Ancient Chinese Philosophies
Jennifer Reynolds -- Portola Middle School
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Picture of Confucious
CA Standards:
  • 6.6 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of China.
  • Know about the life of Confucius and the fundamental teachings of Confucianism and Taoism.
  • Identify the political and cultural problems prevalent in the time of Confucius and how he sought to solve them.
  • List the policies and achievements of the emperor Shi Huangdi in unifying northern China under the Qin Dynasty.
  • Describe the diffusion of Buddhism northward to China during the Han Dynasty.
What Students Should Know:
Confucianism, Legalism, Daoism, and Buddhism
          Above: Confucius
    Confucian Founder/Thinker
Picture of Laozi
Confucianism and Daoism are explicitly stated in the standards as a "teaching" or philosophy.  However, there are other ideas that students should know which can be taught in a grouping in order to relate them to one another. 
While legalism is not explicitly mentioned in the standards as an idea, it is an important aspect of Shi Huangdi's reign of China.  Shi Huangdi is in the standards, as are his policies and acheivements.  Therefore, the Legalist ideas that Shi Huangdi followed are best taught here. 
           Above: Laozi
     Picture of Qin Shi Huangdi      Daoist Thinker      

Buddhism is something the students are also supposed to learn about.  It is prevelant in the India standards, however, it is also applicable to China.  While the standard under China calls for students to understand how Buddhism was diffused toward and into China.  This means students must understand the ideas of Buddhism, which can be taught again in this section.  It fits well, and repeating ideas, as you know, make them easier for students to retain.
      Above: Qin Shi Huangdi
       Legalist Implementer
A Chinese T'ang Buddha Statue
The idea I used for this lesson is adapted from a lesson by Mr. Donn.  The link is below and in the links section. 
  • First I had students read about all the different ideas.  You may or may not want to modify these Mr. Donn versions for your class reading level.  My reading handout is more in depth and taken from the History Alive!  Textbook. And then modified a little to be more easily read and concise. 
     Above: Chinese Buddha Statue
         Founder of Buddhism
My modifications:
  • To make the questions into my own worksheet.   I added a final "philosophy", the students' philosophy.  I encouraged them to make up a name for it too.  I believe one was called "Bobism", and no, niether student was named Bob. 
  • The students work in pairs for 20 minutes of classtime for two days. 
  • Students were given more classtime to set up a mini play for each of the ideas for one assigned scenario, no longer than two minutes, of the scenario assigned.
  • I then surprised them with which idea to act out in front of the class.
I assessed the students on the accuracy of their play and on their worksheets being completed and correct.