Confucius And Lao Tzu Essay

1249 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Debate

Referee: Hello everyone, I am extremely upset to present to you a terrible debate between Confucius and Lao Tzu. Confucius was brought up in a very unique family as a lower noble. There are many interesting yet ridiculous theories on our other guest, Lao Tzu. Many think he was a great philosopher where as others think he was made up by random people. We will have Confucius, Lao Tzu, me the referee, and a judge who's name is What Tzu. He isn't related to Lao, but Lao is convinced it's his father.

Confucius: Hi my name is Confucius and I was born in a small chinese state of Lu in 551 BCE (Perkins, “Confucius”). I have many intelligent ideas to offer, such as bringing humanity to my beautiful people. I am one of the most important figures in China’s history.

Lao Tzu: Rock on!!!

Confucius: Excuse me?

Lao Tzu: Rock on brotha!!!

Confucius: Ok....I will now continue.

Confucius: Excuse me Referee, isn't your job to give us the question to start the debate? If not, I will leave.

Referee: You speaking like this to me wont get you to win the debate just letting you know buddy. Heres the question: what are the characteristics and values of an ideal society? Lets hope to get some intelligent answers from two very stupid people, well one because Lao was made up by random people.

Lao Tzu: How could i be made up if I'm here for the debate?

Judge What: Ok guys lets begin, I have to pick my child up from the vet...He just got his rabies shot.

Referee: In your own opinion, what are the characteristics and values of an ideal society?

Confucius: I believe in the five constant relationships. Those are the ruler and subject, husband and wife, parent and child, older sibling to younger sibling, and peer to peer. The most important one is t...

... middle of paper ...

...ts, brought peace, and removed violence from society. I created a period of peace and quiet until the times changed.

Referee: So Judge, who do you think won this interesting (sarcastically) debate?

Judge: I believe Confucius won the debate.

Lao Tzu: Are you kidding me? Go hang yourself.

Judge: Bodyguards, arrest him...NOW!!!!!

Outside Narrator: Lao Tzu jumps on top of the water buffalo and escapes. He then wakes up hours later thinking he had a dream about what happened. Later on, he decides it really did happen, even though he didn't win the debate.

Judge: Thank you all for watching the debate, as I know will pick up my son from the vet...

Outside Narrator: The judge walks out of court and sees his son next to his car. The vet never gave him the shot, which resulted in the Judge getting rabies. The story will now continue through your own imagination.

Show More
Related

  • Antigone And Confucius Essay

    585 Words  | 2 Pages

    Confucius was a philosopher, political intellect and an educator whose philosophies have significantly prejudiced not only the Chinese principles but the entire world evolution. He lived through the “Spring” and “Autumn” epoch of Chinese history, when east central China was separated over a dozen fighting states. The inordinate ailment and grief he saw swayed his political thoughts, which highlighted command, grading and the rule of a compassionate self-governing state.

    Read More

  • Confucianism, Daoism & Legalism

    1215 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kongzi (Confucius, a Latinized name) was born in 551 B.C.E., to a poor family of the lower nobility. Throughout his life, he relentlessly tried to gain an office with a prominent ruler of the time who was willing to adopt his various concepts. Unfortunately, Confucius died in 479 B.C.E., before such a change ever took place. However, he succeeded in winning over a handful of devote followers who continued his legacy and Confucianism later went on to become one of the most influential thought systems of Chinese history. Of his followers, Mencius and Xunzi became the most renown. Since Confucius did not succeed in completing a manual of his views, these followers had to derive their own interpretations of the system which now formulate, the Analects. The Analects portray an idealized gentleman, and his various duties in terms of the society, family and the rituals. Confucius explains about the way (Dao) which he believed, that if the people accepted its terms and were willing to abide, they would succeed in creating a utopian society.

    Read More

  • Marcus Brutus and His Fellow Bruti

    1942 Words  | 4 Pages

    Riegel, Jeffrey. "Confucius." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy . Ed. Edward N. Zalta. Stanford, 3 July 2002. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. .

    Read More

  • How Did Confucius Influence Chinese Culture

    1481 Words  | 3 Pages

    Confucius’ impact on Chinese culture has withstood numerous generations and continues to be one of the most prominent philosophies found in Chinese culture. Firmly rooted in years of education, Confucius spent considerable time developing his set of values and principles. In his article entitled “Confucius and the Effortless Life of Virtue”, author Hagop Sarkissian adds to this by saying, “Confucius set his mind on a course of study or cultivation at the age of fifteen, and pursued such studies for a span of fifty-five years, and was thereby able to cultivate a state of being such that he could follow his immediate inclinations in all of life’s predicaments without transgressing social norms” (Sarkissian 1). Confucius’ extensive studies only added to the philosophy represented in the Analects. This includes the pas...

    Read More

  • Confucianism Vs Daoism Essay

    779 Words  | 2 Pages

    Confucianism became popular during the Han Dynasty as it was the state religion and had a great impact on East Asia (Confucianism 1, pg. 7). Born in 551 BCE in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, Confucius himself absorbed the teachings of Mahavira and the Buddha (Confucianism 1, pg. 2) He had a set of virtues that he believed a functioning society should stand by such as benevolence, love and rites. Confucius wanted China to return to the old days when people were loyal to their rulers and rulers were polite and caring towards their people. He believed rulers s...

    Read More

  • Essay on Loss of Freedom in The Giver

    864 Words  | 2 Pages

    an ideal society, in which everything is supposed to be perfect, with all life’s problems solved.  It is

    Read More

  • The Change of Confucianism over Time

    616 Words  | 2 Pages

    Confucianism is a philosophy and way of life formed in China by Confucius, an early Chinese philosopher. It began as a simple concept with ideals of personal virtue, simple filial piety, and basic gender distinctions and social inequalities. But, over time with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism it began to transform into a way of life that was degrading towards women with certain hostilities towards rivaling religions. In its early period, from around 500 B.C.E to the Common Era, Confucianism changed in that it became the leading belief system and a major part of Chinese tradition. From the transition into the Common Era to the end of the Classical time period, Confucianism was altered because of a loss of popularity following the collapse of the Han dynasty and the corruption in the governing political system. In its ending period, the post-classical era, Confucianism underwent perhaps its biggest adjustments with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism. The ideas and virtues presented in the “rebirth of Confucian philosophies” of intolerance of foreign religions and extreme filial piety...

    Read More

  • Confucianism and Taoism

    980 Words  | 2 Pages

    Confucius, , and Arthur Waley. The Analects of Confucius. New York: Random House, 1938. Print.

    Read More

  • Lao Tzu Vs American Society Essay

    1160 Words  | 3 Pages

    Lao-Tzu’s work, “Tao-Te Ching”, is a philosophical guide to the ideal life and the role government plays. Furthermore, it shows how to live a life of contentment without material possessions. He wrote this as a solution, of sorts, to what was fundamentally wrong with his society. Even though the “Tao” was written thousands of years ago, it is still relevant in modern society; the problems we experience are not unlike his, but on a larger scale. Modern American Society goes completely against Lao-Tzu’s ideology. Specifically, Americans give up too much of their power by allowing the government to make decisions for them, many people become reliant on government subsidies, and they also let materialism

    Read More

  • Comparing Confucianism and Islam

    2973 Words  | 6 Pages

    "Holy Mencius (Chinese): Book 3 - Part 3." Holy Mencius (Chinese): Book 3 - Part 3. Ishwar, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .

    Read More

  • Aristotle versus Confucius

    1796 Words  | 4 Pages

    For those individuals that choose to look into the philosophy of Confucius, Confucianism recognizes that the quest for virtue is ordinary and providential. However, in this quest of moral aptness Confucius tried to offer other people the fervent self love that he had greatly embodied. To actually make oneself as perfect as possible was the central concern of life. Al...

    Read More

  • Confucianism

    562 Words  | 2 Pages

    Confucianism is a moral and religious system of China. Its origins go back to the Analects, the sayings attributed to Confucius, and to ancient writings, including that of Mencius. Confucius was born a mandarin under the name Kongzi. It was developed around 550 B.C. In its earliest form Confucianism was primarily a system of ethical concepts for the control of society. It saw man as a social creature that is bound to his fellow men by jen, or “humanity.” Jen is expressed through the five relationships—sovereign and subject, parent and child, elder and younger brother, husband and wife, and friend and friend. Of these, the filial relation is most important.

    Read More

  • Confucius in the Analects

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    Confucius’s counsel and guidance recorded in The Analects instilled wisdom when they were first recorded and continue to provide a thought provoking analysis of life and the checkpoints that guide it. The Master’s commentary on restraint, diligence, decency, and citizenship are well intended and relevant. Politics and the role of government also come under scrutiny as Confucius offers his insights in bettering the organization of power. His proverb-like admonitions use clear examples of everyday life allowing them to be understood and easily digested. Confucius’s own eagerness and willingness to share goodness he experienced makes it easier to apply and practice in one’s own life.

    Read More

  • Confucianism In The Book Of Chuang Tzu

    1533 Words  | 4 Pages

    As one of the greatest founding novels of Taoism, Book of Chuang Tzu serves to strengthen Lao Tzu 's arguments in Tao Te Ching and lays the foundation for Taoism 's place in Chinese philosophy. Because Confucianism and Taoism are two competing philosophy schools that share more outstanding differences than similarities, the followers of both schools often refute and evaluate the ideals of the opposite school. However, the constant appearance of Confucius as the main character in more than twenty chapters in Book of Chuang Tzu not only surprises the readers, but also calls for deep analysis of the roles played Confucius in order to understand the true meaning of this ancient literature. While Chuang Tzu criticizes many of the Confucian ideas

    Read More

  • Confucius's Human Nature

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ed. Bryan W. Van Norden, Ph.D. Chicago and La Salle, IL: Open Court, 1996. Van Norden, Bryan W. “Introduction,” in Confucius and the Analects: New Essays, ed.

    Read More

More about Confucius And Lao Tzu Essay

Open Document