Second, Confucius' disciples and Confucian scholars are the most persistent, tenacious and enterprising people in the world. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Qiang Bing was a rich country, and the thoughts of Legalists and Mohists prevailed. Confucianism is the least popular thing, but Confucius took his students to promote his theory all over the world. After the death of Confucius, his students compiled his remarks into The Analects of Confucius, and continued to develop Confucius' and Confucianism's theories, which were sold in the street until Wei Xian, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty. Finally let him succeed.
Third, when the history of China developed to Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, it finally became a relatively complete and stable country. At this time, the essence of Confucianism was taken seriously by the rulers and taken out. The essence of Confucianism is actually two points.
1, Baigu. They think everything in ancient times is good and perfect. Just as Confucius specially asked Laozi, the director of the National Library of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, about the etiquette of the Western Zhou Dynasty. He believes that if people today don't break the etiquette of the past, there will be no turmoil in the world. Just like Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (whose name I forgot) wanted to amend the laws and regulations of the country, he asked the following ministers, ministers (Confucianism). Sorry, I forgot my name. ) Tell him that the current laws and regulations were formulated by Emperor Gaozu and Xiao Dacheng. How does your talent compare with that of Emperor Gaozu? How is my talent compared with Xiao Dacheng? Of course, the emperor can't say that he is better than the high-impedance old rascal Lius Pongoh. The minister said that since we are not as good as them, the laws and regulations formulated by Gao Zu and Xiao Dacheng are of course the most perfect. Although the emperor has a chest tightness, there is nothing he can do. There is a famous saying that "follow the established policy" means this.
2. Self-denial. This is what an ordinary person looks at, listens to and needs most after becoming a ruler. There is a robbery and a call in the world, which is hard to come by. Now that we have the world, who wants to lose it? Then everyone should sit down in an orderly way, be obedient, and don't put their asses in the wrong place. It doesn't matter if you have some ideas, but you should exercise restraint and not violate etiquette, which would be a big mistake. Gentlemen, ministers, ministers, fathers, sons, sons, you should behave yourself so that you can live for generations. Your father wants benevolent government and your courtiers want filial piety, so there are such things as three cardinal guides and five permanents, three obedience and four virtues. In such a social environment, can human performance be developed?
In this case, the legalist thought is to pursue the constant change of society, and the Mohist thought is like freedom, equality and fraternity in the west now. How can rulers pay attention to it? Isn't that digging your own ancestral grave?
Confucianism ruled China for two thousand years. In these two thousand years, almost all other ideological systems have been obliterated, and China intellectuals cannot extricate themselves from them, because this is the only way to get ahead, thus obliterating the creativity of China intellectuals. In these two thousand years, there was almost no science in China because of the confinement of thought. When the western powers came to China with foreign guns, they were bound to be beaten, and there was almost no room to fight back.
Today, some people are still talking about how useful Confucianism is. I don't know whether they know it very well. Probably both. However, this kind of thinking is very, very harmful, just like an official wants to be the master of the people. It seems reasonable, but in his bones he regards himself as the master of the people.