A Criticism, Compare/Contrast with Confucius and Taoism

A Criticism, Compare/Contrast with Confucius and Taoism

Introduction

These are theories, which date back in the history of the Chinese people. Confucianism is a philosophy that was brought by the Chinese philosopher Confucius, where he said that logic and the reasoning of people could solve the human problems. In the theory, he rejects the emotions feelings and superstitions. Additionally, the theory stated that it is the best way to organize the society according to the traditions of the Chinese (Watson 3). On the other hand, Taoism was introduced by Lao Tzu, where he stated that the people should live in accordance with the flow of nature. This meant that nature dictates the flow of life (Waley 5). The two theories can be compared and contrasted to give the people life teachings, which they can use in day-to-day life.

The differences between the two theories in their principles

            One of the main differences in Taoism and Confucianism is that Confucianism despises nature very much. It believes that man has to follow some common set of principles so that he can become what he is supposed to become. The founder of the theory even hates the nature and has a fear of nature. In addition, he said that in order for civilization to take place, the nature must be excluded (Watson 5). This shows that Confucianism theory does not support nature at all. Instead, the theory hates nature. When you compare with Taoism, it is found that it follows nature as its greatest principle in molding people. The founder of Taoism states that the correct path, which people are to follow, is by letting nature take its course. Additionally, Taoism states that people must live with nature together in harmony. This shows that Taoism loves nature and that people live together with nature in harmony (Waley 6).

Another difference in the two theories is that Confucianism is too rigid. It does not believe in too much freedom because the leaders who use this theories use coercion to express their rule on the people. The theory believes that people need to be controlled for the better so that things can be put where they are supposed to be in order for civilization to take place (Watson 5). On the contrary, Taoism theory believes in natural law where the flow of nature is allowed to take its course. This means that the rules or the chaos in the world should only be settled by the forces of nature and not force or coercion. This theory believes in freedom where people should be free in their activities (Waley 6). Therefore, the theory of Confucianism is more rigid and does not believe in freedom but the theory of Taoism is more flexible and believes that people should be free to do whatever they please in accordance with nature.

When it comes to the knowledge of people, Confucianism theory believes that there is nothing, which can be learned from nature. The theory argues that how anybody can associate himself with birds and other creatures and learns some thing from them is very difficult. This shows that the only way of gaining knowledge is to spend time studying different books rather than spending time with nature (Watson 8). On the other hand, Taoism theory states that there is so much in the world to be learned apart from what is written. Additionally, it states that how can one make judgment on something without understanding its nature. Therefore, it shows that one has to understand about nature first so that he can be able to make judgments in accordance with what he has understood. It is because of this that the two theories do not share the same principles about knowledge.

Confucianism theory believes that leaders are made. It means that in order for one to become a leader, he or she must be taught how to become a leader. This means that a leader has to be created through the different teachings. Therefore, for somebody to become a leader, he or she must learn how to become one. In the Taoism theory, it believes that a leader is created by the forces of nature. It believes that nobody has to be taught to become a leader (Watson 10). Taoism theory believes that it is nature, which makes a leader and not the teachings that one has to undergo.

The similarities between the two theories in their principles

            On the other hand, the two theories have some similarities in them despite the fact that they hold different principles in them. One of the similarities is that they are both not religious theories. This is because they do not offer any advice in the matters of religion. For example, which gods to believe or when is the correct time to pray. The only thing that this two theories hold is the individual believes of a person and the different behaviors of a person. Confucianism theory states that the ethics and moral behaviors are the way forward while the Taoism theory believes in letting nature mold a person behavior. Therefore, it can be argued that the two theories only state on the different behaviors in which people are supposed to follow.

Another similarity in the two theories is that they both talk about knowledge. The different theories tend to talk about what knowledge is and how it can be acquired. This means that in Confucianism, young children are supposed to start learning the different rules and regulations of the society so that they can be able to know the correct ethics of what is expected of them in the society. On the other hand, Taoism explains that people should let the natural law take its course where people are expected to learn from it. This means that in accordance to nature, people will know what is expected of them without even being taught. Therefore, it can be argued that the two different theories talk about knowledge and the different ways in which knowledge should be administered.

Lastly, it can be said that the two theories are common because they both want harmony. This means that the two theories only want the world or the society to live in harmony. Additionally, the two theories want people to live together without having conflicts between one another. For example, Confucianism expresses this by the teachings of ethics. The theory tries to teach people that harmony can be obtained through learning the different principles of common ethics. On the other hand, in Taoism, it preaches harmony by stating that it is only nature, which can restore back peace and harmony. This means that people should stop controlling their feelings and stress; instead, they should let the nature to take its course and bring back harmony.

The difference in application of the two theories

            The theory of Taoism theory by Chuang Tzu can be applied in today’s way of living. For example, the butterfly story where Chuang Tzu was asleep dreaming that he was a butterfly. Suddenly, he woke up. He was thinking whether the butterfly was dreaming to be a man or it was he who was dreaming about the butterfly. Additionally, he asked himself how you know that you have stopped dreaming (Waley 23). The story is about transformation of one state to another or from one behavior into another. In the current world, a person may experience several changes but the transformation from one state into another is not easily known by a person. Therefore, by using this theory, one would understand easily at what point the change occurred. However, in the Confucianism theory it would be very difficult for somebody to know when there is a change or a transformation.

Another way the theory of Taoism the story the butterfly can be applied in the story the butterfly is how people cope with different problems. When one is dreaming, he is able to feel every thing and emotions like fear or happiness are felt. This is the same as to when one is not dreaming because you can still feel the same feelings as compared to when one is sleep. In this case, when one is experiencing troubles in his or her life, he or she can use the same principles that are used to get out from a bad dream. Therefore, it can be argued that people can get out of their problems by the use of the strategies that one uses while he or she has experienced a bad dream unlike the Confucianism theory where it believes that nature cannot teach anybody anything.

In the story about the butcher, Taoism can be applied in the real life story today. The story is about a butcher who has been selling meat for the last seventeen years and he has being using the same knife since then. The knife has never been sharpened. When the butcher was asked why, he says that he understood the different contours in the meat and the only thing that he has to do is place the knife and let it do the work (Waley 77). In life today, it is better for somebody to understand the nature of something so that he or she can easily solve it. For example, if somebody wants to build a new machine that can cut grass, he or she must understand the best position in which it is easier to cut grass. In Confucianism, there is no way one can learn this without learning through nature. Therefore, it can be said that it is easier to apply the Taoism theory in life as compared to the Confucianism theory.

Another story, which the Taoism theory may be applied in real life situation, is the story of the woodcarver. This is a story where a woodcarver has just finished carving a bell stand. People are very much astonished by the beauty of the bell stand. When the prince asked the woodcarver how he did it, he answers by saying that he let every thing that could distract his mind off so that he could let his mind direct him to the correct wood and the image that he would use to curve the correct bell stand (Waley 56). The teachings of the story can applied when a person is making judgment about something where he or she must not be biased. One should first remove all the distraction that could affect his or her judgment so that he or she could make the correct judgment. This can be applied in a court by judges. When you compare this with the Confucianism theory, it does not state where one is expected to be open-minded in order for one to make judgment. Therefore, it can be argued that the Taoism theory of judgment is the best for real life application.

The swimmer is another story of the Taoism theory that can be used in real life applications. In the story, the swimmer floats in the water very well without drowning. When he is asked how he does it, he says that he waits calmly in the water and he does not fight with the flow of the water. This story can be applied where one has to be patient and waits for the right time in order to do something. Additionally, the story also talks about humility where one has to be humble instead of trying to fight with the problems (Waley 43). For example, when one is trying to make something or when one is performing his or her duties, he or she should be patient with the kind of work that he is doing so that he can obtain the best results instead of trying to take shortcuts or doing the job in a hurry. In Confucianism theory, it states that one only learns from what is written. This means that the theory cannot teach anybody how to be humble or patient as compared to the Taoism theory.

What are the lessons learnt in Taoism stories that are a warning to Confucianism theory

            In the two theories, the Taoism theory expresses several things like openness as compared to the Confucianism theory, which is very rigid. According to the different Taoism stories, the theory has better arguments about life than Confucianism. This shows a great warning to those who follow the Confucianism theory. In the story of the butcher, the butcher first acquires the skill of cutting meet easily by first learning the meat (Waley 77). This shows that skills are not just acquired by the use of force like the way the theory of Confucianism states. Skills are explored in the nature where one has to explore different things to learn them. For example, there is nowhere one is taught how to cut meat. One learns how to cut meat easily by observing nature of the meat and deciding where it is easier and best to cut. Therefore, the theory of Taoism is a warning to those people who use the theory of Confucianism.

Another teaching that is in the stories of the Taoism theory that acts as a warning of the Confucianism theory is patience and humbleness. In the story about the swimmer, it states that the swimmer waited and did not fight the flow of water in order to float (Waley 43). If the Confucianism theory were to be used, the swimmer would have tried to force his way into floating, which instead of floating he would have drowned and died. This means that people have to be patient and humble so that they can live better or have better results as compared to when people use the Confucianism theory.

In the story of the woodcarver, it teaches us about the openness of the mind. The woodcarver says that he had to fast for more than nine days so that his mind could be free from all so that he could be able to locate the correct tree in the forest. Additionally, he had to be open so that he could be able to come up with the best image of the bell stand in his head in order to be able to carve it (Waley 56). In the Confucianism theory, the woodcarver would have just gone in the forest and chosen any tree without considering facts like the type of the tree. Therefore, he could have not been able to carve the best bell stand since the mind could have been affected by many things. It is because of this that the Taoism theory is more sensible than the Confucianism theory.

Lastly, in the Taoism theory, political life is not the only life to harmony. Its principles of letting nature take its course are very flexible where they let things to solve themselves. One is able to do anything else without the consideration of what the politics say. There is another life to live rather than the political life. In the Confucianism theory, it only expresses the political life where its main aim is to mould people into becoming leaders. The methods that it uses to mould these leaders are very suppressing and rigid since it does not allow anybody freedom to do something else.

Conclusion

            The two theories are very similar in that they do not talk about religion because there is nowhere they state that a person should follow this god or when is the correct time to pray. Additionally, the theories are similar because they talk about knowledge in relation to how knowledge is taught through the different people. Moreover, the theories are more about the personal or individual behavior of a person. On the other hand, the two theories are very different in that, the theory of Taoism states that in order to solve something, nature should take its course while the Confucianism theory states that logic and reasoning are the only ways to solve a problem.

References

Waley, A., (1989). The Analects of Confucius. New York, NY: Random House, Inc.

Watson, B., (1996). Basic Writings. New York, NY: ColumbiaUniversity Press