Chinese Shih Poetry and Philos Essay

Since the beginning of time, man has sought to explain the world around him. This is called philosophy, a Greek word which means â€Å"love of wisdom. † However, over the millennia it has come to mean much more. The philosophies of the ancient Chinese people, whether they explain nature or present ways to live a just life, became so complex that simple prose could not suitably express their meaning. Yet paradoxically, the simpler, less exact form of poetry does put forth the ideas. Nowhere is this more exemplified than in the literature pertaining to the two major schools of ancient Chinese thought; Taoism and Confucianism. Poets such as Tu Fu and Po Chu-i expressed the ideas of Taoism and Confucianism, respectively, while their fellow poet T’ao Ch’ien expressed both, through their poetry. Confucianism is based on the ideas of Confucius, the man who gave the school of thought its name. The main goal of Confucianists was to return a gentlemanly society to China. The core of Confucianism concerned social structure. Confucius taught that a man should respect and obey those of higher rank than himself, whether they be the father of a family, or the emperor of a nation. But even with absolute obedience, Confucianists believed that men should practice restraint and benevolence in those inferior to them. At the same time, those in high status were expected to lead virtuous lives, and to set examples for those that followed them. Confucianists believed that the moral code of man was set down by heaven, and if those in positions of authority did not set good examples, then they would deposed by the forces of heaven. One of the first great Chinese poets to write of Confucianism was T’ao Ch’ien. T’ao Ch’ien’s poem Substance, Shadow, and Spirit shows a comparison between Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and the views on life and death of each. A clear example of Confucian beliefs can be taken from this poem. He states, â€Å"Let us strive and labor while yet we may / To do some deed that men will praise. † This clearly demonstrates the fact that Confucianists do not believe in reincarnation. Also, in his Poem on Returning to Dwell in the Country, T’ao Ch’ien writes, â€Å"In the same world men lead different lives; / Some at the court, some in the marketplace. † These lines illustrate that for every man there is a place in an organized Confucian society. Taoism, along with Confucianism, is one of the most ancient ideas in Chinese philosophy. The first known Taoist master was the ancient figure Lao Tzu. Perplexed by Chinese politics in his day, Lao Tzu planned to leave Chinese society for the wilderness of western China. But, before he could do this, he was stopped by a man who asked him to write down all of his ideas and beliefs. The result was the Tao Te Ching, or the Book of the Virtue of the Way. The book set forth the basic ideas of Taoism; that is, following the Tao, or the Way. The main goal of Taoists was to live in harmony with the natural world around them, and to rid themselves of materialistic desires. The primary concern for Taoists like Lao Tzu was to understand the way of the world, and to use that knowledge for self-preservation. One of the greatest poets in Chinese history to demonstrate Taoism in his poetry was Tu Fu. One example can be found in the poem that he Sent to Li Po as a Gift. At the end of the poem, he closes his message to Li Po this way, â€Å"Your days pass in emptiness, / Your nature is a spreading fire, / It is swift and strenuous. / But what does all this bravery amount to? † This shows a Taoist idea that man should not put too much effort into life, and should simply follow where fate leads. Tu Fu is telling his friend that he lives in simplicity, yet he lives in excess of those simple things; something that Taoist should not do. Loneliness is another poem where Tu Fu shows his Taoist beliefs. The eighth line reads, â€Å"The processes of nature resemble the business of men. † This shows that the Way of nature is ever present all through the universe, even in the business of man. This even goes back to Lao Tzu, who felt that one could use Taoism to rule a just and ordered government. Centuries after T’ao Ch’ien wrote his poems on Confucianism, Po Chu-i added his take on the ancient philosophy. Unlike other Chinese poets, Po Chu-i was very realistic, and very direct; writing not about landscapes and mountain peaks, but about the normal experiences of life. For instance, Sick Leave, demonstrates Confucianism in that the speaker shows utter dedication to his position; enough to work himself to illness. The speaker, even after becoming sick from overwork, regrets that he cannot be working. Last Poem shows examples of Confucianist relationships. For instance, the speaker’s grandchildren read him a book; a task they do out of respect and love for their grandfather. Also, his servants show their respect to their master by heating his soup. Finally, the speaker shows his regard for the relationships with his friends by frantically replying to their letters. Besides being open minded to the ideas of Confucianism and Buddhism, T’ao Ch’ien was also an ardent Taoist. His Taoist poetry about attaining tranquillity and serenity are at great contrast with the world around him, which was full of chaos and turmoil. In the final section of the poem Substance, Shadow, and Spirit he discusses the Taoist view, which is that one should not worry about death, but should â€Å"go where Fate leads ? Drift on the Stream of Infinite Flux† and â€Å"make as little fuss as you can,† when death finally comes. His Poem on Returning to Dwell in the County also shows Taoist ideas on simplicity, and following the way of nature. Passages such as â€Å"Long I have loved to stroll among the hills and marshes, / And take my pleasure roaming the woods and fields,† demonstrate the Taoist love for nature. Poets such as Po Chu-i presented the ideas of in a form that better impacted the common man, and carried their ideas crystal clear to the intellectuals. His fellow poets, T’ao Ch’ien and Tu Fu presented images of nature so intense, that the reader could gain a sense of calm from reading their poems. These poems have passed the test of time, and have not weathered the slightest. The followers of these schools were gifted enough to state their beliefs in poetry so vivid that they still enlighten lovers of wisdom today.

Historical Development of Labour Law

The origins of labour law can be traced back to the remote past and the most varied parts of the world. While European writers often attach importance to the guilds and apprenticeship systems of the medieval world, some Asian scholars have identified labour standards as far back as the Laws of Hammurabi and rules for labour–management relations in the Laws of Manu; Latin-American authors point to the Laws of the Indies promulgated by Spain in the 17th century for its New World territories. None of these can be regarded as more than anticipations, with only limited influence on subsequent developments. Labour law as it is known today is essentially the child of successive industrial revolutions from the 18th century onward. It became necessary when customary restraints and the intimacy of employment relationships in small communities ceased to provide adequate protection against the abuses incidental to new forms of mining and manufacture on a rapidly increasing scale at precisely the time when the 18th-century Enlightenment, the French Revolution, and the political forces that they set in motion were creating the elements of the modern social conscience. It developed rather slowly, chiefly in the more industrialized countries of western Europe, during the 19th century and has attained its present importance, relative maturity, and worldwide acceptance only during the 20th century. The first landmark of modern labour law was the British Health and Morals of Apprentices Act of 1802, sponsored by the elder Sir Robert Peel. Similar legislation for the protection of the young was adopted in Zurich in 1815 and in France in 1841. By 1848 the first legal limitation of the working hours of adults was adopted by the Landsgemeinde (citizens’ assembly) of the Swiss canton of Glarus. Sickness insurance and workmen’s compensation were pioneered by Germany in 1883 and 1884, and compulsory arbitration in industrial disputes was introduced in New Zealand in the 1890s. The progress of labour legislation outside western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand was slow until after World War I. The more industrialized states of the United States began to enact such legislation toward the end of the 19th century, but the bulk of the present labour legislation of the United States was not adopted until after the Depression of the 1930s. There was virtually no labour legislation in Russia prior to the October Revolution of 1917. In India children between the ages of seven and 12 were limited to nine hours of work per day in 1881 and adult males in textile mills to 10 hours per day in 1911, but the first major advance was the amendment of the Factory Act in 1922 to give effect to conventions adopted at the first session of the International Labour Conference at Washington, D. C. , in 1919. In Japan rudimentary regulations on work in mines were introduced in 1890, but a proposed factory act was controversial for 30 years before it was adopted in 1911, and the decisive step was the revision of this act in 1923 to give effect to the Washington Convention on hours of work in industry. Labour legislation in Latin America began in Argentina in the early years of the century and received a powerful impetus from the Mexican Revolution, which ended in 1917, but, as in North America, the trend became general only with the impact of the Great Depression. In Africa the progress of labour legislation became significant only from the 1940s onward. The legal recognition of the right of association for trade union purposes has a distinctive history. There is no other aspect of labour law in which successive phases of progress and regression have been more decisively influenced by political changes and considerations. The legal prohibition of such association was repealed in the United Kingdom in 1824 and in France in 1884; there have been many subsequent changes in the law and may well be further changes, but these have related to matters of detail rather than to fundamental principles. In the United States freedom of association for trade union purposes remained precarious and subject to the unpredictable scope of the labour injunction, by means of which the courts helped restrain trade union activity until the 1930s. The breakthrough for trade unionism and collective bargaining was achieved by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. In many other countries the record of progress and regression with respect to freedom of association falls into clearly distinguished periods separated by decisive political changes. This has certainly been the case with Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, and much of eastern Europe; there have been many illustrations of it, and there may well be more in the developing world. Labour codes or other forms of comprehensive labour legislation and inistries of labour were not introduced until the 20th century. The first labour code (which, like many of its successors, was a consolidation rather than a codification) was projected in France in 1901 and promulgated in stages from 1910 to 1927. Among the more advanced formulations affecting the general condition of labour were the Mexican Constitution of 1917 and the Weimar Constitution of Germany of 1919, both of which gave constitutional status to certain general principles of social policy regarding economic rights. Provisions of this kind have become increasingly common and are now widespread in all parts of the world. Departments or ministries of labour responsible for the effective administration of labour legislation and for promoting its future development were established in Canada in 1900, in France in 1906, in the United States in 1913, in the United Kingdom in 1916, and in Germany in 1918. They became general in Europe and were established in India and Japan during the following years and became common in Latin America in the ’30s. A labour office was established in Egypt in 1930, but only in the ’40s and ’50s did similar arrangements begin to take root elsewhere in Asia and Africa. Under differing political circumstances there continue, of course, to be wide variations in the authority and effectiveness of such administrative machinery.

Intercultural Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Intercultural - Essay Example Interviewee: There are a lot of festivals in Russia but let me single out Maslenitsa. This is the pure Russian holiday which refers you back to the times of pagan. It is celebratory pre-Lenten tradition of Russia and habitually referred to as the pancake week. Every day of pancake week has a customary activity. Kids make themselves busy by playing games while the elders cook huge stacks of pancakes. The festival also consists of snowball fights, riding on swings, masquerades, sledding, and sleigh rides. In the festival, image of Maslenitsa is also burnt to usher in spring and return of the sun. Interviewee: Yes, I do enjoy life in America a lot. Things are just wonderful here. The most attractive part is that America has many diverse groups of people who live happily with one another and they have the right to condemn what is going wrong in government. Interviewee: Americans prefer more personal space as opposed to Russians. Russians like "close talkers" and they cannot move away when you are conversing, you can close in on Russians. Repeating "Im sorry" can make you appear untrusted in Russian culture. Just apologize once and then let actions show you mean it. This is not the case in

The Different Sources of Law in England and Wales Essay

The Different Sources of Law in England and Wales - Essay Example Judges create common law by delivering written judgments on the cases that have been brought before them. If magistrates’ courts across both Wales and England were to be allowed to follow and make their own precedents, this would have the effect of creating relatively huge variations in both the regional and local legal customs in the two countries (Gearey, Morrison and Jago, 2013). The common law works to ensure that the law remains common throughout the land. However, it is the responsibility of the House of Lords and the criminal division of the Court of Appeal to create legal precedents in relation to criminal matters affecting Wales and England. It is the decision that is made by these higher courts that works to bind the lower courts.  At times, new situations occur that are found to be entirely new in relation to common law. In such instances, courts in England and Wales can sometimes opt to look aboard at the decisions of the courts made in other commonwealth countri es in order to seek the necessary guidance or from them. This allows for common law systems to have a degree of flexibility and stability as they continue to look to each other for guidance (Gearey, Morrison and Jago, 2013).Statute Law and Common Law Interaction  Although the English legal system is primarily founded n common law, this does not necessarily mean that statutes are any less binding. In fact, the relationship between statute and common law is that that statute law codifies certain rules whereas the common law serves to provide clarification.

Reality Show Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reality Show - Personal Statement Example From acting to production, from camera-handling to costumes, the television industry is on the swell, attracting numerous individuals with employment opportunities. And who would not love to be a part of the whole glitz and glamour! Of course, I am no exception to this. If given the opportunity to become part of the television industry and conceptualize my own television reality show, I would ensure that my show contains all the ingredients required for a super hit show. Reality shows are television shows that usually involve hosts, judges and participants. The show evolves by the participation and judgment of the participants' abilities that are tested during the event of the show, by the judges. The participants could be the general public or even celebrities. The host is usually a well-spoken, attentive and interactive person, who knows how to make the participants feel at home, while also talking about their talents and capabilities. He acts as the link between the participants and judges, as also between the viewers and the people on the show! The

Deciphering Yoko Ono's Artworks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Deciphering Yoko Ono's Artworks - Essay Example The essay "Deciphering Yoko Ono's Artworks" explains the artworks of Yoko Ono. One of Yoko Ono’s works that testifies to her use of conceptual art is that of the ceiling painting which is shown in Figure 1. The artwork consists of text on paper, glass, metal frame, metal chain, magnifying glass and painted ladder. In this well-known Ceiling Piece (1966), the seeker’s journey up a ladder is rewarded with a benevolent "yes." Yet the word can’t be easily read. A magnifying glass hanging nearby must be used, reminding the viewer that it is their desire to know and see that carried them to this moment of affirmation. There is not so much subtlety in the Line element besides from the fact that the words were written so as to produce the desired effect of curious thinking. The simplicity of the shape, a three dimensional ladder, induces the mind as it makes the viewer wander about where the ladder is leading to. Its effect is that it arouses curiosity and such is the wa y to make others view your work. When it comes to texture, the artwork seems to suggest of the smooth transition as the viewer climbs the stairs. We see that when it comes to space, there is that little space where the ladder is focused. There is no boundary for the negative space and it is this vastness that the viewer is attracted to the artwork. We see that the stairs were highlighted. The contrast between the ladder and its surrounding serves to further emphasize that this ladder is not just an ordinary ladder but something more. That placement of the common ladder makes it so conspicuous that someone passing by would be interested in taking a glance at the artwork. The lightness value of the way the ladder was emphasized somehow gave it a glint of mystery which made it more mysterious to behold. After having read the words yes with the magnifying glass, the whole work achieves harmony with the viewer as he now feels the aura of mysteriousness and the sense of fulfillment. Perha ps the movement in the artwork is the climbing of the stairs, usage of the magnifying glass and reading the words. Each movement leads the viewer more to the essence of the artwork and makes him internalize the meaning of what he has just experienced. I could not agree more with what Bowen (2003) tells us that Ono "Ceiling Piece encourages us to ponder where we're heading..emphasizing the visual nature of this quest by linking spiritual affirmation to the seeker's curious gaze. On the other hand, what is finally found is a word, not an image. This substitution makes the mental nature of vision apparent." Another work of art of Ono is the invitation to her exhibit This is Not Here (1971). The invitations were written on partially fixed then folded photographic paper. When the invitation was opened and exposed to the light, the image imprinted disappeared. Instead, what was left was Onos name and telephone number. The recipient was left with a blank sheet of paper and an afterimage of its contents. The feeling of being puzzled and awe was for Ono what art should be and that is "wonderment". This use of photographs, as she called it, is "a tool with which to picture our world, mediate our desires, fulfill our goals, and yet it too exists in flux, perpetually afloat and ridden with life". The question that now faces us is how to delineate the elements of art in this work. Can we consider the lines that gave semblance to the imprints as having some artistic

Discussion 8 part B Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion 8 part B - Essay Example sattva of Compassion’, the figure is claimed to have been sculpted using a special technique called ‘yosegi’ which gave most creation of the era, 794-1185 AD, its distinct characteristic, chiefly made of wood carved into form out of the several fragments of wood. The assembly when examined in detail, may be observed to have been artfully crafted by a number of specialists or artisans with the finest skills. Such endeavor justify how this particular bodhisattva could, in a way or another, reflect the prevailing theme at the time in which Japan took pride in its genius through the fields of religion, philosophy, art, and rich literature. Though the ‘Eleven-Headed Bodhisattva of Compassion’ primarily consists of wood, the sophisticated carvings and the countenance which appears to possess a blend of gold and bronze external coating, aimed to bring about a wholly essential color, suggests subtle prominence while depicting the purpose of identifying a bodhisattva by nature. The smooth lines of the sculpture were fashioned such that the strokes exude a character with humble gesture, one with which no trace of rigidity can be detected. In the absence of conspicuous edges in its shape all throughout, the eleven-headed Kannon may be readily claimed to have been so intentionally brought to the gentlest of forms so as to align the overall look of the structure with the attribute or definition the ‘Eleven-Headed Bodhisattva of Compassion’ is. With the manner it was rendered through carving, it occurs naturally deserving of an equivalent sentiment apart form all anxieties as it effortlessly projects a n image of pure and complete tranquility. A sound critic may truthfully infer that the eleven-headed Kannon was created by an author whose hands well communicated with the mind that synergistically functioned with the heart by virtue of passion and wisdom which entailed total discernment of his work. Knowing the essence of a bodhisattva, which is substantiated in