Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism (Brad)

In ancient China, three distinctly contrasting faiths absorbed the attention of the Chinese population for centuries. Taoism, one of the three faiths, emphasized the importance of living simply and peacefully. Taoists believed that government was unnecessary for guiding in the right direction, but rather that meditation was enough to lead those who practiced it to a life free from desire, stress, and conflict. Almost entirely paradoxical to Taoism, Legalism hugely accentuated the importance of government ruling and strict laws. More of a social belief system rather than a religion, this faith taught people that they were born with the intention to act improperly and that they could only be directed properly through rigorous laws with harsh punishments. Eventually, these same ideas would cause Legalism to die out. Finally, the third faith was Confucianism. This religion is often considered the median between the other two. Like Legalism, Confucianism believed in social order with government ruling. However, rather than enforce rules and punishments designed to be broken, Confucianism believed that leaders should lead by example and treat their people as they would want to be treated. Like Taoism, this religion saw the importance of living simply and without desire. Ethics and Morality were the most important values for Confucianists. This faith inspired good behavior and encouraged it rather than forcing it upon people, it is perhaps why Confucianism lasted for so long and was so popular.