【Intro – Axial Age】
What if I told you around 2,500 years ago, something extraordinary happened across the world?
Thinkers in completely different places like Greece, Israel, Persia and India started asking the same big questions and had a wave of breakthroughs in philosophy and spirituality.
That is the the Axial Age — a term coined by German philosopher Karl Jaspers, to describe a time when human thought took a huge lea, and laid the foundation for the today’s major religions and philosophies.
And in this video, I want to zoom in on what was happening in China during that time—one of the most important chapters in its entire history.
Hi friends, welcome back. I’m starting this video series to share some essential knowledge about China through the lens of its rich history. It will be fun. Let’s get started.
【The 100 Schools – Idea Boom】
During the 春秋战国 (Spring and Autumn and Warring States) period, China wasn’t one country. As the name suggests, it was divided into dozens of rival states, constantly fighting for power and survival.
In this chaos, many people began to ask: How should we live as a society?
And an incredible number of thinkers emerged. They traveled across borders to pitch their ideas, they wrote books and built academies, they debated to shape the future of China.
This era became known as Contention of A Hundred Schools of Thought (諸子百家)—a golden age of philosophy in Chinese history.
So today, I want to introduce five of the most influential thinkers whose ideas not only influenced China—but also rippled across the world. And knowing them will also help you understand modern China.
【Confucius – Order Through Virtue】
Firstly: Confucius, who is probably also the most famous.
His philosophy would go on to profoundly influence Chinese society and East Asian culture for next two thousand years.
The core of confucianism is 仁 (rén)—benevolence, or humaneness. It’s about compassion, empathy, and treating others with respect.
Then there’s 礼 (lǐ)— meaning ritual and proper conduct. Not just at ceremonies, but everyday manners, social roles, and respect for tradition.
Like Socrates, Confucius didn’t write down his teachings—but his students did, in a collection called the Analects. I studied some of it in school, and here are a few lines that have stayed with me:
己所不欲，勿施于人。
“Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.”
君子和而不同，小人同而不和。
“The noble person seeks harmony but not conformity.”
三人行，必有我师焉。
“When walking with others, there’s always something to learn.”
往者不可谏，来者犹可追。
“What is past cannot be amended; what is to come may still be pursued.”
岁寒，然后知松柏之后凋也。
“Only in winter’s chill does the evergreen’s endurance become clear.”
Confucius died before his ideas took hold. But a few generations later, they started to gain traction. By the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), Confucianism had become the official state philosophy—and it kept evolving for centuries after.
【Laozi – The Way of Nature】
Then, we have Laozi, the founder of Daoism.
While Confucius looked to structure and duty to bring order, he offered a very different answer: let go.
He taught that the universe has a natural flow—the Dao (道), or the Way. And the best way to live is to align with it. Stop forcing. Live simply, and in harmony with nature.
One of his key ideas is 无为 (wú wéi)— often translated to non-action, or effortless action. It’s about moving with the current, not against it.
His teachings, collected in this poetic Dao De Jing, are full of quiet and paradoxical wisdom. Again, sharing a few lines that I really like:
(And my favourite is the first one)
上善若水，水善利万物而不争。
“The highest good is like water. It benefits all things without competing.”
曲则全，枉则直。
“To yield is to be preserved whole; to bend is to become straight.”
祸兮福之所倚，福兮祸之所伏。
“Misfortune leans on the heels of fortune; fortune lurks within the shadows of misfortune.”
后其身而身先，外其身而身存。
“By putting oneself last, one comes first; by relinquishing oneself, one survives.”
知人者智，自知者明。
“Knowing others is wisdom; knowing yourself is enlightenment.”
While Confucianism shaped the rules of society, Daoism focused on the soul—influencing Chinese medicine, art, and spirituality for centuries.
【Three Teachings – Foundation of Chinese Culture】
Together, Confucianism and Daoism form two pillars of the Three Teachings (三教), which is the core of traditional Chinese culture. The third—Buddhism—arrived later from India, gradually blending with the others. Like the first two, its roots also reach back to the Axial Age.
Confucianism laid the foundation—teaching order, duty, and the ties that bind us. Daoism flowed like water, offering balance and harmony with the natural world. Then came Buddhism, lighting a path to inner peace and boundless compassion.
Over the next 2,000 years, these three teachings didn’t just coexist—they intertwined, shaping how generations of Chinese people understood life, death, and everything in between.
I will make a video to explore how Buddhism evolved and adapted in China, which is a very interesting story. But for now, let’s turn back to the Warring States period, and 3 other great thinkers who are also well worth knowing.
【Mozi – Universal Love】
During the Hundred Schools of Thought period, Mozi was on the same level as Confucius and Laozi in terms of influence.
Surrounded by war and inequality, he asked a radical question: Why are we fighting at all?
His answer? Universal love—or 兼爱 (jiān ài). Mozi believed we should care for everyone the same way we care for our own families. That, he argued, would end war, reduce suffering, and build a better world.
Mozi was also extremely practical—he promoted helping the poor, defending the weak, and using resources wisely.
His school was popular for a while, but it didn’t win imperial support and eventually faded. Still, his vision of equality, simplicity, and universal care remains one of the most unique and forward-thinking in Chinese philosophy.
【Han Feizi – Control Through Law】
Then we have Han Feizi, the voice of Legalism.
Unlike Confucius or Mozi, he had a very grim view of human nature. He believed people are selfish by default—and only strict laws, with clear rewards and punishments, could keep society in order.
He said:
“When the people are weak, the state is strong. When the people are strong, the state is weak.”
And at that time, Legalism worked. It became the ideological backbone of the Qin state, the one that eventually unified China for the first time. His ideas may not sound appealing, but they built one of the most powerful regimes in Chinese history.
【Sunzi – The Art of War】
Finally, let’s turn to a very different kind of thinker: Sunzi. You might know him as the author of The Art of War. Still a best seller in both military circles and business schools in the 21st century. And yes he lived around the same time as Confucius.
He wasn’t interested in morality or philosophy—his focus was on strategy. How to win, with the least effort.
His most famous idea?
“The best victory is the one won without fighting.”
Sunzi taught the power of knowing yourself, knowing your enemy, and choosing your battles wisely. His insights are still shaping decision today—in war rooms, boardrooms, and beyond.
【End of an Era – 1st Emperor】
By 221 BCE, the Qin state had conquered its rivals. For the first time, China was unified under Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor in Chinese history.
With unity came strict control. Legalist policies dominated. The age of free debate and the 100 schools of thought came to an end.
But the ideas didn’t die.
Confucianism returned in the Han dynasty. Daoism and Buddhism also flourished. They laid the foundations for Chinese civilization.
As for Qin Shi Huang—he’s one of the most interesting and controversial figures in Chinese history. You’ve probably heard of the Terracotta Army, or the Great Wall—yep that’s him.
So in the next episode, we’ll dive into his life, his empire, and the legacy he left behind.
Please subscribe and like this video if you enjoyed it. I will see you in the next one.
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