| In response to the political turmoil associated with | | | | without grasping. When this is performed, one is in |
| the Period of the Warring States in China | | | | accordance with the Tao. This idea is very similar |
| (403-221 B.C.E.), differing schools of thought | | | | to Kong Fuzi's idea of a junzi automatically |
| emerged. Among these were Confucianism, | | | | correcting his or her human relationships, and |
| Taoism, and with the advent of the Silk Road, | | | | coming into alignment with wren, mankind's |
| Buddhism. It is possible to comprehend and | | | | fundamental virtue. When asked to explain this |
| contrast the two indigenous philosophies, and | | | | idea, Kong Fuzi refused, because much like the |
| recognize the reasons why Confucianism was | | | | Tao, the wren that can be described is not the |
| eventually sanctioned by the government, rather | | | | real wren. It is beyond conception. The emphasis |
| than Taoism, even though both can be practiced | | | | of Taoism is of a more mystic nature, while |
| non-exclusively. Understanding this, one can | | | | Confucianism focuses upon the ethical and political |
| understand why Mahayana Buddhism in the form | | | | applications. Neither excludes the other, and both |
| of Chan began to rival Confucianism around the | | | | were known to be practiced by government |
| 6th century C.E. | | | | officials in the evening after performing their |
| Confucianism was developed and named after | | | | duties at work. |
| Kong Fuzi (551-479 B.C.E.), known as The | | | | Both of these philosophies served to align |
| Philosopher Kong to his disciples and Confucius to | | | | individuals and society in certain ways. Taoism is |
| Westerners. Much like his contemporary, the | | | | truly an individual experience, and by definition |
| Buddha Siddartha Guatama, he did not address | | | | cannot be shared with another. If all individuals |
| metaphysical questions. His reasoning was that | | | | were to realize the Tao, then people would be |
| conjecture on these issues held no relevance in | | | | self-governing and the issues of the day would fall |
| the ethical, moral, or political arena, and were | | | | away as absurdities. This utopian idea is |
| therefore useless. He believed the proper balance | | | | theoretically beautiful, but not practical, and this is |
| of these three important topics would arise | | | | why Confucianism was once adopted by the |
| without effort through the betterment of | | | | Chinese government, as it dealt with the more |
| individual human relationships, and so he even | | | | mundane issues of ethics and politics, but with the |
| rejected matters of the state as symptoms of | | | | same underlying ideas labeled differently. It |
| this basic illness: improper human relations. | | | | appeared more relevant to the common man and |
| Educating people and transforming them into junzi, | | | | his problems. Eventually, it found a rival in |
| or superior individuals, would be conducive to | | | | Buddhism. |
| progress in the advancement of human | | | | Buddhism has an idea similar to that of a junzi, |
| relationships. These individuals would be officers in | | | | called a Buddha or Bodhisattva. The equivalent of |
| the ideal government. As the people of China | | | | the Confucian wren would be cultivated through |
| accepted Kong Fuzi's philosophy as a replacement | | | | the practice of the Noble Eightfold Path. This path |
| for Legalism, the government even supported his | | | | leads one to wisdom and compassion, which are |
| education system in an effort to produce junzi. | | | | synonymous with virtue. This aspect of Buddhism |
| Taoism places emphasis on the alignment of our | | | | is very similar to Confucianism, and the prospect |
| human awareness with the nature of all things, or | | | | of the cessation of suffering in the Four Noble |
| the Tao. Taoism has been attributed to a man | | | | Truths would be very attractive to practitioners |
| known as Lao-Tzu, although the text he | | | | of a similar philosophy that did not give attention |
| supposedly wrote, Tao Te Ching (The Classic of | | | | to such ideas. Because of its lack of emphasis on |
| the Way and the Virtue) was also known as | | | | political matters and later entry into China, |
| Lao-Tzu, so it is impossible at this time to | | | | Buddhism was never sanctioned by the |
| determine whether Lao-Tzu existed. It was most | | | | government in the same manner that |
| likely compiled by different hands in the 4th | | | | Confucianism was. |
| century B.C.E., although Lao-Tzu, a contemporary | | | | These three forms of thought were either born |
| of Kong Fuzi, was said to have lived in the 6th | | | | of or accepted because of the political chaos of |
| century B.C.E. Lao-Tzu, whose named can be | | | | the Period of the Warring States in the 3rd and |
| translated as "the Old Master", was thought to be | | | | 4th centuries B.C.E. in China. While being very |
| an archive-keeper in one of the lesser kingdoms | | | | similar, each philosophy has its particular |
| of the time. The practice of Taoism can be | | | | differences that lent itself to differing applications |
| realized through the idea of wei wu-wei, or action | | | | within the society. Each survive to this day. |
| non-action which can be understood as doing | | | | |