Laozi And Confucius Essay

1785 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Influence of Confucianism in China

Philosophers have attempted to answer the question of how one can best govern people for centuries. Whenever a society is engulfed by turmoil and corruption, philosophers try to figure out ways to fix the problems that they are facing. They offer ideas that they believe can help society recover from its past, and come up with new ways to establish a state of virtue. Confucius, a philosopher of the Autumn and Spring Period of Chinese history whose ideas are compiled within the Analects, describes the importance of individual and governmental morality, social and family relationships, and sincere behavior. Another philosopher from ancient China, Laozi, is regarded as the author of the Daodejing; which emphasizes naturalness, simplicity, detachment from desires, and the notion of wu wei, or non-action. Confucius …show more content…

If more laws are in place, that only allows the people to find more ways to break those laws. Confucius and Laozi seem to concur on that aspect of the role of government. However, a key difference is embedded in wei; which refers to the interference of authority. If people are to behave according to wu-wei, they are acting naturally; and by conducting themselves in such a manner, order will arise spontaneously, without the need for a known leader. Laozi states that people should “Act, but through nonaction” (Laozi 63). If people force themselves to act in certain ways, such as the ways of those whom Confucius would say are their leaders, then they are acting in a manner that is unnatural. However, if people practice the concept of wu-wei with sincerity, then their behavior is spontaneous and effortless; just as water flows naturally around objects that are in its

Show More
Related

  • Emperor Shi Huangdi Essay

    745 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • 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

  • Dbq Essay On Religion And Philosophy

    508 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Confucianism Daoism And Legalism

    516 Words  | 2 Pages

    To begin, Confucianism is a system of philosophical and ethical teachings founded by Confucius. Confucianism was the code of ethics accepted as the certified religion of most of the immense empires in the territory since the Han Dynasty. Confucianism provided an outline of ethical and religious beliefs that most of the Chinese expanded to make other religions such as Daoism and Legalism. To expand, Confucianism was founded by Confucius and his beliefs on the political and social order of China. Confucius believed that everything would fall into place if children had respect for their parents and if the rulers were honest. In Confucianism, specific roles were followed by each person in the family. The head of the family, the father, was the one primarily in control and then it was the oldest son that was next in line. Confucius had the belief that a ruler has to be everything he wants

    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 Democracy Essay

    2124 Words  | 5 Pages

    Confucianism and democracy are two very complex concepts and the relation between them is a subject many scholars have discussed. In this essay, it will be shown what kind of relationship is more appropriate between these two ideas. It will be divided in two parts: the first part will take a look at the compatibility question of Confucianism and democracy and I will attempt to show how these two ideas are not contradictory and how Confucianism actually helps strengthen the concept of democracy. In the second part, I will discuss how such a relationship can work in practice by addressing the different institutional proposals of a democracy with Confucian characteristics to try and figure out which proposal is the most appropriate and why.

    Read More

  • A Historical View of the Expansion and Philosophy of Confucianism and Buddhism

    670 Words  | 2 Pages

    Confucius was one of the first men to have different ideas on how rulers should go about their ruling of people during the Zhou Dynasty. “Its career as a prominent tradition in China began with its adoption by the Han dynasty, and virtually every East Asian regime of the past thousand years or more has endorsed Confucianism as its official ideology.” Confucius believed that rulers should rule in a manner that is beneficial to the people being governed and in a way that is morally right and traditionally acceptable (for the time). Confucius spent most of his time with a group of followers, in search of a ruler who would follow his teaching and take his advice. (web.cn.edu)(patheos.org 1)

    Read More

  • Understanding Prehistory, Civilization and Chieftains

    1388 Words  | 3 Pages

    Definition: Another Chinese philosophy created by thinker and teacher, Confucius to solve China’s disorder problems. It promoted the moral guideline for relationships between superiors and inferiors as a necessary element for China’s social order and harmony. b. Significance: While impacting China and East Asia, Confucianism placed great importance on history and past events and marked Chinese elite culture. It also provided social harmony to where disorder was found after the warring states of China.

    Read More

  • Confucianism and Taoism

    980 Words  | 2 Pages

    Confucianism and Daoism are two influential schools of thoughts that have existed in ancient China around the 6th century BCE. The former, led by the politician and philosopher Confucius, proposed that humans live in society according to a set of predefined rules and that they transform society through political action. Whereas the latter, led by the philosopher Lao-Tzu, promoted the idea of inaction; people should go with the flow instead of taking action to control their lives and dominate their surroundings. Although, at first glance Daoism and Confucianism seem to be two opposing philosophies, a more in depth analysis of two of their key ideas –filial piety and education—reveals that they do share some similarities.

    Read More

  • Religion In Confucianism And Religion

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    As for country governance, Confucianism addresses something meaningful to change the situation. Instead, Taoism advocated doing nothing and obeying the orders of nature. In ancient Chinese society, the essence of “Dao” in Confucianism includes five factors which are benevolence, righteousness, etiquette, intelligence and honesty (Hoobler & Hoobler, 1993), while “Dao” in Taoist can be embodied as the natural orders and principles of the universe in terms of the heaven and the ground (Wang & Chanzit, 2004). Specific comparing, Confucianism concentrates on hierarchical ethical order, through a series of manners discipline to improve people's moral standards.

    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

  • Aristotle versus Confucius

    1796 Words  | 4 Pages

    The teachings according to Confucius refer to Confucianism. Confucianism is the multifarious classification of ethical, collective, political and pious philosophy developed by Confucius and the old Chinese practices (Bertrand, 1999). Confucianism aim is actually making an individual honorable but also making such an individual the character of learning and of proper manners. The ideal and faultless man has to combine the characters of a saint, an intellectual and gentleman. Confucianism is a religious conviction whose adulation is focused on offerings to the dead. The idea of responsibility is extensive beyond the precincts of morals and holds close to the minutiae of daily living.

    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

  • Comparing Hinduism, Buddism, and Confucianism

    333 Words  | 1 Pages

    Confucianism is a religious philosophy formed by the Chinese philosopher Kung-fu-Tsu. This philosophy came out of need during the warring states period of Chinese history. K'ung-fu-Tsu was a teacher at the hundred schools. His prime concern was the improvement of society. Confucianism has no gods, and the only written history of this religion is in the Analects, a collection of his responses to his disciple's questions. K'ung-fu-Tsu believed that the improvement of society was the responsibility of the ruler and that the quality of government depended on the ruler's moral character. This new way meant concern for others and adherance to the golden rule. Confucianism has had a greater and longer lasting influence on China than that of any other religious philosophy.

    Read More

  • A Critique of Confucian Morality

    1609 Words  | 4 Pages

    For many centuries, Confucianism has been widely revered by the Chinese for its emphasis on morality. Confucius, who lived from 551 to 479 BCE, is different to most philosophers in that he showed no interest questioning his existence, the possibility of a God, or the reality that he seemed to live in; instead he focused on the human relations side of philosophy as it was his belief that people should “give (themselves) earnestly to the duties due to men … (and) keep aloof from (spiritual beings)” (Confucius 195). By negating the metaphysical side of philosophy, he was able to devote himself to mold his disciples into ideal gentleman who were morally righteous, and were able to benefit society. He believed in the importance of individuals who knew their roles in an well-structured society, that was a feudal system. In his opinion, the ideal gentleman should be obedient to his elders, have humanness and be morally righteous. Through his teachings, he was able to reform an entire country; the Chinese found Confucianism to embody practices of humaneness that they could apply in their daily lives through his religion.

    Read More

More about Laozi And Confucius Essay

Open Document