Question

WHY IS CONFUCIANISM, DAOISM, AND LEGALISM NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A CHINESE RELIGION?

Answer 1

Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism are closer to belief systems than religions. They do not particularly deny the idea of gods, but they do not stress them either. As Confucius once said, “To keep one’s distance from the gods and spirits while showing them reverence can be called wisdom.”

Answer 2

Confucianism is an ethic of moral uprightness, sociaal ordeer, and filial responsibility. Daosim was a philosophy of universal harmony that urged its practitioners not to get too involved in worldly affairs. Legalism is a theory of autocratic, centralized rule and harsh penalties.