Chinese Philosophy

While Daoism and Confucianism are commonly perceived as two contradictory schools, because of their opposite ideas towards the relationship between individual and society, education, ethics, and so on, but still they are in line with one another in many aspects. For example, one of Laozi’s Daodejing’s basic idea is that “the Way is always not-doing, yet there is nothing it doesn’t do.1” Confucius also has the similar idea in his analects:

The Master said, “I wish to be wordless.”

Zing said, “If you never spoke, then what would we disciples have to pass on?”

The Master said, “Does the sky speak? Yet the seasons turn and the creatures of the world are born. Does the sky speak?” (The Analects of Confucius, 17.19, P97)

The sky represents the Way; the Way does nothing, yet the seasons turn and creatures are born. What’s more, Daoists celebrate the governance of a country with wu-wei (not-doing), as what the sages said in Daodejing: I do not force my way and the people transform themselves; I enjoy my serenity and the people correct themselves; I do not interfere and the people enrich themselves2. Confucius also expresses his appreciation of this idea by comparing it with the great sage king Shun by saying he did nothing but all was well ordered and all he did was simply composed himself with reverence and sat facing south3. As the later generation of Laozi and Confucius, Zhuangzi acknowledges the similarities and by choosing to use Confucius as the protagonist of his book he builds a bridge between the two seemingly incompatible schools.