Everyone's social ideal in China is Confucian, and everyone's natural personality ideal is Taoist. What does that mean? !

Social ideal is a world, which means that all people are good people. Natural personality is natural personality, and the ideal of natural personality is Taoist freedom, that is, freedom.

As far as natural personality is concerned, Confucianism emphasizes the restraint of desire and Taoism emphasizes the freedom of nature. In fact, despite the Taoist view, in social life, they have not divorced from the Confucian benevolence, righteousness and propriety, and they are also restraining their own desires. That is to say, although it is not said, the behavior is tested. In Confucianism, the purpose of restraining desire is to be a gentleman. A gentleman can be like a duck to water in social life and will be respected everywhere unless his personality is misunderstood.

As far as social ideals are concerned, Confucianism stresses the great harmony society, and benevolence and propriety prevail in the world, while Taoism advocates purity and inaction, and returning to nature. Returning to nature, human nature likes to relax, hates work, and pursues advantages and avoids disadvantages. If everyone does this, society will fall into chaos. Moreover, people must rely on group life, so the instinct of survival urges individuals in the group to actively restrain their desires, and they prefer people who can restrain their own nature. This is the origin of benevolence and righteousness. In other words, Confucianism comes from the social truth formed by the nature of law, and the nature of Taoism's law will eventually lead to the conclusion of Confucianism.

In the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, the way to govern the country was Taoist quietism. By the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the royal family had an incest scandal and the social order was chaotic. This prompted Emperor Wu to listen to Dong Zhongshu's advice and respect Confucianism alone. That is, from the natural state, it has evolved into benevolence, righteousness and propriety. This is not the result of arbitrary political forces, but conforms to the needs of the whole society. The result of Taoist quietism is the birth or reappearance of Confucian social concepts.

In other words, the pursuit of Taoism and Confucianism, whether social ideal or natural personality ideal, is the same.

My point of view is rooted in Xunzi, hoping to help.