THE DIALECTIC OF CONFUCIANISM AND TAOISM IN ANCIENT CHINA

A dialectical analysis of the opposition between Confucianism & Taoism in ancient China is conducted, focusing on four levels of relationship: the philosophical, the religious, the political, & the SE. The philosophical conflict is based on Confucianism's humanism, utilitarianism, & ethical emphasis on order, as opposed to Taoism's naturalistic mysticism. This extends to the religious domain, where the Confucian religion was formalistic, humanistic, & oriented to this world, while Taoist religion was spiritualistic, naturalistic, & other-world oriented. Politically, the social system guaranteed that administrators & government officials were Confucians. The Taoists tended toward anarchy & refused to participate in state affairs. Thus, the Confucians were the bureaucrats, the wealthy land owners, & the upwardly mobile, while the Taoists, looking back to the classless society of prefeudal China, were antihierarchical & often associated with rebellions. 1 Table. M. Migalski.