A Review of the Historical Development of Confucianism
Comments on Confucius in Pre-Qin Period
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period before Qin Shihuang unified the six countries, there was an academic prosperity of "a hundred schools of thought contend", among which Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, Ming and France were the most famous. Although Confucianism is the first of the excellent schools, it does not stand on the position of respect. Therefore, the evaluation of Confucius by various schools is different.
Confucius' disciples and their later scholars all respected Confucius. Zi Gong is the representative of his master. He admired Confucius, regarded him as a heaven and man, and compared him to heaven, the sun and the moon, and Muduo. Mortals can never reach him. He thinks Confucius is a natural saint. Mencius, an Asian sage, believes that Confucius' way of being a saint is the highest criterion that runs through nature and society. However, at that time, it was generally believed that Confucius was a learned and famous scholar.
Xunzi, a great Confucian scholar at the end of the Warring States Period, although his thought of etiquette was rooted in Confucius, his thought of "law" was strong. He took it as his duty to inherit the Confucian orthodoxy, respected Confucius, and believed that the virtue of Confucius would never die out. However, he condemned Zhang Zi, Xia Zi and Zi You as "cheap Confucianism" and criticized Zi Si and Mencius. His works quoted the words and deeds of Confucius and his disciples in many places, expressing his thought of attaching importance to etiquette and "using knowledge in the name of Confucius".
Mohism has many criticisms of Confucianism, criticizing Confucius for "not saying enough", advocating "not saying enough" and criticizing the cumbersome etiquette of Confucius and Confucianism.
Taoism takes nature as its purpose, despises etiquette and holds a negative attitude towards Confucian ethics.
Pre-Qin legalists opposed Confucianism ideologically, and Shang Yang, the representative of the early legalists, thought that Confucianism opposed the legalists' thought of agricultural warfare, which caused the country to be "impoverished". Han Fei, a master of legalism, personally respects Confucius, but he thinks that Confucius' theory is out of date.
The above-mentioned pre-Qin philosophers held their own opinions on Confucius, which just reflected the prosperity of academic contention at that time. This is completely different from the situation of Confucianism after the Han Dynasty.
Comments on Confucius in Qin and Han Dynasties
Qin and Han Dynasties are the key period for the development of Confucianism. In the pre-Qin period, Confucius was only one of the philosophers. Although Confucianism was called "Xianxue", it was only one of a hundred schools. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty deposed hundreds of schools and respected Confucianism alone. Since then, Confucianism has been in a dominant position and has become the official ideology.
The development of Confucianism in Qin and Han Dynasties can be divided into three stages:
1. Although Qin Shihuang burned books to bury Confucianism, there were many Confucian scholars among the doctors in the Qin Dynasty. They were the ancestors of Confucius, who spread Confucianism and practiced witchcraft in the Qin Dynasty, and Confucianism did not occupy a dominant position;
2. In the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, Huang Lao was revered, and doctors and scholars were waiting to be invited, but they were not honored;
3. After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Confucianism came into being, and then entered the period of Confucian rule.
The characteristics of Confucianism in Han Dynasty are:
1. eclectic, comprehensive absorption of the strengths of various schools, enriching Confucianism and enriching it;
2. Confucius' status is getting higher and higher because Confucianism is fixed on a statue;
3. Deify Confucius and Confucian Classics, and make Confucius become a god from a saint, and Confucian Classics become a theology.