Guan Zhong Guan Zhong (723 BC - about 645 BC), Han nationality, named Yiwu, also known as Jingzhong, with the courtesy name Zhong, was a famous statesman and military strategist in Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period, Yingshang (today's Anhui Yingshang) people. Guan Zhong lost his father when he was young, his mother was still living in poverty, and he had to shoulder the burden of the family prematurely. In order to make ends meet, he entered into a business partnership with Bao Shuya and then joined the army. After arriving in Qi State, after many twists and turns, he was recommended by Bao Shuya and became the Qi State Shangqing (ie. Prime Minister), known as the "First Prime Minister of the Spring and Autumn Period", assisted Duke Huan of Qi to become the first overlord in the Spring and Autumn Period, so it is also said that "Guan Yiwu is responsible for the officials". Guan Zhong's remarks can be found in "Guoyu Qiyu", and another book "Guanzi" has been handed down to the world. Guan Zhong paid attention to economics, opposed empty talk, and advocated reforms to enrich the country and strengthen the military. He said: "If a country has more wealth, those who are far away will come; if the land is expanded, the people will stay; if the warehouses are practical, they will know etiquette; if they have enough food and clothing, they will know honor and disgrace." . Duke Huan of Qi respected Guan Zhong as "Father Zhong" and authorized him to preside over a series of political and economic reforms: dividing the country into administrative regions, organizing military establishments, and setting up officials for management; establishing a talent selection system. "Praise of the Lord" (Assistant); levy taxes according to land classification, prohibit nobles from plundering private property; develop the salt and iron industry, mint currency, and adjust prices. The essence of Guan Zhong's reform was to abolish slavery and transition to feudalism. Guan Zhong's reforms achieved remarkable results, and Qi's national strength was greatly boosted. Externally, Guan Zhong proposed "respecting the king and rejecting the barbarians" and united with the neighboring countries in the north to resist the Shanrong tribe's southern invasion. This diplomatic strategy was also successful. Later Confucius lamented: "If there were no Guan Zhong, I would have to wear foreign clothes." The reason why Guan Zhong became the hegemon is inseparable from Bao Shuya's good recommendation of talents. In his later years, Guan Zhong was moved and said: "I did business with Bao Shuya and made a lot of money, but he didn't think I was greedy; when I tried to do business with Bao Shuya, I made a mess of things, but he didn't think I was stupid; I ran away from the position three times, but he didn't think me stupid. He thought that I was timid and afraid of death; he did not think that I was unworthy when I was expelled from the official position; he did not think that I was shameless when I helped the young master correct his mistakes and endured humiliation in prison... My parents gave birth to me, and Bao Zi also knows me! "Character works Guan Zhong's works are included in "Guoyu·Qiyu" and "Hanshu·Yiwenzhi". "Guanzi" has 24 volumes, 85 chapters, and 76 chapters exist today. It is extremely rich in content, including the thoughts of Taoism, Ming, and Dharma, as well as knowledge in astronomy, geography, economics, and agriculture, among which "Light and Heavy" etc. It is a rare economic text in ancient classics. It discusses production, distribution, transaction, consumption, finance, etc. It is a precious material for studying my country's pre-Qin agriculture and economy. The biography of Guan Zhong is contained in "Historical Records: Biography of Guan Yan". Book Introduction: "Guanzi" is a collection of writings by the statesman and thinker Guan Zhong of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period of China (770 BC - 476 BC) and his school of thought. It was probably written during the Warring States Period (475 BC to 221 BC). When Liu Xiang compiled "Guanzi", there were 86 chapters, of which 76 exist in the present edition, and the remaining 10 chapters only exist in the table of contents. "Guanzi" has 76 chapters, divided into 8 categories: 9 "Jing Yan", 8 "Waiyan", 7 "Neiyan", 17 "Phrases", 5 "District Yan", and 10 "Miscellaneous Chapters" There are 4 chapters in "Explanation of Guan Zi" and 16 chapters in "The Severity of Guan Zi". The chapters of "Herdsmen", "High Mountain" and "Chengma" quoted by "Han Feizi", Jia Yi's "New Book" and "Historical Records" in the book are considered by academic circles to be the legacy of Guan Zhong. Chapters such as "Li Zheng", "Yugong", "Shu Yan", "Da Kuang", "Zhong Kuang", "Xiao Kuang" and "Shui Di" are considered by academic circles to be the works that record Guan Zhong's words and deeds. Chapters such as "Xinshu", "White Heart", and "Neiye" form a separate system. They are believed to be the development and development of Guan Zhong's thoughts by Guan Zhong's school and Qi Legalists. Some people in the academic circle believe that they are the legacy works of Song Lu and Yin Wen. . "Shui Di" puts forward the idea that water is the origin of all things. Some people in the academic circles think that this is Guan Zhong's thought, while others think it is the thought of Jixia materialism. In "Xin Shu", "White Heart", and "Neiye", the simple materialist theory of essence is proposed that essence is the origin of all things. It is believed that all things and people are generated from essence, and essence is a kind of fine essence. . It is said that "the essence of all things is life, the grains are produced below, and the stars are above." "The essence is also the essence of Qi." The article also talks about "Tao" and believes that Tao is "empty and formless" and cannot be directly perceived by the senses. The mouth cannot speak, the eyes cannot see, and the ears cannot hear. The relationship between Tao and essence is not clear. Influence of the book: The Guan Zhong School believes that essence is the smallest particle that makes up all things, and it is also the entity that makes up the infinite universe, explaining the materiality of the world. "Guanzi" simply solves the relationship between matter and spirit in the direction of materialism, believing that conscious people are generated by essence. He said, "For the life of a mortal, the sky produces its essence, the earth produces its shape, and these combine to form a human being. Harmony is the birth, and disharmony is not the birth." . This is putting material first. "Guanzi" does not deny ghosts and gods, but it believes that ghosts and gods are also generated by essence. It is said that essence "flows between heaven and earth, and is called ghosts and gods." Treating ghosts and gods as ordinary objects and denying that they are supernatural entities reflects the materialistic pantheistic thinking. "Guanzi" believes that the object of cognition exists outside the subject of cognition. It says: "Everyone wants to know, but they don't ask for the reason why they know. What they know is that; the reason why they know is this." He also believes that in the process of cognition, the subject must abandon subjective assumptions, use external objects as the basis for cognition, and reflect the true situation of external objects.

It calls this way of understanding the "Way of Quiet Cause" and says: "Therefore, a person with a Dao may be ignorant and his responses may be accidental. This is the Way of Quiet Cause." This is materialism in epistemology. The theory of essence in "Guanzi" is of great significance in the history of the development of Chinese materialist cosmology and has had a profound impact on the development of Chinese materialism. Later materialist philosophers such as Wang Chong and Liu Zongyuan were all influenced by it.