Confucianism and Taoism: Differences and Complementation

Differences between Confucius's thinking and that of Laozi represent two blanches of Chinese culture, and ultimately created two distinct cultural traditions of Confucianism and Taoism and the pattern of complementation between the two. The complementation witnessed two climaxes respectively during the Warring States period and the Song and Ming dynasties. In the cultural framework of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism complementing each other after the Song and Ming dynasties , complementation between Confucianism and Taoism predominated. Complementation of the early days was mutual, and later, for the special position of Confucianism, complementation between Confucianism and Taoism was basically complementing Confucianism with Taoism, specifically complementing Confucianism's scantiness and bias. The complementation perfected the Chinese cultural framework and enabled the lives of the Chinese intellectuals to be complete and artistic, giving them a sense of moderateness and balance in their mood and behavior.