Chinese religious and ethical systemsIt has often been said that the Chinese are not deeply religious. It is true that they have shown a relative indifference towards metaphysical speculation; Chinese culture was perhaps the first to develop intellectual skepticism towards the gods. Confucianism Confucius (Kong Zi) lived from 551 to 479 BC in the state of Lu (in modern Shandong province). He came from a family of officials and his concern was the restoration of the Way (Dao) of the ancient sages. His teaching was therefore mainly linked to society and its government. He advocated strict conformity and thought that promoting proper behavior, in the context of the family, would produce an orderly society. He was not particularly interested in religion, except insofar as it concerned social life. However, in 59 AD, during the Han dynasty, it was decreed that a sacrifice should be made to Confucius and this began a process that would make Confucian philosophy the most important religion. foundation of the Chinese political order. Confucius himself had only accepted the legitimacy of sacrifice to his ancestors, but from then on an official Confucian cult emerged, with its own temples. Gradually it became linked to the state cult of the emperor. From the 5th century AD Confucian orthodoxy retreated in the face of the popularity of Buddhism and Taoism. But a revival came during the Sung dynasty when Confucianism responded to the challenge and developed its own metaphysics. This new trend is known as Neo-Confucianism, and its main exponent was Zhu Xi (1130-1200). It subsequently became the primary orthodoxy of scholarly officials until the end of the imperial system in 1912. In contemporary China, the Confucian cult has disappeared, but the Confucian approach to government and society maintains a strong hold on many people. Daoism (Taoism) The origins of Daoism are obscure, but it is initially seen as a rival to Confucianism. The teachings of early Taoism are attributed to Lao Zi in the 5th century BC, believed to be the author of the most influential Taoist text, the Dao De Jing (The Way and Its Power). Where the Confucian emphasized ethical action, the Taoist spoke of the virtue of Wu Wei (non-action), going with the flow of things. Like the Confucians, the Taoists looked back to a golden age. The good ruler, they thought, led his people with humility, without seeking to interfere with the rhythms of social life conducted within the larger patterns of the natural world and the entire cosmos..