Government in the Tao Te Ching

When reading the poems from the Tao Te Ching, I thought it was especially interesting that that poems 57-60 focused on government since that was a new theme for the poems, and one fairly distant from the other themes discussed in the poems. I thought the ways that the poems shaped the ‘ideal government’ was …

Xiao (Filial Piety)

When reading about early schools of Chinese thought, I was reminded how heavily Confucius emphasized the importance of respect and virtuous relationships. One of the main values of Confucianism is filial piety: showing great respect for one’s parents and upbringing both in the home—and in the heart—but also outside the home when representing one’s name. …

Confucianism in Modern Society

I think that we view Confucianism as archaic and too conservative especially in the modern west. After reading and doing some additional research on the teachings of Confucius I have come to the conclusion that Confucianism is portrayed very differently today than what it teaches. For example, the Bible has many teachings that are considered …