Lao Tzu And Confucius's Response To Universal Questions In Ancient China

Universal questions that deal with controversial topics are questions that people have trouble answering or cannot answer. Many ancient Chinese writers, however, have succeeded in giving responses to the universal questions that capture the attention of common people. Early Chinese writers like Lao Tzu, Confucius, and T’ao Ch’ien gave answers to universal questions to help people decide how to live their lives. Many pieces of Chinese poetry like Form, Shadow, Spirit, The Analects, and Tao Te Ching answer ambiguous questions like how one should live with the knowledge of death when T’ao Ch’ien explains that one should not waste time pondering about death; the actions of a ruler when Lao Tzu states that a ruler should keep the people healthy as well as show them they are weak; and one’s relationship with his family and friends when Confucius declared that kindness and respect
The Analects contain Confucius’s teachings which give answers to universal questions that many people can have. An answer is given to the question regarding relationships by the master when he says, “A young man’s duty is to behave well to his parents at home and to his elders abroad, to be cautious in giving promises and punctual in keeping them, to have kindly feelings towards everyone” (The Analects 6-8). One should always behave well, or respectfully, to one’s family and society because that is what creates a sustaining relationship. Making promises and keeping them also means that one is showing respect to the people he has relations with. Furthermore, one should be kind and generous with others to sustain one’s relationships. Maintaining friendly feelings are the kind of emotions that one should have towards his family and