Confucius and Lao Zi (active around 500 BCE) were the originators of the two major philosophical traditions in China, Confucian and
daoist. They formulated their viewpoints without any claim to divine or supernatural revelations, and without any invocation of religious authority. They simply proposed ideas they thought were essential for people to live by as individuals, in society, and in this world, without the guidance of any religion but instead with that of a humanist philosophy.
Lao Zi's
daoist philosophy is sadly confused by many with the
daoist religion, which was founded around 140 CE. Seeing humankind as a part of the universe, Lao Zi never hints at the creation of the world by supernatural beings. In fact, the
Book of Lao Zi presents an atheist natural self-generation of the universe, as part of a humanist philosophy.
Confucius and Lao Zi emphasize different yet similar virtues that people should practice with the underlying assumption that every human being is perfectible, each by one's own efforts. This view differs greatly from the belief in many religious traditions that humankind is stained by an original sin or other evil thus requiring redemption through religion. The experience of the Chinese people shows that human beings can make ethical and humane moral decisions without religious input. If this phenomenon could take place in one society for thousands of years, then the argument that all people must have religion as their moral compass to guide them becomes specious.
Personal cultivation of character is illustrated in
A Humanist Path by the life stories of people in China and beyond. World events, historical and contemporary, discussed in connection with the ancient thinkers' teachings demonstrate their relevance in the 21st century. Questions of who decides on moral standards in society, and how do human beings make moral and ethical decisions assist readers in making moral and ethical choices in today's world.
In the second edition, parts of the final chapter have been clarified. Both the List of References and the Index have been expanded. The new subtitle is more explicit and accurate regarding the content of the book.
Wei Djao was born in Shanghai and grew up in Hong Kong. She holds a Ph.D. degree in Sociology, specializing in China Studies, from the University of Toronto. She taught Sociology and Global/Asian Studies in the United States, Canada and Hong Kong. She has published scholarly articles and books on the Chinese people and Chinese civilization.
