In Confucianism, saintliness is linked to ethical perfection and acquiring ideal harmony with the Way (Dao) of heaven (tian). The “holy rulers of primal times,” such as King Tang (11th century bce), were representative examples of ideal conduct. In Daoism, sanctity involves attaining a passionless unity with the Absolute, as exemplified by the zhenren, or the “pure men of early times,” described by the mystical sage Zhuang Zhou (died c. 300 bce) in the Zhuangzi.
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