ASIA 1311: Critical Review Assignment on East Asian Religions

Verified

Added on  2023/04/21

|4
|778
|238
Report
AI Summary
This report critically analyzes Chuang Tzu's philosophy within the context of East Asian religions, specifically focusing on Taoism. The report begins by establishing the thesis and scope of Chuang Tzu's work, identifying Taoism as a mystical philosophy emphasizing the illusory nature of reality. It explores Chuang Tzu's ideas through fables and allegories, highlighting the concept of perception in everyday existence. The critical evaluation section examines the holy man as defined by Chuang Tzu, contrasting his views with those of thinkers like Mencius and Hsun Tzu. The report discusses characters like Shu-shan No-Toes and his encounters with brutality, as well as the concept of undifferentiated wholeness. The analysis references scholarly sources to support its claims, providing a comprehensive overview of Chuang Tzu's contributions to East Asian religious thought. The report fulfills the assignment requirements of a critical review with footnotes/endnotes and a bibliography.
Document Page
RUNNING HEAD: Religion of East Asia 0
Religion of East Asia
tabler-icon-diamond-filled.svg

Paraphrase This Document

Need a fresh take? Get an instant paraphrase of this document with our AI Paraphraser
Document Page
Religion of East Asia 1
Thesis and Scope of the excerpt
Chuang Tzu is identified as one of the most substantial and paradoxical philosophers
of Taoism. Taoism is a mystical philosophy which represents reality as an illusion shaped by
substantially shifting appearances. Taoism is a fundamental trait of Chinese thinking and the
Chinese outlook towards life and society. Chuang presented his ideas in an assortment of
short fables and allegories known as Chuang Tzu. Chuang induced a vision of perception
found in every crack of ordinary existence. This vision can be detained in the natural world
through ears and eyes. If it is considered that nothing is known of the life of Chuang Tzu’s
except his name was Chou and was a contemporary of Mencius. Chuang was a holy man and
the one who left the human realm behind the celestial journeys, astride on clouds and
dragons.
Critical Evaluation
In the “free and Easy Wandering”, Chuang defines the holy man. It is released by five
relationships and not involved in the government service like persons do not eat the millet
and grain conferred by Hou Chi. Add on; these are free from both labors and ritual
requirements of the material sphere in the agricultural society. The powers curtail from the
expansion of nonmaterial forces which never benefits society. Such spirits like people are
Mencius meant by sages who were sage like beyond all the consideration. The figures alike
Chuang Tzu appeared habitually as a holy man throughout the spiritual literature of China.
Hzun Tza made sure to the people that strange cries of trees were nothing of the basis
for alarm but hears them in the piping of heaven and earth give the identity of each thing. The
movements recollect the curative breaths of day and night on Mencius’s Ox Mountain. As per
Chuang, trees not only cry but talk and interconnect true values to human beings. The
carpenters also reject the wood due to the pit oak at the village shrine1. Hsun Tzu also hazes
and straightens it and appeared in the dream of Shih who is a carpenter to expose the
1 Cai, Z. (2017). New Paraphrase of Chuang Tzu. Scientific Research Publishing, Inc.
USA.
Document Page
Religion of East Asia 2
usefulness of being usefulness. The persons who show themselves useful for government
service, dangers of intrigue and better to be useful to themselves and others.
Chuang is also colonized with fictional characters like Shu-shan No-Toes. He was an
outcast who suffered retributive punishments levied by the legal system. On the other side,
thinkers like Hsun Tzu provided ritual and education as the curb participatory measures to
potential violence. He also provided no support for the actual victims2. Shu-shan No-Toes’s
peculiar encounter with brutality has given vision into what is more valuable than a foot.
Mencius was considered more appreciated than life itself. Shu-shan becomes disillusioned in
the imaginary encounter with the Confucius. Confucius is till manacled by a limited
perspective and has been punished by heaven.
The undifferentiated wholeness as the vision of Chuang Tzu is incarnated by the
character of Hun-tun. The values of Chuang Tzu polish the refined culture imparted by
Confucius. Chuang Tzu is also identified as Chuang Chou and perceived that undifferentiated
wholeness experiences constant transformations. He is not amazed to find himself converted
into a butterfly in a dream where he is incapable to distinguish between own identity and that
of a butterfly.
2 Luo, J., Ding, Y., Ming, X., Lu, K., & Yu, X. (2018, November). The Application of
Taoism Culture in the Sichuan Bonsai. In International Conference on Contemporary
Education, Social Sciences and Ecological Studies (CESSES 2018). Atlantis Press.
Document Page
Religion of East Asia 3
References
Cai, Z. (2017). New Paraphrase of Chuang Tzu. Scientific Research Publishing, Inc. USA.
Luo, J., Ding, Y., Ming, X., Lu, K., & Yu, X. (2018, November). The Application of Taoism
Culture in the Sichuan Bonsai. In International Conference on Contemporary
Education, Social Sciences and Ecological Studies (CESSES 2018). Atlantis Press.
chevron_up_icon
1 out of 4
circle_padding
hide_on_mobile
zoom_out_icon
[object Object]