life is simple and lacking in curiosity; scripted thought is not true thought
Bring in images for next week
Child falling down well analogy; when we see child falling down well, decision to help is not based on want to make child happy, &c. childlike heard, which we must grow and develop
The Daodejing is not a text in isolation; is a minimalistic text
The Daodejing thinks that you needn’t grow; you, like unhewn wood, are fine the way you are
Hsun Tzu thinks that human nature must be worked on furiously to improve itself
Ch. 12- you needn’t indulge anything but your most basic desires (the chase in the hunt)
The Daodajing believes in laissez faire approach to life & morals chief executioner analogy
Book of Songs Dealt with daily life, e.g. love, harvest, government, &c. Interpretation very important because it’s a bit curious reading a Fifty Shades of Gray Precursor written by Confucius
Southern religious practice and its reflections in Chu ci, The Lyrics of Chu Seventeen Lyrics (meant to be sung) All come from the State of Chu, C. 260 B.C. very sophisticated, albeit Southern, state South of china lush landscape, verbose prose, references to goddesses, shamanism (差不多 medicine men), water goddesses, flowery language, &c. Shamans kicked out of Zhou court by those who subscribed