Confucianism, Daoism, And Legalism In Ancient China

In ancient China, several philosophical schools had a big effect on how the country was run, what its moral standards were, and who was in power. Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism were the three most important schools of thought. Each had its view on why monarchy was right, what imperial administrations should do, and what people should do. In this essay, we'll give a critical analysis of these three philosophical schools of thought and look at how they see government, ethics, and political representation differently using primary sources—A World History of Ancient Political Thought and Women in World History—and many other secondary resources. We will also give our opinion on which of the three schools of thought is most likely to lead to

Wu-Wei, which means "not doing or acting," is one of the most important ideas in Taoism. So we are living in harmony with nature and accepting that life is always changing. Yin and Yang depict the ever-changing aspect of the universe, where both happiness and sorrow are continuously in flux. Taoism has influenced Chinese culture, including medicine, feng shui, and martial arts. What is Taoism? 2020)

The justification of monarchy in Taoism is complex and varies among scholars. Some suggest that following the natural order of the monarchy requires people to abide by the leader's legislation, while others see implications for how a ruler should govern. Overall, Taoists prefer to live a natural and uncomplicated life and advocate for small, self-sufficient communities in harmony with nature. Taoism does not value political institutions and regards government as a necessary evil to be minimized. Ordinary people should focus on individual cultivation and self-cultivation, practicing Wu Wei, or non-action, for a harmonious society. (READ: Daoism (Article) | Khan Academy, n.d.) However, according to A World History of Ancient Political Thought, Han Feizi incorporated the idea of Taoism, or specifically, wu wei, into the people and taught them that raising a question or getting involved in this would be out of

As Black states, "the ruler was seen as a sacred figure, endowed with divine powers" (Black, 2016, p. 65). Because they thought the monarch was God, they had full power and control over the state. The ruler was considered the final judge of right and wrong, and their word was law. In Women in World History, it is noted that Legalism believed in the concept of "rule by law, not by virtue" (Women in World History, n.d.). This implied that the law, not the morals of the monarch, should govern the state. And all of this is based on the fact that humans are selfish; they do not care about the well-being of others but only about their own. If they can act on their instincts, society will devolve into chaos.

The article that supports the concept of rule by law in legalism is "Legalism and Chinese Philosophy" by philosopher Henry Rosemont Jr. In this article, Rosemont says that the focus of legalism on the rule of law was a reaction to the chaos and disorder that happened in China during the Warring States period. He writes, "The legalists wanted to set up a set of rules and laws that would allow the ruler to keep society stable and orderly, no matter how moral or good the people were" (Rosemont,