儒释道
儒、释、道是中国传统文化的主要思想来源和精髓。
儒文化与起源于河南省商丘市，兴盛于河南省安阳市的殷商文化一脉相承。周初时期，那些自觉保留了殷商文明的前朝遗民开始被称为“儒”。殷商末期的箕子撰写的《洪范》是中国古代政治哲学的重要奠基著作，其中的五行学说、天人感应学说、王道学说可称为儒学的先驱；春秋时期鲁国孔子借鉴丰富的上古文化资源，创建了以“道德仁义”为宗旨、以“礼乐正名”为特色的儒家思想体系。
“释”是古印度（今尼泊尔境内）释迦牟尼创立的佛教，故又称释教，为世界三大宗教之一，主张众生平等和因果报应。自汉朝传入中国后，佛教同中国传统文化相融合。始建于东汉永平十一年（公元68年）的洛阳白马寺是佛教传入中国后兴建的第一座官办寺院，也因此被认为是中国佛教的发源地，有中国佛教的“祖庭”和“释源”之称。
“道”是以黄老学派“清静无为”思想为基础形成的哲学思想体系，起源于战国时期。汉武帝后，黄老学说走向民间，与方仙道合流，由张道陵创立了五斗米道，奉老子为教祖并尊称其为“太上老君”。位于河南省洛阳市栾川县的老君山，距今已有两千多年人文历史，是道教中历史最长的山脉。春秋时期，被公认为道教始祖的老子李耳到此归隐修炼，使之成为“道源”（道教起源地）和“祖庭”（祖师之庭）。
秦汉以后，中国传统文化的主流基本是儒释道三家。元末明初，儒释道三家进一步融合发展，形成“三教合一”。其中儒家修身“治世”，作为一种治理国家的意识形态曾长期作为中国官方意识形态，确立了中国传统社会的礼仪规范与典章制度，其影响波及朝鲜半岛、日本、中亚、东南亚地区；道家养性“治身”， 强调“道法自然”，认为人应该顺应自然规律，追求内心的平静和自由；佛家修心“治心”，主张通过内心的修行和觉悟来消除痛苦和不满。三家既相互竞争，又彼此吸收融合，共同构成了中国传统社会的处世和哲学基础。
Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism
Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism represent the main philosophical sources and essence of the traditional Chinese culture.
Confucianism, or "rujia" in Chinese, came down in one continuous line with the Shang culture that originated in Shangqiu and bloomed in Anyang, both in Henan. In the early period of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the adherents of the preceding Shang Dynasty who consciously retained the Shang culture were called ru. Ji Zi, a man of the late Shang Dynasty, authored a masterpiece of political philosophy, Hong Fan (The Grand Rules). The theories of the five elements, of nature and man responding to each other, and of the Kingly Way (benevolent governance), which he elaborated on in the book, could be considered the precursors of Confucianism, or the school of the ru. In the Spring and Autumn Period, Confucius (551-479 BC), a thinker and educator from the State of Lu, drew on the rich ancient culture and established Confucianism that valued virtue, benevolence, justice, and a rigorous system of norms centering on rituals and music.
Buddhism, created by Sakyamuni of a kingdom in ancient India (in present-day Nepal), is one of the three main religions in the world. It advocates equality of all and karma. Buddhism spread to China in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) and blended with the traditional Chinese culture. The Baima Temple in Luoyang built in 68 was the first government-funded Buddhist temple in the country, and therefore it is regarded as the ancestral chamber and place of origin of Chinese Buddhism.
Daoism is a philosophical system originating in the Warring States Period. It is based on the principles established by the philosophical school of Huangdi and Lao Zi (dates unknown), such as seeking peace of mind and non-action. After Emperor Wu's reign (141-87 BC) in the Han Dynasty, Huang-Lao teachings caught on among the common people and blended with folk beliefs and immortal alchemy. Later, Zhang Daoling (34-156) created the Wudoumi sect of Daoism, which worshipped Lao Zi as their religious ancestor and honored him as the supreme deity. The Laojun Mountain in Henan's Luanchuan County has more than 2,000 years of history associated with Daoism. It is considered the cradle and ancestral place of Daoism because Lao Zi, who was generally believed to be the founder of Daoism, had lived here in seclusion for self-cultivation.
Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism had represented the mainstream traditional Chinese culture ever since the Han Dynasty, and they further integrated in the late Yuan and early Ming (1368-1644) dynasties.
Confucianism, which encourages self-cultivation and contribution to good governance, for a long time was upheld as China's official philosophy in state governance, with rituals and rules established in ancient Chinese society. It has also exerted great influences on the Korean Peninsula, Japan, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. Daoism advocates nourishing one's nature and emphasizes that dao, or the Way, follows nature, meaning letting things take their natural course. It holds that people should follow the natural laws and pursue inner quietude and freedom. Buddhism, on the other hand, urges people to relieve themselves of misery and discontent by cultivating the heart and attaining enlightenment. The three schools of thoughts competed and assimilated with each other at the same time, jointly constituting the philosophy of life in traditional Chinese society.
