The Comparison of the Two Kinds of Theories of Original Goodness of Human Nature and Education Thought between Confucianism and Taoism and Their Practical Significance

Both Confucianism and and Taoism advocates that human nature is originally kind. The common point is that both started from caring about social problems, human nature and how to harmonise the relation between mankind and the surroundings. The main differences between them are: First,Confucianism brings forward a problem from the angle of social relations, its theory is practical; but Taoism brings forward a problem from the point of the relations between man and its theory is profound and full of dialectics. The second is that Confucianism thinks that benevolence, righteousness, ritual, wisdom are the content of human nature and that by the training of the four aspects man can reach the supreme good realm; Taoism thinks that the goodness of human beings is to live according to its natural disposition, proposing that returning to the nature, and be satisfied with what you have and cultivate moral character. Thus it can be seen that there are great diversities between Confucianism and Taoism. But mutual complementary education values of Confucianism and Taoism and the natural humanism of Taoism are significant for the establishment of educational values and the emphasis and research of educational ecology for the education today.