difference between confucianism and taoism
Confucianism and Taoism are both ancient Chinese styles of living. Confucianism believes in setting good examples for others to follow, primarily in 5 key relationships: ruler and subject, wife and husband, older and younger sibling, friend and friend, and father and son. Taoism (a.k.a., Daoism) focuses on living harmoniously; this is where the concept of yin and yang originates.
To K’ung Fu-tse (kung FOOdsuh) [Confucius], life seemed rather sour. He believed that the present was out of step with the past, and that the government of man on earth was out of harmony with the Way of Heaven, the government of the universe. Therefore, he emphasized reverence for the Ancestors, as well as for the ancient rituals and ceremonies in which the emperor, as the Son of Heaven, acted as intermediary between limitless heaven and limited earth. Under Confucianism, the use of precisely measured court music, prescribed steps, actions, and phrases all added up to an extremely complex system of rituals, each used for a particular purpose at a particular time. A saying was recorded about K’ung Fu-tse: “If the mat was not straight, the Master would not sit.” This ought to give an indication of the extent to which things were carried out under Confucianism.
Taoism and Confucianism also differ in the way they view different issues which are still relevant up to present day.
As he was leaving civilization, he passed through the city gates for the final time and the gatekeeper asked Lao Tzu to write down his parting thoughts. Lao Tzu agreed and returned after three days with a small book containing his writings, which were later on titled as Tao Te Ching, the most important text of Taoism. Lao Tzu never returned back to civilization after that. He was said to have lived the rest of his life somewhere near Tibet, beyond the Great Wall of China.
The basic ideas and doctrines of philosophical Daoism are set forth in the Daodejing (“Classic of the Way to Power”)—a work traditionally attributed to Laozi but probably composed after his lifetime by many hands—and in the Zhuangzi (“Master Zhuang”) by the 4th–3rd-century-BCE Daoist philosopher of the same name. The philosophical concept from which the tradition takes its name, dao, is broad and multifaceted, as indicated by the many interrelated meanings of the term, including “path,” “road,” “way,” “speech,” and “method.” Accordingly, the concept has various interpretations and plays various roles within Daoist philosophy. In its most profound interpretation, the Cosmic Dao, or the Way of the Cosmos, it is the immanent and transcendent “source” of the universe (Daodejing), spontaneously and incessantly generating the “ten thousand things” (a metaphor for the world) and giving rise, in its constant fluctuation, to the complementary forces of yinyang, which make up all aspects and phenomena of life. The Cosmic Dao is “imperceptible” and “indiscernible,” in the sense of being indeterminate or not any particular thing; it is the void that latently contains all forms, entities, and forces of particular phenomena. Another important interpretation of dao is that of the particular “way” of a thing or group of things, including individuals (e.g., sages and rulers) and humanity as a whole.
Generally speaking, whereas Daoism embraces nature and what is natural and spontaneous in human experience, even to the point of dismissing much of China’s advanced culture, learning, and morality, Confucianism regards human social institutions—including the family, the school, the community, and the state—as essential to human flourishing and moral excellence, because they are the only realm in which those achievements, as Confucius conceived them, are possible.
Confucianism and Taoism are two well known philosophies from China. Created by Confucius and Lao-tzu, these ideas have developed side by side for more than 2,000 years. Throughout history, these two frames of mind have guided large regions of the world at different times. In American society, these two ideologies would produce very different results should they be implemented. Although they do have certain similarities, Confucianism’s values of Filial Piety and Humaneness would be very beneficial
The Chinese culture has a variety of religions and philosophies; behind each one there is a core of theories and principles formed by its founders. The aspects of the yin-yang principal are the basis of the three major Chinese religions: Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. In China, people are aware of the importance of believing in the yin and yang principles. The Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender states, the Chinese view yin and yang as opposites, where yin is dark and yang is light. They are
The main difference between Confucianism and Taoism is in the focus of each philosophy as Confucianism focuses on the society while Taoism focuses on the nature. Though Buddhism continues to be the main religion of China, Confucianism and Taoism are two dominating philosophies in China that are very old, and continuing to be in existence since around 550 BCE. To a casual observer, these philosophies may look opposite to each other, but from another angle, they are also complementary to each other. They are considered as wise ways of approaching life and solving myriad problems and challenges life throws at the individual. There are many who remain confused between these two philosophies that have almost the status of religions. This article attempts to clear these doubts by highlighting the differences between Taoism and Confucianism.
• Chinese New Year, 3 Day Festival of the Dead, Ancestor Day are holidays of Taoism.
References:
http://kaiya.co/blogs/news/taoism-vs-confucianism
http://www.britannica.com/story/what-is-the-difference-between-daoism-and-confucianism
http://www.bartleby.com/essay/Similarities-Between-Confucianism-And-Taoism-F3GYSLQU6LF
http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-confucianism-and-vs-taoism/
http://smallseotools.com/plagiarism-checker/
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