Confucius’s view of monarchs and ministers is based on reflection on history, with people-oriented and benevolence at its core. The king must govern according to the Tao, and the ministers should serve the king according to the Tao. The separation and union between the monarch and his ministers is predicated on whether the Tao is the same, and the ministers have no personal dependence on the monarch. Confucius's view of monarchs and ministers reflects the awakening of people's consciousness in the late Spring and Autumn Period.

Han Confucians headed by Dong Zhongshu proposed the "Three Cardinal Guidelines" theory and transformed Confucius's view of monarchs and ministers, thus forming the so-called "Gangchang Mingjiao".

There is a big difference between the view of monarch and ministers in the "Three Cardinal Guidelines" and that of Confucius. However, for more than two thousand years, people have been accustomed to confuse these two different views of monarch and ministers, and < /p>

The concept of monarch and ministers mentioned in the "Three Cardinal Guidelines" should be regarded as the concept of monarch and ministers of Confucius.

Confucius' so-called "lord, minister, minister" ("Yan Yuan") also said: "The king entrusts his ministers with courtesy, and the king is loyal to the world." ("Bayi") The minister is loyal to the king with the king. Treating ministers with courtesy is the premise. The king treats his ministers with courtesy, and in exchange the ministers will be loyal to the king. The relationship between king and minister is not a relationship between authority and submission. As the saying goes, "It is difficult to be a king, but it is not easy to be a minister." ("Zi Lu") That is to say, it is not easy to be a king or a minister, and each must fulfill its responsibilities. Therefore, Zilu asked how to serve the monarch, and Confucius replied: "Don't deceive, but offend." ("Xianwen") Ministers should be loyal to the monarch, but they can offend Yan Ji's advice. For reference.