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The comparison and contrast of daoism, confucianism, and legalism
Skills theory of leadership
The comparison and contrast of daoism, confucianism, and legalism
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In Ancient China there were two beliefs that people competed against it, and they were Daoism ( Taoism) and Legalism. Both beliefs, Daoism and Legalism, were very different from each other. Daoist believe that you don’t need rules, and Legalist believed that you need rules no matter what. Legalist is a better belief than Daoism because it keeps the Society safer.
First of all, Daoism is a Chinese philosophy or a belief in China. Daoist think that we don’t need rules. If we don’t have rules, the society/ community will get under control. Daoist also believed that humans are perfect and stunning; even if they do terrible things! The Dao believes that we should live in peace and with less government . Daoism is mostly focused in “peace”.
Confucius stressed the importance of relationships in society, and at the same time Daoism was developed which stressed harmony with nature. Each was a response to the warring states period. After Huangdi took control, he quickly tried to put down these other philosophies. He condemned Confucian scholars to death and had books burned that contained philosophies that disagreed with him. This increased his totalitarian rule even more because people could not question him.
During and after the Warring States period of Chinese history, many different philosophies were developed. One of these such philosophies is Legalism. In Legalism, people believe that no one can be trusted, and that everyone is selfish and evil. It teaches that the only way to get work done is with strict laws and harsh punishments. On the complete opposite side, in Daoism (a.k.a. Taoism), people believed that you don’t really need much of a government. Even the ruler doesn’t really do anything much. They just let the people live. The entire point of Daoism is to achieve “oneness with the Dao,” which is the path, or road to living in harmony with the world and nature. Another philosophy, Confucianism, is all about living in harmony with other people. It basically teaches you to respect your elders, people with more power than you, and people who have more knowledge and experience than you. By following any one of those philosophies, people try to live a good life by changing their
There are many Chinese Philosophies within the world, including Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism, in which they have all originated as a result of the collapse of the Zhou dynasty in China, however, they do not all have the same beliefs.
It has been said that Legalism takes after Daoism, borrowing some of its well-known ideas such as non-action or the usefulness of being empty. Though Legalism is typically grouped with the other early Chinese philosophers, it is actually quite a different system. Han Feizi’s Basic Writings, an exemplary text of Legalism, is aimed at how to successfully run an empire, and caters to one person in particular: the ruler. On the other hand, writings like the Dao de Jing are aimed more towards the individual and are personable. Still, it’s interesting to note that both texts talk about what it takes to be a good leader. In examining relations between Laozi’s Dao De Jing and Hand Feizi’s Basic Writings, one can extract both similarities and differences between Legalism and Daoism when it comes to how a leader should govern. Daoism and Legalism are similar in the fact that they both believe the leader should practice non-action and emptiness, believe that there should be a natural
By the beginning of the common era, another philosophy emerges and gains wide acceptance among the commoners. Daoism, just like the predecessor and also as the name implies, puts emphasis on "the way," that a certain individual is to abide by. Even though the two systems had different concepts about the way, the common denominator of both schools was to achieve total harmony in the society.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Daoism also preaches of a higher reality, and that busy lives clould us from seing whats really happening.
As was the case in China, Cao depicts the two forms of belief existing alongside one another, and not necessarily practiced exclusively to one another. Confucianism involves the concern for worldly affairs and order within a rigid social hierarchy, with importance placed on filial piety and family relations. Daoism is a way of thought that encompasses ideas of transcendental worlds of spirit through observation of simplicity, a comprehension of natural law and order, and a desire to lead with compassion, rather than force.
The Dao is the prescriptive doctrine or way; conceived as the void out of which all reality emerges, beyond time and space, so vast it cannot be described. The Dao spontaneously generated the primal energy (QI) and the contemporary yin and yang. Laozi believed that social harmony would come if people tuned themselves to The Way (The Dao). To be content, one must accept that change is the absolute reality, and that all things and transformation are unified in the Dao. The best way to achieve understanding of The Way is through meditation, seeking quietude in nature, dropping out of society and living the life of a hermit — going into the mountains and getting drunk or high on various substances. Many daoists would retreat to the Boshan mountains that are located on the isle of immortals in the Eastern Sea. There is a daoist myth that the Boshan mountains give ac...
During the Warring States period China was going through chaos. The teachings of Confucianism and Daoism were welcomed by society to bring order, stability and liberate people from the misery and oppression. The rulers were greedy and desirous of political power and their own agendas; however they were looking for a new way to unite their people. It is often said that Confucianism and Daoism are the yang and yin, respectively, of Chinese religion. That is, they are not rivals so much as complementary traditions, working together to produce an overall balance in the lives of the Chinese. This is not true because the two religious philosophies were different from one another. Confucius believed that the traditions and virtues that were studied and taught in the old days by the Ancients was the best way to organize society (trickle-down approach). Also followers of Confucius believed in education, a moral force and human goodness to advance and progress within society. Daoism on the other hand relies on human nature and a balance of good and evil (Yin-Yang) to bring about social order. It neglects education, virtue and cultural norms because it is said that people are born faultless.
While the Way can be considered an intangible idea of how to live your life, others believe it is an omnipotent force that shapes all things and cannot be named. Confucianists believe the former, where they have a superior chance of achieving a better life through ritual. Daoists, however, trust in nonaction, in not interfering with nature, to have a better and longer life. Conversely, the Daoist idea can only hold true in an ideal society, since it would be hard to employ. I will argue that a Confucianist society is better, because it relies on action in a society, the use of virtue with rituals to learn, and the overall betterment of the self to create order in the community as a means of reaching Way.
In contrary to its contemporary antagonist philosophical schools, who advocate the practices of humanness and the rightness and set ideal of the past, the Legalists, in their complete rejection of the traditional ethics, embraces the efficacy of political power and uphold a society of laws and punishments. As the old feudal states decayed and the smoke of endemic warfare suffused, the need for a more rational government that can afford greater centralized power so as to strengthen a state against its rival increased substantially among the Warring States. Such a rising urge necessitated the emergence of the Legalists and further predetermined the Legalists’ inherent nature – realistic, totalitarian and problem-solving – which, with the realization of its significance and duty in the stream of history, finds its hegemonic character as well.
Confucius thought that society needed to return to the Dao while Daoism teaches that we need to follow the Dao or else we will not continue to live. Confucius was “not the one who was born with knowledge, [but is the] one who loves the past and is diligent in seeking it” (Confucius and the Analects 51). Both traditions support a following of the Dao, but their approach to living the Dao is very different. Confucianism is very explicit in what is right and wrong. A major source of information for what is right and what is wrong are the Analects, where conversations “focus on the practicalities of interpersonal relationships, personal cultivation in the context of those relationships, and the relationship of personal cultivation on the part of rulers and ministers to the conduct of government” (Confucius and the Analects 42). This is important because it shows how important Confucius thought that human and social relationships were to and how they can help society return to the old ways. In section 2.3 of the Analects, Confucius
Daoism is a Chinese philosophy that focuses on Dao, or, "the way". Daoists believe in the supernatural, nature, and hope to understand the natural principles that governed the world and how we could learn to live in harmony with them. Judge Dee relies heavily on spiritual inspiration when all else fails. When Judge Dee was having a hard time solving the Bee Hsun case, he decided to go to the city temple, and pray. Judge Dee thought that begging to the "Powers on High" (79) would show him to the way of this case. This suggests that the magistrate depends on spiritual forces in times of need. After, he tries to meditate, which is also a Daoist idea. "He sat down on the cushion, with crossed legs and his body erect. Closing his eyes, he tried to achieve a tranquil state of mind." (79) Judge Dee was using meditation, which is to reach a level of spiritual peace by becoming one with your surroundings, which is very Daoist. This shows that Judge Dee uses Daoist qualities in attempt to be a more effective
In conclusion, Daoism and Confucianism seem to have a lot more in common than one might think. The two philosophies share the same viewpoints on the notions of filial piety and education. I believe, the principles and values that are taught in those philosophies could be of great benefit to our contemporary society.
2. Confucianism sought to help streamline society and encourage proper participation in politics. Filial piety was said to have even mimicked a form of bureaucracy in the family unit. This stands in sharp contrast to Daoism which urged its followers to withdraw from political life and find solace in nature. Interestingly though, Daoism was seen as complementary to Confucianism, and