Taoism In China

The basis for most modern cultures, as well as their historical roots, can often be found in religion. Religion, in some cases, is the very reason some countries are founded to begin with. Whether or not one believes in a particular religion, it is often agreed upon that religious principles hold some sort of importance in the majority of the world. China, for example, was once a large center for religious and philosophical beliefs. Chinese culture has been heavily influenced by the beliefs of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism; three philosophical schools often referred to as the “Three Teachings” in China. Despite being a communist country since 1949, which would normally mean it does not practice or allow religion, China actually has a few …show more content…
Taoism is principally based upon the teachings found in the Tao Te Ching, a book largely attributed to the Chinese philosopher, Laozi. His works, combined with the various writings of the equally important Zhuangzi, a well known shaman of southern China, make up the basic principles and framework of the Taoist school of thought. As Taoism became more institutionalized, it developed into several different branches, the main two modern branches being Quanzhen Taoism and Zhengyi Taoism. All of the branches and schools of Taoism share a common link in that they are based upon the belief in and reverence Tao (or Dao in some versions), which is often translated to mean way or path. The Tao can also be found in other religions and schools of thought, but the basis of the beliefs are the same in that the Tao represents something that stands both as an origin point and a driving force. It is a form of absolution that is interpreted in different ways based upon what branch or school of Taoism a person belongs to. The majority of the Taoist schools practice various rituals in line with divination and exorcism, as well as developing practices for achieving immortality, longevity, or ecstasy. They also exhibit a great amount of respect for Laozi, immortals, and ancestor (along with other spiritual forces). It …show more content…
Confucianism grew into contemplation of metaphysical and cosmological thought during the Han Dynasty, at which point it became the state ideology that was officially recognized by the Chinese empire at the time. The teachings of Confucius are humanistic at their core, focusing on family and practical moral order in a way that places importance on those elements, rather than on transcendently divine beings or phenomena. In other words, the focus is not on gods or spirits, even though they believe in them, but on humans and their ethical and virtuous values. The basic practices still involve rituals and sacrifices to Tian (heaven or the absolute divine) and respect to Shen (gods), but those practices are more of a means of strengthening and enriching one’s virtues and spirit. A few of the more base values and ethical practices of Confucianism are rén, yì, lǐ, and zhì. Rén stands for an obligation to humaneness and to be altruistic, yì is to be righteous and to be in a moral disposition of good, lǐ is a system of rituals that determine how one should be behave in everyday life, and zhì is the ability to recognize and distinguish what is right and fair from what is wrong and unjust. Those who do not uphold at least rén and yì are often held in contempt. As for the actual