Philosophical Outlook of Ancient China Essay

The Hundred Schools of Thought was an era of great ethnical and intellectual expansion in China that lasted from 770 to 222 BCE. In around d BCE, after the Zhou state weakened and China moved in to the period of warring states, the classic period of Chinese doctrine, know as the Golden Age, began. This period saw the rise of numerous Chinese philosophers and academics. more of the great Chinese texts drive intensely enriched Chinese lifestyles and social cognizance up to the present day.However, of the human racey schools founded at this time and during the subsequent struggle States Period, the three close to influential ones were Legalism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Legalism, the political philosophy have-to doe with with the most effective way of governing society, is exemplified in the style, military strength, and philosophical let outlook of the passing. Legalists personate military personnel as inherently evil and inclined toward criminal and selfish behavior. Thus, if humans be aloneowed to engage in their natural proclivities, the result leave behind be conflict and social disorder. They must(prenominal)(prenominal) be shaped and guided.If humans are non straightened and bent like the timber in the handing over, which must be changed to be useful, they exit not fit the proper explanation and always be essentially bad or ineffectual. Legalists have said, Those who file capacity for their work will be promised and rewarded, those who show incapacity will be punished (Waley 178- 179) . The manipulation of the wood through its shaping may be compared to the rewards and punishments given to the throng in a legalist society to maintain order in the community. The idea of depending on the constabulary is similarly imperative throughout the passage.The passage reveals that impartialitys of the state must not be neglected, indicating their importance and necessity. It may be plain stated, the legalist does not prize morality, he pr izes the law ( Waley, 155). This shows that there is an attitude of placing the law above all in this society. Thus, the passage indicates for the mentioned reasons above that it belongs to the legalist school of judgement. As a result of these legalist beliefs there was a great emphasis position on controlling human behavior through written law rather than through ritual, custom or ethics.Another school of musical theme was based on a system of ethics. This school of thought was known as Confucianism. These teachings placed a high value on attainment and devotion to family, as well as a display of peace of mind and justice. The passage does not represent Confucianism because this school of thought emphasizes the goodness of all people. Contradicting this belief, the passage indicates, the enlightened ruler does not value people who are naturally good. Waley reveals a conversation between the King of Wei and Mencius. Mencius concerns himself with providing the king with someth ing of profit.In reply the King says to him, All that I have to say to you is concerned with goodness and right, and nothing else at all (90). This indicates that there is a unshakable base of integrity and goodness that creates the foundation of Confucianism, and the main attitude toward others were that they were alter with righteousness. The attitude of being naturally good can also be seen as people cultivate conditions of liberty (Waley, 87). This means that it is human nature, which is responsible for nurturing and promoting the growth.It is the character of all human beings to do the right thing that is essentially beat of decency and honesty. In this way, Confucianism was primarily a system of ethical precepts for the proper trouble of society. The last school of thought is characterized by inaction, the uselessness of knowledge, spirituality, and the guidance by nature and instinct. This school of thought is known as Taoism. The passage does not share any of the abov e-motioned characteristics of being middle of the road. In fact, the passage contradicts this particular philosophy quite clearly.It states, the ruler who has the technique does not descend the good that happens by chance. In a Taoist society people believe in inaction as seen in the story of the man who spent every moment in life caring for his horse. hotshot day, the story goes, a fly attached itself to the animal, and this man scotched it. He took an action, and as a result of taking an action the horse taken by surprise, it became severely injured and tore its breast and bruised its head (Waley, 77). This proves, according to Taoism that you should not seek to take things into your hands.If the care giver of the horse never would have made an effort to help the horse it would have been no give out off or worse off than it was before, it would just be. This philosophy is also seen in another part of Waley in which it is said that, You will stumble, you will stagger, you wil l topple and expire (76). The way of the Taoist is to deliver the goods happiness is by learning to go with the flow. Instead of trying to thrum things through the hard way, people should take the time to figure out the natural, or easy way to do things, and then everything would get done more simply.This shows the beliefs of Taoism, that not acting, but just functioning and being, by seek a higher reality within ones self, is enough. In conclusion, after considering all the schools of thought, it can be said that the passage is firm believed to belong to the Legalist school of thought. Legalism portrays humans as obtuse, useless individuals that are inherently bad. The emphasis on laws, punishment and reward are shown by the straitening and twist of society to fit a particular, useful mold.The reasoning for the passage not belonging to either the Taoist or Confucian schools of thought are because there is no emphasis on goodness as seen in Confucianism. However, it does show how people as being inherently bad. It also shows how people should act and take matters into their own hands, which derives from the Taoist philosophy of staying neutral. Therefore, the style, attitude, and philosophical outlook of the passage would be legalism because it is clearly portrayed by the values, attitude and the teachings illustrated in the passage.