Taoism Vs Confucism

Taoism is an ancient Chinese religion dating back to the sixth century. The basic foundation of Taoism is a life philosophy and method

Taoism also spelled Daoism and Confucianism are both ancient religions of Chinese, as well as their style of living. Taoism is known to be a philosophical as well as a religious tradition that started in China in 400 B.C., but most of the central ideas, as well as values, began around 1100 to 1200 B.C.( Cline, 2017). The religion has had a lot of influence on Chinese as well as other East Asia, on art, literature, medicine, philosophy as well as religion. The word Tao means road or way, which means “way of life” (Voorst, 2013). Founded by Lao Tzu, which the name means “Old Master”, but some historians say that there is no real evidence that Lao ever existed. It is also said that he may have just stayed hidden so people would wonder about him. He was also known to be an older contemporary of Confucius, which both are said to be a disappointed government official that become a wandering teacher (Voorst, 2013).

Taoism has the same worldview as Confucianism or ancient Chinese folk religion. Its philosophy operates within the same paradigms. It celebrates man's association and interdependency with nature. Moving on to a wider plane, the relationship between religion and the universe takes the form of veneration, which lies beyond the confines of time and space, ancestor worship and belief in the sovereign. The principles on which the system thrives even today include Ch'i, Feng Shui, interdependency between life and death, the Eight Immortals and the Ultimate Reality.

Buddhism and Taoism both originated and influenced most the Asian area. They are not just religions but a way of living life with philosophic principles. They are both seeking equality and moral existence. Buddhism have several branches just like the Hinayana, Mahayana, Esoteric, Pure Land, and the Zen Buddhism. Taoism can also be divided into a few. The main ones are the Southern and Northern Taoism. Taoism got many principles borrowed from the Buddhist one they influenced each other through their history. Taoism in the beginning was rather a mixture of mythology, folk, and philosophy teachings. With the arrival of Buddhism, it was forced to renew and reorganize itself. Both of the religion does their practices in monasteries, temples and shrines and also both of them use statues and pictures expressing their beliefs.

Confucianism and Daoism are both chinese religions. They both incorporated religious practices with daily activities in a way that it pertained to philosophy as well as religion, making the secular sacred. Confucianism was grounded in ethics and virtuous socio-political conditions. Daoism, also known as Taoism, sought to establish the proper relation between humans and the cosmos through discernment of the Tao, or Way. Confucianists are more concerned with social relationships and Taoism is of a more broader nature and more mystically oriented and more philosophical. They both focused on relationships that humans had with each other as well as the relationships that humans had with nature. They were atheistic in a sense that they had no

History has shown us, that Daoism and Confucianism have many things in common as well as many differences, let me start with what is Daoism and Confucianism. Daoism is also known as Taoism, is a religious tradition originated from China in the 550 B.C.E, it was founded by Lao Tzu, a great philosopher and the author of the “Dao De Jing” .The “Dao De Jing” or “Tao Te Ching” is a Chinese text that contains 81 chapters explaining the “ways” of Chinese life, it is often used by the monks or persons that practice the Daoism. Daoism’s main focus is on nature, and not on the social world. Compassion, moderation and humility are also focuses

It was almost the exact opposite. Taoism was created mainly by a man named Lao Tsu, but he didn’t make it himself. Lao Tsu originally made the philosophy, but multiple people added on to it. He was an emperor’s librarian during the Eastern Chou dynasty. Lao believed that if you followed everything life brought to you rather than try to change your life, you would create happiness for yourself and everything in life would be much simpler.

While both philosophies of Confucianism and Taoism may end up with the same result in having a healthy society, one is taught and can culminate in results while the other is impeded by environmental variables and through inaction and exclusiveness may cause more

The reason it is more commonly known as Taoism is because Tao means "the way". These three philosophies affected modern day and historic China in many ways on a massive level; because they all contributed something to China's history and what they believe today. Some people even have Daoism or Confucianism as their religion. Back in ancient days the people of China relied on the thoughts and teachings of these people to figure how they should live or what they should believe, but not only did this affect China it also affected; the whole world! These three thinkers built most of our laws and religions or even political views we have today.

The teachings of Confucius and the Tao Te Ching are two important schools of thought in China. In Confucius’s Analects, he talks mostly of political and social issues and also speaks about how people must govern by following rules and displaying virtuous qualities such as honesty and integrity. Lao Zi on the other hand talks of how the world has a propensity towards balancing itself and that people should govern by “going with the flow” while the cosmos sort out the events of life. He also mentions that people should have a detachment from many things in life such as material objects. Ultimately, the main difference between the Tao Te Ching and the teachings of Confucius is that the Tao

Confucian ethics focused on groups, humans living in communities and in societies advancing human culture and civilization in harmony and balance with each other. Taoist(Daoist) ethics focused on individuals separate lives and personal moral advancement in harmony and balance with nature. Both Confucian and Daoists focus on cultivation of Wen and virtue of Te-power without force. Both also focus on a kind of humility. In Confucianism this is Chun Tzu; in Daosim it is humility to nature and natural order. Both honor the past, tradition, and ancestors, and both have a concern for the future. However, the

Taoism and Confucianism are two primary Chinese ways of thinking. Historically, these two philosophies have been viewed as polar opposites, but upon further research, they have the same mission. The belief system of Taoism viewed in Tao Te Ching, written by Lao Tzu, is the monistic belief that human kind has a connection to the universe, and the “way” controls your life and everything that you do. The “way” has a pre-determined plan for your life, and you must sit back and follow it. On the other hand, Confucianism represented in The Art of War, shows that you have to work and discipline yourself to become complete. The Art of War is essentially a “battle plan”, and “Tao Te Ching “ is a essentially a book of ultimate humility. These two pieces seem quite different with their own different goals. While Confucianism and Taoism have different ways of reaching their respective goals, their goals and their destiny is essentially the same: and that is self-control.

According to Littlejohn Taoism is commonly acknowledged as “the oldest indigenous philosophic-spiritual tradition of China and one of the most ancient of the world’s spiritual structures.” As one of China’s largest religions, a feat that it shares with both Confucianism and Buddhism, Taoism has tremendous influence on the cultural, social, and political life of the Chinese. The teachings of the Taoist peoples with their philosophically oriented worldview specifically draw from their texts the Tao Te Ching, the Zhuangzi and the Liezi, which have a lot of interpretations and translations into multiple languages.

In Eastern Asia, in China, a civil war was occurring which influenced the creation of two philosophies, Confucianism and Taoism. Despite their differences on more equality related topics, the two are very similar in their purpose of restoring order to their homeland. As written in the Analects of Confucius, the philosopher believed that order could be restored to China through filial piety. If a young person is respectful to their elders and those around them and loving to all, China may become as it was before the war. Confucius deemed education and the study of literature and arts extremely important, as one who is educated and enlightened will only lead to good for their community. (doc 3) The Tao Te Ching writes about the Tao or the way of the world which provides

Huston Smith believes that the main difference between Taoism and Confucianism is that Taoism is primarily a nature religion concerned with the harmony of existence between nature and the individual while Confucianism is a social religion concerned with the harmony between the individual and society. Do you agree or disagree with this perspective?