Chinese Philosophy

Chinese philosophy
Yin and Yang symbol with the bagua symbols paved in a clearing outside of Nanning City, Guangxi province, China.
Traditional Chinese	中國哲學
Simplified Chinese	中国哲学
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngguó zhéxué Gwoyeu Romatzyh Jonggwo jershyue Wade–Giles Chung-kuo che-hsüeh Wu Romanization Tson-kueʔ tseʔ-ghoʔ Hakka Romanization Zung1-get5 ziet5-hok6 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Jūng-gwok jit-hohk Jyutping Zung1-gwok3 zit3-hok6 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Tiong-kok tiat-ha̍k

Chinese philosophy originates in the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period, during a period known as the "Hundred Schools of Thought", which was characterized by significant intellectual and cultural developments. Although much of Chinese philosophy begins in the Warring States period, elements of Chinese philosophy have existed for several thousand years; some can be found in the Yi Jing (the Book of Changes), an ancient compendium of divination, which dates back to at least 672 BCE. It was during the Warring States era that what Sima Tan termed the major philosophical schools of China, Confucianism, Legalism, and Daoism, arose, along with philosophies that later fell into obscurity, like Agriculturalism, Mohism, Chinese Naturalism, and the Logicians.

Early Shang Dynasty thought was based upon cycles. This notion stems from what the people of the Shang Dynasty could observe around them: day and night cycled, the seasons progressed again and again, and even the moon waxed and waned until it waxed again. Thus, this notion, which remained relevant throughout Chinese history, reflects the order of nature. In juxtaposition, it also marks a fundamental distinction from western philosophy, in which the dominant view of time is a linear progression. During the Shang, fate could be manipulated by great deities, commonly translated as gods.Ancestor worship was present and universally recognized. There was also human and animal sacrifice.