The Chinese tradition of thought over the years has become known as philosophy. Often traced back to the Yi Jing (the Book of Changes), an ancient compendium of divination, Chinese philosophy has a history of several thousand years, and still show its influence in today’s world.

Throughout the ages, the central focus of Chinese philosophy has been a practical concern with man and society, how best to organize society, and how to live an ideal life. Ethics and political philosophy have often taken precedence over metaphysics and epistemology.

Another characteristic of Chinese philosophy has been reflections on nature

and the self, which has contributed the development of themes like unity between man and Heaven, the place of man in the cosmic order, and the explanations of differentiation and change.

How has Chinese philosophy evolved throughout history?

The origins of Chinese philosophy are often traced back to the Yi Jing (the Book of Changes), which is attributed to King Wen of Zhou (1099–1050 BCE) .The Book of Changes evolved in stages over the next eight centuries, but the first recorded reference is in 672 BCE.

China in the Zhou Dynasty, however these thoughts began to collapse during the Qin Dynasty, where during this time Legalism was the dominant thought. According to official records of the Han Dynasty, there are as many as 189 different schools of thoughts at the time, making that period the pinnacle of Chinese philosophy.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), Confucian moral concepts and values waned; and, society experienced major turbulence. Philosophers at the time used metaphysical discussions on the interrelation between Confucianism and Taoism to explain a number of important topics like the relationship between Confucianism and nature.

From the Tang to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the Han people blended with other ethnic group ands traditional values suffered from disorder. The Confucian school of idealist philosophers endeavored to re-establish a spiritual world for the people in the Song Dynasty, with their efforts to integrate Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism.

At the juncture of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1644), a generation of scholars chose secluded lives in the mountains and temples after the Manchu Ethnic Group seized power. They sorted out a traditional system with rules, they also criticized and meditated on traditional culture.

What are the main schools of thought?

Four particularly influential schools of philosophy emerged during the classic period of Chinese philosophy, which began around 500 B.C.E.: Confucianism, Daoism (often spelled "Taoism"), Mohism and Legalism.

Confucianism

Confucianism is a philosophical school developed from the teachings of the sage Confucius (Kongzi 孔子, 551 – 479 BCE), collected in the Analects of Confucius. It is a complex system of moral, social, political, and religious thought which has had tremendous influence on the history of Chinese civilization. Some scholars consider it to have been the "state religion" of imperial China. Confucian ideas were very influential in shaping the Chinese culture and state of China.

he major Confucian concepts include humanity, rectification of names, loyalty, filial

Tpiety, and ritual. The Confucian idea of "Rid of the two ends, take the middle" is a way of reconciling opposites, arriving at some middle ground combining the best of both. Subsequent sage Mencius (fourth century B.C.E.) believed that human beings have inherent virtue which they must cultivate in order to become “good.” While Hsün Tzü regarded human nature as inherently evil, requiring self-discipline and self-cultivation in order to be transformed into virtue.

Daoism

Daoism (Taoism) is a philosophical school based on the texts the Tao Te Ching (ascribed to Laozi) and the Zhuangzi. Rooted in folk, Daoism is also a family of organized Chinese religious movements such as the Zhengyi ("Orthodoxy") or Quanzhen ("complete reality") sects, which collectively trace back to Zhang Daoling in the late Han Dynasty.

This advocated nonaction (wu wei), which is the strength of softness, spontaneity, and relativism. Although it serves as a rival to Confucianism, a school of active morality, this rivalry is compromised and given perspective by the idiom "practice Confucianism on the outside, Taoism on the inside." Most of Taoism's focus is on what is perceived to be the undeniable fact that human attempt to make the world better, actually make the world worse, therefore it is better to strive for harmony. The goal of life for a Taoist is to cultivate a mystical relationship to the Tao. Adherents therefore avoid dispersing their energies through the pursuit of wealth, power, or knowledge. By shunning every earthly distraction, the Taoist is able to concentrate on life itself. The longer the adherent's life, the more saintly the person is presumed to have become. Eventually the hope is to become immortal.

Legalism

Legalism had its origins in the ideas of Chinese philosopher Xun Zi (310 – 237 B.C.E.), who thought that ethical norms were necessary to control man’s inherently evil tendencies. Han Fei (280 – 233 B.C.E.) developed this concept into a totalitarian pragmatic political philosophy based on the principle that man seeks to avoid punishment while achieving gain. With an essential principle like "when the epoch changed, the ways changed", it upholds the rule of law and is thus a theory of jurisprudence.

Fa (法 fǎ): law or principle, Shu (術(shù) shù): method, tactic or art, Shi (勢(shì) shì): legitimacy, power or charisma compose the basis of the governance of a ruler. Law must severely punish any unwanted action, and reward anyone who followed it. Legalism was chosen as the philosophy of the Qin Dynasty (221 – 206 B.C.E.) the first united period of China. Its main motto is: "Set clear strict laws, or deliver harsh punishment".

Buddhism

Originated in India, Buddhism had the greatest impact on China. It is believed that Buddhism was imported to China during the period between the end of Former Han Dynasty and the beginning of Later Han Dynasty; more than three hundred years later during the Eastern Jìn Dynasty (317-420) it underwent an explosive growth in popularity. The prevailing disorders, aggravated by barbarian invasions and the flight of northern Chinese to the south, heightened the attraction of Buddhism with its promise of personal salvation, despite its lack of affinity with the society-oriented thought of the Chinese. The Buddha taught that

desires are the source of pain, and that by overcoming desires, pain can be eliminated. To this end, he advocated meditation and pursuing of the Eightfold Path. The objective was to reach Nirvana, the condition of serenity of spirit, where all cravings, strife, and pain have been overcome, giving way to a merging of the spirit with eternal harmony.

What are the main concepts of Chinese philosophy?

Among the terms commonly found in Chinese philosophy are:
Dao (the Way, or one's doctrine)
De (virtue, power)
Li (principle)
Qi (vital energy or material force)

The Taiji (Great Heavenly Axis) forms a unity, from which two antagonistic concepts, Yin and Yang originate. The word Yin originally referred to a hillside against the sun and philosophically, stands for the gloomy, passive, female concept. Yang (the hillside facing the sun) stands for the bright, active, male concept.

What are the features of Chinese philosophy?

Chinese philosophy is epistemologically optimistic believing that the big questions can be answered even if the answers are not currently known.

Chinese philosophy has the tendency to view man and nature as one, and not to invoke a unified and personified supernatural power as the Western philosophy does.