Eastern Philosophies on a Good Life

Ikigai (Japanese)

• Reference
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikigai
  • Articles
    • Ikigai - Japanese Concept the New Hygge? - http://www.countryliving.com/life/a45339/ikigai-japanese-concept-new-hygge/

Confucianism (Chinese)

(Wiki)

• Synonyms
  • "School of the scholars" (Chinese: 儒家; pinyin: Rújiā)
  • "Teaching of the scholars" (Chinese: 儒教; pinyin: Rújiào)
  • "Study of the scholars" (simplified Chinese: 儒学; traditional Chinese: 儒學; pinyin:Rúxué)
  • "Teaching of Confucius" (Chinese: 孔教; pinyin: Kǒngjiào)
  • "Kong Family's Business" (Chinese: 孔家店; pinyin: Kǒngjiādiàn)[19
• Definition:
  • A Chinese ethical and philosophical system of complex moral, social, political, philosophical and quasi-religious thought
  • Human Beings are teachable, improvable and perfectible
  • through personal and communal endeavours
  • Such as Self-cultivation of virtue, self-creation and development of moral perfection
  • One should give up one's life either passively or actively or sake of upholding cardinal moral values of Ren and Yi.
  • To Seek knowledge, study and become a better person

Themes in Confucian Thought

(五常) consisting of five elements:

• Ren (仁, Humanity),
• Yi (義, Righteousness),
• Li (禮, Ritual),
• Zhi (智, Knowledge),
• Xin (信, Integrity)

(四字) with four elements:

• Zhong (忠, Loyalty)
• Xiao (孝, Filial piety)
• Jie (節, Continency or Self Restraint in Sex)
• Yi (義, Righteousness).

Other elements

• Cheng (誠, honesty)
• Shu (恕, kindness and forgiveness)
• Lian (廉, honesty and cleanness)
• Chi (恥, shame, judge and sense of right and wrong)
• Yong (勇, bravery)
• Wen (溫, kind and gentle)
• Liang (良, good, kindhearted)
• Gong (恭, respectful, reverent)
• Jian(儉, frugal)
• Rang (讓, modestly, self-effacing).

Descriptions of Main ideas

• 仁 Humanity
  • "do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you."
  • 'By nature men are similar; by practice men are wide apart'
  • A ruler lacking it will lose mandate of heaven. But a ruler who reigns with it is to be obeyed strictly for the benevolence of his dominion proves his mandate by heaven.
• 禮 Ritual or secular ceremonial Behavior
  • Routines that people engage in for propriety (understanding one's correct place in society) and politeness of everyday life based on distinguishing between people. (Duty amongst others and what to expect from them)
  • Internalization as main process as formalized behavior becomes internalized, through sincerity, desires are channeled and personal cultivation becomes mark of social correctness.
  • "Respectfulness, without the Rites, becomes laborious bustle; carefulness, without the Rites, become timidity; boldness, without the Rites, becomes insubordination; straightforwardness, without the Rites, becomes rudeness. (Analects VIII, 2))
• 忠 Loyalty
  • Obligations of ruled to ruler, duties to family, spouse and friends.
• 孝 Filial Piety
  • 五倫 The Five Bonds
    • Ruler to Ruled
    • Father to Son
    • Husband to Wife
    • Elder Brother to Younger Brother
    • Friend to Friend
  • Implications to Dead and veneration of ancestors
  • Influence on Legal system
• 君子 The Gentleman
  • cultivate themselves morally;
  • show filial piety and loyalty where these are due;
  • cultivate humanity, or benevolence.
• Rectification of Names
• Governance
• Meritocracy