The different tenets of Taoism are in the three forms of it: Philosophical, Yoga, and Taoist religion. Each of these is trying to find te or powers that rule men. This in effect is also trying to find ch�i which is a universal power in nature. If you can gather this ch�i and use it correctly then you can gather the energies and do magic as in the religious aspect of Taoism. Another thing that Taoists try to find is the Wu wei which is the freedom that �flows from us� and through us which controls us and provides our conscious. It is almost our life force. Another thing about Taoism is it�s a naturistic worldview, they are I guess for example a Sierra club of a religion. They do not want to abuse or use nature farther then need be. In fact they don�t like touching it as much as possible and commonly will fade their houses and temples into the ever present landscape at hand instead of destroying it first to build. They will build around nature. They use this as a form of artwork as well. Another thing Taoists believe is yin/yang which controls life and is in essence saying there are opposites of everything in order to keep proper balance. Its religion is also very un-violent and very peaceful they have a very simple and peaceful view on life.
For Confucianism There are five ideals in Confucian thought as follows:
1. Jen is what defines an ideal relationship between individuals. In public it creates diligence and in private life courtesy, being unselfish, and having empathy towards your fellow companion(s).
2. Chun tzu as best translated to the superior person or humanity at it's best. It is the direct opposite of a pretty person. Someone that has extreme respect for themselves which creates a respect for others, someone that has an immense care for others.
3. Li has two meanings. First is the way things should be done. Basically a list of doctrines, or manners I guess to tell how things should be properly done. The other meaning is rites which talks about rites to do things.
4. Te literally means the power by which men are ruled. Basically it's the power of morality.
5. Wen "this refers to the arts of peace" like music, poetry, and etc.
He created his thinking because of what was going on at the time. The Chinese were a very formal culture and where very group minded. According to Smith�s book there wasn�t even an early word for discipline or disobedience as it wasn�t thought of. However, at this time the army switched from meeting each other on an actual battlefield, similar to what we see in civil war films; to ambushing and massacres. The society was switching from being group minded to individual minded. This was causing problems in the society and Confucius wanted to fix them and go back to the traditional ways. In the Confucian project one is told to adjust the way that they look at relationships in life. By relationships it's talking about with people, earth, life, food, everything and anything we interact
with. He talks a lot about self-examining before you make judgments about other things. He talked about husbands and wives being loyal to each other and showing each other love and compassion. He talked about children being respectful to their parents and elders of society. He taught workers to respect their bosses and bosses to respect and treat their employees well.
I can attain some of these things to my personal life, with Taoism I�m not sure I can use any of the things listed except for the peacefulness and respecting others involved. In the Tao Te Ching I can sympathize with the religion better then in Smith�s book as he confused me in the Chinese religion section. I feel that if you see things in a positive light then yes you will have more positive things happen to you. I believe in being a Christian to not being selfish or boastful which is shown in their religion too. I believe in the golden rule which is mentioned in the Tao Te Ching as well which is to treat others as you want to be treated. To always treat people right even if they have wronged you. To live by example and not let possessions of the world control you for they will merely just pass away.For Confucianism I look to the Analects as well because for some reason I understand the religion better with their religious book then I do with Smith again. I firmly agree to following and respecting my elders for they have lived longer and quite probably know more about life then I do. I believe that life is not in finding pleasure as it can leave you empty handed and empty hearted and still thirsting for more after you�ve had all the pleasure in the world, where true knowledge can be full. I believe in being truthful even though that myself can often find myself telling lies in order to be beneficial, something I work on through self-examination as it talks about in the analects. I also try to not use profanity or vulgar terms as much as possible but unfortunately in living in southern California I was surrounded by it so much as a teenager that I have problems with keeping silence my mouth sometimes.
In conclusion I feel that Confucianism deals more with the thought and moral coding of things where Taoism deals with the spiritual realm and how things go in the universe by way of energy forces or etc.
I think Confucianism is mostly a philosophy that compliments Buddhism and compliments Taoism. Taoism is also a philosophy but with a religious aspect in the empowerment of Ch�i and being able to harness that energy into magic. They both teach respect toward elders, both teach respect of proper roles in civilian life and in private life, both teach formalization of society again, and trying to be once again group minded, both teach about helping others by not being selfish and non-boastful. Taoism is more in touch with nature minded things then Confucianism.