Death and the Life After: Through the Lens of Taoists and Confucianists

To most of us, death is perceived as the permanent end of the life of a person, while the afterlife
is a destination determined by our works during our life on earth. However, these topics are
represented differently in the context of the religions of Confucianism and Taoism. Though
unalike from what we know, these two belief systems originating in China have interesting takes
on a human’s passing, as well as the treatment towards the deceased. For Taoists and
Confucianists, death does not equate to a negative end, but rather a transition or a rebirth to the
afterlife. In addition, regardless of an indefinite afterlife, both religions practice rituals to honor
their family's departed ancestors.

In Confucianism and Taoism, death is an essential aspect of life and is depicted as a matter that
one must not worry about. Taoists believe in the Yin-Yang principle: that opposites should stay
in balance in nature, just like life and death. Therefore, both are weighed as equally "good" to
attain harmony and no difference is present between the two. Death is simply the shift from yang
to ying, or from being to not being. In relation to that, life and death complement each other to be
able to be one with the Tao or the natural flow of all things that Taoists follow. On the other
hand, though Confucianists also regard death as innate, it is still barely discussed among texts or
in teachings. They believe it isn't a present concern; thus, they should worry more about how one
aims to live a meaningful life at the moment. By playing one's role in society and living
according to the golden rules within their limited time on earth, the uncertainty of the afterlife
shouldn't be a concern.

Life after death is said to exist in both belief systems, though there is no definite picture of it
among them. During the Shang Dynasty, Taoism emerged as a religion within the peasant classes
who resided near to nature. Noticing that a dead tree eventually came back to life and flourished
during the spring season, they believed the same for deceased humans; they do not disappear, but
continue their life somewhere else. According to Modern Taoism, the departed starts a new
"beginning" by migrating to another physical body, sustaining the Tao process. At the same time,
there are also some Taoist teachings that indicate that the "heavens" above, where gods reside,
can be visited by humans after their passing. Meanwhile, for Confucianists, there is no definite
path towards the afterlife. It is merely viewed as a rebirth. Moreover, they treat the burial process
as a vital practice that consists of the dead body being dressed in fine clothing, washed, dusted
with powder while the casket is decorated and filled with food. With that, they aim to ensure that
the departed loved one finds a safe home in their next life, wherever the journey may be.

Despite being uncertain about the existence of their ancestors' rebirth, Confucianists and Taoists
still venerate them habitually and remember their life on earth. Ancestor worship is always
incorporated in Taoist rituals among the community or the city. Along with burning incense, a
Grand Master performs a ritual that invokes these spirits while also ascending towards an altar.
Aside from this, they make sure to honor their departed loved ones' memories through spiritual
holidays participation, such as the Qingming Festival in China. Confucian beliefs also indicate
practices to pay respect to one's descendants. Besides having household shrines and keeping
genealogical records at home altars, temples, and public places of worship, a widely done custom
is the 3-year ritual mourning dedicated to family members who have passed. By practicing so,
they are also able to cultivate the virtue of filial piety (xiao) and instill harmonious relationships
in society.

In conclusion, Taoists and Confucianists similarly regard death as a natural occurrence and a
shift towards a new "beginning" as a new being. In Taoism, it is clear that the departed migrates
to live in another physical body or goes to the heavens. On the other hand, Confucianism has no
definite answer to what lies in the afterlife. Whether their ancestors continue to be in another
place or not, both belief systems agree to honor them as part of their rituals and as a means to
establish harmony and filial piety within the community. Overall, the way they positively view
and deal with death all connects to their main focus: to find peace and meaning in our present life
and to pay tribute to those who came before.

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Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/Taoism/

Markey, D. (2017, Sep 29). ‌Afterlife in Confucianism & Christianity. Synonym.com.

https://classroom.synonym.com/afterlife-in-confucianism-christianity-12085803.html

Richey, J. (2021). Afterlife and Salvation. Patheos.com.

https://www.patheos.com/library/confucianism/beliefs/afterlife-and-salvation

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