Taoism and Confucianism Outline

Ch'u Yuan

(329-299 B.C.E.)

A Chinese poet

The Heaven Questions

are a series of queries put into verse

about the nature of the universe

Translated by Stephan Field

Lao Tzu

(c. 600-500 B.C.E.)

A Philosopher of ancient China and is a central figure in Taoism,

regarded as the author of the

Doodejing (Tao Te Ching)

Confucius

(c. 551-479 B.C.E.)

The basic teachings of Confucianism stress the importance of education

for moral development of the individual so the state can be governed by moral virtue

rather than by the use of coercive laws.

Mo Tzu

(c. 470-391 B.C.E.)

He founded the school of Mohism and argued

strongly against Confucianism and Daoism

Mencuius

(c. 371-289 B.C.E.)

A Chinese philosopher who was arguably

the most famous Confucian after Confucius

Chuang Tzu

(c. 369-286 B.C.E.)

An influential Chinese philosopher whose

philosophy is mildly skeptical, arguing that

our life is limited and the amount of things to know is unlimited.

Tao Te Ching

(c. 300 B.C.E.)

Hsun Tzu

(c. 298-238 B.C.E.)

A Chinese Confucian philosopher, his

philosophy has a more pragmatic flavor

compared to Confucian optimism.

Provincial Orders to conduct regular services in honor of Confucius c. 630 C.E.

Chu Hsi

(1130-1200 C.E.)

Confucian scholar who became the leading

figure of the School of Principle and

the most influential rationalist Neo-Confucian in China.

Publication of the Taoist Canon

1445 C.E.

Wang Yangming

(1473-1529 C.E.)

He was a Ming Chinese idealist Neo-Confucian philosopher,

official, educationist, calligraphist, and general.

After Zhu Xi, he is commonly

regarded as the most important Neo-Confucian thinker.

Communist takeover of China 1949.