An Analysis of Chinese Traditional Confucian and Taoist Views on Happiness

Confucian school and Taoist school are two influential schools in traditional Chinese thought. Their interpretation of happiness still influences the contemporary Chinese view on happiness. The Confucian view of happiness in virtue the happiness of human needs not only material security but also spiritual satisfaction, and the perfect integration and unity of individual happiness and social happiness through the way of inner sage and outer king. Taoism believes that only by following nature's inaction can human beings achieve true happiness, and that the social happiness is to be self-satisfied with joy in life. Taking insights from the Confucian and Taoist understandings of happiness is of great significance to the remodeling of the Chinese concept of happiness in the new era. Keywords—Confucianism; Taoism; happiness