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The religions of China: Confucianism and Taoism described and compared with Christianity
The religions of China Confucianism and Taoism described and compared with Christianity Author:James Legge L — The meaning in these Lectures of the — name Confucianism. — I. THE first thing to be done in these Lectures — is to give an account of Confucianism, and — I must define at the outset in what sense I wish — that term to be understood. No name current — among men is more fully historical than that of — Confucius. Ve knov the years, and the months, — an... more »d the days of the months, in which he vas born
and died. Ve see him moving on the stage of
his country for between seventy and eighty
years in the sixth and fifth centuries before our
Christian era. But the religion of China does
not date only from his time. It has been said,
indeed, but incautiously, that" without Confucius,
China had been without a native religion."1
The sage, no doubt, helped to preserve the
ancient religion of his country, and it may be
said that it took some tinge through him from
his own character and views; but more than
l " Studies in the Philosophy of Religion and History."
A. M. Fairbairn. Page
Table of Contents
CONTENTS; LECTURE I; CONFUCIANISM; I'Ileaning in these lectures of the name ConfttcianismError; of not regarding Confucius as a rcligiou~; teacher-The earliest thoughts on religion of the; Chinese to be sought in their primitive written; characters-Primitive for heaven or the sky-For; the name God-For spirits and spiritual thingsFor; the idea of manifestation or revelation-For the; spirits or manes of departed men-Three primitives; relating to divination-Results derived from the; primitive characters and further method of treat in!:; the subject-The old religion of China was not; merely animistic, with a fetishist tendency-Views; of Professor Tiele-Wh« less