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Chinese philosophy terms

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Schools of thought

  1. zhé哲xué学

    philosophy

  2. zhū诸zǐ子bǎi百jiā家

    the Hundred Schools of Thought (pre-Qin philosophers)

  3. rú儒jiā家

    Confucianism; the Confucian school

  4. dào道jiā家

    Taoist school of thought; Taoism

  5. fǎ法jiā家

    Legalists (school of thought); Legalism

  6. mò墨jiā家

    Mohism; the Mohist school

  7. fó佛jiào教

    Buddhism

  8. chán禅

    Zen; Chan (Buddhism)

The thinkers

  1. kǒng孔zǐ子

    Confucius (551-479 BC)

  2. lǎo老zǐ子

    Laozi (ancient Taoist philosopher)

  3. mèng孟zǐ子

    Mencius (Confucian philosopher)

  4. zhuāng庄zǐ子

    Zhuangzi (Taoist philosopher of the Warring States period, and the book named after him)

  5. mò墨zǐ子

    Mozi (philosopher of the Warring States, founder of Mohism)

  6. xún荀zǐ子

    Xunzi (Confucian philosopher, c. 310-235 BC)

  7. hán韩fēi非zǐ子

    Han Feizi (Legalist philosopher, and the book named after him)

  8. sūn孙zǐ子

    Sunzi (author of The Art of War)

  9. zhū朱xī熹

    Zhu Xi (Song dynasty Neo-Confucian philosopher)

  10. wáng王yáng阳míng明

    Wang Yangming (1472-1529), Ming dynasty Neo-Confucian philosopher

The big ideas

  1. dào道

    Tao (the Way in Taoism)

  2. dé德

    virtue; morality

  3. rén仁

    benevolence; humaneness

  4. yì义

    justice; righteousness

  5. lǐ礼

    ceremony; rite

  6. zhì智

    wisdom; intelligence

  7. xìn信

    trustworthy; true to one's word

  8. xiào孝

    filial piety; filial

  9. shù恕

    forbearance; reciprocity (Confucian virtue)

  10. zhōng中yōng庸

    the golden mean (Confucian doctrine)

  11. wú无wéi为

    inaction; doing nothing (Taoist ideal)

  12. yīn阴yáng阳

    yin and yang

  13. wǔ五xíng行

    the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth)

  14. qì气

    qi (vital energy)

  15. tiān天rén人hé合yī一

    unity of heaven and humanity

  16. tiān天mìng命

    mandate of heaven

  17. tài太jí极

    Taiji; the Supreme Ultimate (in Chinese philosophy)

The good person

  1. jūn君zǐ子

    gentleman; person of noble character

  2. xiǎo小rén人

    mean person; villain

  3. rén仁yì义

    benevolence and righteousness

  4. lǐ礼yì义lián廉chǐ耻

    propriety, righteousness, honesty and sense of shame

  5. xiū修shēn身

    to cultivate one's moral character

  6. sān三gāng纲wǔ五cháng常

    the three cardinal guides and five constant virtues (Confucian ethics)

The classics

  1. lún论yǔ语

    The Analects (of Confucius)

  2. dào道dé德jīng经

    Tao Te Ching (classic text attributed to Laozi)

  3. yì易jīng经

    I Ching; Book of Changes

  4. sūn孙zǐ子bīng兵fǎ法

    The Art of War (by Sunzi)

What is the Tao?

道 (dào, Tao), the Way: the order of the world in Taoism, and the right way to live for Confucius. It is also the three-letter answer to the crossword clue “Chinese philosophy”.

What are the five Confucian virtues?

The five constants: 仁 (rén, benevolence), 义 (yì, justice), 礼 (lǐ, propriety), 智 (zhì, wisdom) and 信 (xìn, trustworthiness).

What does 无为 mean?

无为 (wúwéi) is often translated as inaction, but it means acting without forcing, the way water finds its course. It is a central idea of 道德经 (dàodéjīng, Tao Te Ching).

Is Taoism 道家 or 道教?

Both. 道家 (dàojiā) is the school of thought of Laozi and Zhuangzi, and 道教 (dàojiào) the religion with its temples and priests. Confucianism is 儒家 (rújiā).

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More on Chinese thought

Terms, pinyin and meanings from our own dictionary.