Confucianism vs 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 & subject, wife & husband, older & younger sibling, friend & friend, father & son.
Taoism, aka daoism, was a way of living in which there were not many rules and believes in the dialectical philosophy of inaction.Through nature and harmony you can be happy.This is where yin and yang come from.
Comparison chart
| Improve this chart | Confucianism | Taoism |
|---|---|---|
| Founder: | Confucius | Lao Tzu |
| Geographical predominance: | Asia | Asia, North America |
| Place of origin: | China | China |
| Belief of God: | One God. Ancestors also worshipped, though. | Most follow numerous deities. |
| Clergy: | Sages, bureaucrats, etc. | Priests, Monks and nuns. |
| Definition: | Follower of Confucius. | Follower of the Tao(or 'the Way'). |
| Use of statues and pictures: | Permitted. | Permitted. |
| Practices: | Visit to temples to pay homage to Ti'en(God or Heaven), Confucius, and/or ancestors. Neo-Confucianists practice 'Jing zuo,' or 'Quiet Sitting,' as a kind of meditation. | Visit to shrines, to pay homage to Taoist deities; Tai Chi, etc. |
| Concept of Deity: | Most believe in One God(Ti'en; or Heaven), but, in the way that a Deist would, rather than as a Christian or a Sikh would. Ancestors are also worshipped. | Most believe in numerous deities. The highest being the Jade Emperor. They especially worship 'The Three Pure Ones.' |
| Literal Meaning: | Follower of Confucius. | Tao means 'The Way.' |
| Branches: | Neo Confucianism, Han Confucianism, Contemporary Confucianism, Japanese Confucianism, Vietnamese Confucianism, Singapore Confucianism. | Philosophical Taoism, Religious Taoism and Folk Taoism. Chen Tao, Ascended Masters, etc. |
| Scriptures: | Analects of Confucius and Mencius; I Ching; Doctrine of Mean, etc. | Tao Te Ching; I Ching |
| Rites: | Ceremonies. | Shamanism. |
| Angels: | There is no concept of angels in Confucianism. | No concept of angels. |
| Place and Time of origin: | China approx. 2,500 B.C. | China 2,500 years ago. |
| Life after death: | To be worshipped as ancestors. | Taoists believe that the soul survives after death and has the ability to travel through space. |
| Time of origin: | Approx. 2500 B.C. | Approx. 2500 B.C. |
| About: | Refers to philosophy and religious traditions that focused on respect, humanism, and honour. | Refers to philosophy and religious traditions that focused on compassion, moderation and humility. |
| Place of worship: | Temple. | Temple, shrine. |
| Belief: | Confucianism is both a religion and a philosophy of China, and of Asia as a whole. It stresses human conduct over belief in God. | Taoism is both a religion and a philosophy of China, and of Asia as a whole. It stresses humanity's relationship with nature. |
| Geographical distribution and predominance: | Confucianism has influenced East Asia for over two millenia. | Taoism has influenced East Asia for over two millennia. |
| Means of salvation: | By faithfully observing the following: Li=ritual, propriety, and etiquette. Hsaio=Love between parents and children. Yi=Righteousness. Xin=Honesty. Jen=Benevolence. Chung=Loyalty to one's state. | By following the Tao. |
| Status of women: | Socially inferior to men. | generally equal, spoken of highly in the tao te ching (oldest taoist text) but varies among schools. |
| Second coming of Jesus: | N/A. | N/A. Rather, Taoists believe that Lao Tzu will return. |
| Marriage: | Social order between man and wife. | Between one man and one woman. |
| View of the Buddha: | Buddha is followed by many Confucianists. | Buddha is followed by many Taoists. |
| Concept of God: | One God. | Numerous deities. |
| Principle: | Confucianism all about the brotherhood of humanity. | Taoists believe that life is good. Taoism lays emphasis on the body. |
| View of Oriental religions: | Confucianists see no contradiction in following more than one religion. | Although Taoism sees Confucianism as being too beaurocratic, it sees no contradiction in belonging to Confucianism, nor any other Oriental faith. |
| Original Languages: | Mandarin or Cantonese | Mandarin or Cantonese. |
| Clothes: | Confucianist robes. | Taoist robes. |
| Three Jewels: | The Three Teachings: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. | Compassion, moderation and humility. |
| Use of statues: | Relatively common. | Common. |
| Views on other religion: | Sees no contraction in following more than one religion. | Sees no contradiction in following more than one religion. |
| Holy days: | Chinese New Year, Teacher Day, Ancestor Day. | Chinese New Year, Three Day Festival of the Dead |
| Human Nature: | Humans should respect those who are superior to them. | Humans should just follow the Tao(or 'the Way'). |
| Holy days/Official Holidays: | Chinese New Year, Teacher Day, Ancestor Day. | Chinese New Year, 3 Day Festival of the Dead, Ancestor Day. |
| View of Animistic religions: | Confucianism sees no contradiction in following more than one religion. | N/A. |
| View of other Dharmic religions: | Confucianism is an Oriental religion, not a Dharmic one. However, most Confucianists follow Buddhism as well. | Taoism is an Oriental religion, not a Dharmic one. However, most Taoists follow Buddhism as well. |
| View of God: | One God. | Taoism does not believe in a Single Creator God. They believe in numerous non-creator deities. |
| View of Abrahamic religions: | Confucianism is an Oriental religion. Not an Abrahamic religion. Confucianism sees no contradiction in following more than one path. | Taoism is an Oriental religion. Not an Abrahamic religion. Taoism sees no contradiction in following more than one path. |
| God's role in salvation: | Everything is done according to His Will. | Follow the Tao, and all will be fine. |
| Goal of Philosophy: | Social Harmony. | To gain balance in life. |
| Prophets: | They do not believe in prophets. They believe in sages and philosophers. | They do not believe in prophets. They believe in philosophers. |
| Virtue(s) in which religion is based upon: | Respect. | Knowledge, Contemplation |
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