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Ethics
Espiel, Kyle Jean V.
Wh a t w e ' l l d i s c u s s

Chinese Philosophers

Famous quotation
1.Lao Tzu (6th to 5th century BCE)
The Semi-legendary founder of Taoism. Discouraged
by the immorality of the nobility he served, he retired
from statecraft to live in isolation. Before vanishing
he left a solder with a collection of his thoughts, The
Tao Te Ching. His philosophy advocates naturalness,
the truth of “The Way”, compassion, moderation, and
humility.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is
accomplished.”
2.Confucius (551 - 479 BCE)
It is impossible to talk about the history of China
without talking about Confucius. Working his way up
from a minor government post, he founded the
philosophy of Confucianism and attempted to get
feudal governments to rule more virtuously. He
devised the “Golden Rule” as a principle of morality,
and exemplified his own brand of humanism. His
virtue ethics have been among the most important
ideas in Chinese history.
“Isn’t it a pleasure to study and practice what you
have learned?”
3.Mozi (468 – ca. 391 BCE)
Founder of Mohism, an ancient school of logic and
scientific thought. It stood opposed to both Taoist
metaphysics and Confucian dedication to ritual.
Portions of his thought were eventually absorbed
into both Legalism and Confucianism. He has the
distinction of being the world’s first consequentialist
ethical philosopher.
“Whoever criticizes others must have something to
replace them. Criticism without suggestion is like
trying to stop flood with flood and put out fire with
fire. It will surely be without worth.”
4.Shang Yang (390–338 BCE)
Statesman, architect of the Qin State, political
theorist, and founder of the school of Legalism; a
philosophy that ignores morality and the ideal
society in favor of a pure interest in how the law can
be carried out for the sake of stability. After
enacting his changes to the Qin state and
overseeing its rapid increase in power, he was
assassinated by Qin nobles whose power he was
jeopardizing with his commitments to meritocracy
and centralization.
“The reality of human beings is that they have things
they love and things they hate; therefore they can
be governed.”
5.Mencius (372-289 BCE)
The most famous Confucian thinker after Confucius
himself. He expanded on ideas not yet developed in
Confucianism, such as the basic goodness of human
nature, and was better able to convince the nobility
of the wisdom of his thinking than Confucius was. He
proposed an early version of the social contract
legitimizing revolution against poor leaders. His chief
work, The Mencius, is regarded as a key work in Neo-
Confucian thought.
“He who exerts his mind to the utmost knows his
nature.”
6.Zhang Heng (78–139 CE)
Polymath in the employ of the Han Dynasty. Inventor
of the seismometer (a copy of which is shown
above), a south pointing compass, the odometer,
and a water powered model of the cosmos.
Presented a more accurate, and defensible, value
for pi than the Chinese had before. His astronomical
observations lead to the documentation of 2,500
stars.
“The Sun is like fire and the Moon like water. The fire
gives out light and the water reflects it. Thus the
moon’s brightness is produced from the radiance of
the Sun, and the Moon’s darkness is due to the sun
being obstructed.”
7.Huineng (638–713 CE)
The sixth and final patriarch of Chan Buddhism.
While never literate, he was the author of the
Platform Sutra, the only sutra composed by a
Chinese Buddhist. His students would go on to form
several schools of what is now Chan and Zen
Buddhism. All modern schools of Zen trace their
lineage to him, and owe a debt to his ideas on
enlightenment,practice, and “without-thinking”. The
above photograph is of his mummy.
“One flash of wisdom destroys ten thousand years of
ignorance.”
8.Zhu Xi (1130–1200 CE)
One of the principle founders of Neo-Confucianism,
which blended traditional Confucian ideas with
Buddhist and Taoist influences. He paid less
attention to the source material for Confucius, and
more attention to the Four Books written by
Confucius’ and his disciples; which became the new
canon. His commentaries on Confucius were the
official basis for imperial exams for six hundred
years. He was also a noted calligrapher.
“If only to know but not to act, it is tantamount to
ignorance.“
9.Mao Zedong (1893-1976 CE)
Leader of the Communist Party of China and
Chairman of the People’s Republic. He was the
author of the most published book of all time, a
collection of his quotations. His philosophy, known as
Maoism, expanded on Marxist-Leninist ideas to make
them more applicable to a semi-feudal, semi-
colonial, agricultural society. He is revered as a God
by many people today.
“A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an
essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery. It
cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so
temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and
magnanimous.”
10.Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997 CE)
A successor to Mao, and the mind behind the system
known as “Deng Xiaoping Theory”. His chief
contributions to Chinese Communism include the
idea of “Two systems, one Country”, “Socialism with
Chinese Characteristics” and the opening up
policies enacted in the late 1970’s. He is often
credited with jump starting China’s modern,
meteoric, economic growth.
“A basic contradiction between socialism and the
market economy does not exist.”
Thank You
for listening!