Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction: The diversity and dynamism of Chinese philosophies on leadership
- Part I The Confucian foundations
- Part II Alternative traditional Chinese leadership philosophies
- Part III Modern Chinese leadership theories and practices
- Index
- References
Introduction: The diversity and dynamism of Chinese philosophies on leadership
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 May 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction: The diversity and dynamism of Chinese philosophies on leadership
- Part I The Confucian foundations
- Part II Alternative traditional Chinese leadership philosophies
- Part III Modern Chinese leadership theories and practices
- Index
- References
Summary
Over 8000 years ago, the fundamental religious belief in China was a form of shamanism (Lee and Wang, 2007; Xu,1991; Yuan, 1988). Shamanism is the spiritual belief or practice of a shaman who can connect the inner world with the outer world, the body with the soul, and the living with the dead. As time went on, Confucianism and Daoism developed out of shamanism as two of the fundamental Chinese belief systems and these have affected Chinese behavior and thinking almost on a daily basis for thousands of years (see Hsu, 1981). When the formerly subordinate states of the Zhou dynasty (841–256 BCE) began to break away to create competing states, chaotic political and social changes ravaged China. Accompanying these social and political changes were many schools of thoughts, including Confucianism (Chapters 1 and 2), Daoism (Chapter 3), Legalism (Chapter 4), and the school of military arts philosophy (Chapter 5), known in history as the “100 Schools of Thought” (see Table I.1). Each school (jia) was headed by its own master or masters (zi), and had academics and disciples to study, teach, and propagate their respective philosophical and ideological perspectives and views. These masters contested to offer advice, primarily to rulers, on expanding powers and restoring peace and order to society. It was common for rulers or leaders to receive scholars or advisors from different schools and hear their debates on ways of governing.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Leadership and Management in ChinaPhilosophies, Theories, and Practices, pp. 1 - 28Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008
References
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