China entered the "Axis Age" of China from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty to the Qin Empire.
The axial age in world history is reflected in the emergence of great thinkers and the inheritance of culture. There are many such axis times, such as ancient Greece, ancient Rome and ancient India, but fortunately, only China has passed down its own axis culture from its own nation, and there is no cultural fault.
In the pre-Qin era, the society was characterized by chaos. From the heyday of Yao Shunyu to the frequent wars in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, China was in great pain. As the backbone of society, the position of intellectuals-"scholars" has undergone fundamental changes. Before the Spring and Autumn Period, "scholar" was the lowest level of "son of heaven, vassal, doctor and scholar" and was the ruler; During the Spring and Autumn Period, scholars became the highest level of "scholars, agriculture, industry and commerce" and were ruled. The first precious wealth left by the "scholars" in China is that the temple cares about its people, and the rivers and lakes worry about its king. They don't dwell on their status. Their first thought is how to build an orderly society in troubled times and how to liberate people from the state that "animals are worse than eating people".
This is the spiritual backbone of the Chinese nation. China's "scholar" is not happy for things or sad for himself. The first thing he thinks of is the stability of the country, the unity of the nation and the people's living and working in peace and contentment, which are social values such as fairness, justice and order, and have no personal interests. In the face of unreasonable social system and rulers, they do not consider the gains and losses of personal safety, or take the initiative to denounce its disadvantages, or leave no room to express their feelings directly, or bravely destroy their homes for thousands of miles to ease the difficulties. When the nation was in danger, China's "scholars" were desperate to advance wave after wave; After the crisis was over, he became famous and left without taking a cloud. Therefore, "Shi" has gradually become an honorific title, and even been abused, such as soldiers, wives, scribes, dead people, alchemists, chivalrous men, Taoist priests and so on. Unfortunately, those of us who are generally called "scholars" can understand the meaning of "scholars", and can we still care about the country and the people regardless of our personal feelings?
Confucianism and Confucius
The most important culture in China is Confucius' Confucianism. Confucianism has been the most influential theory in society since it came into being. It experienced the era of a hundred schools of thought contending in the pre-Qin period and officially occupied the dominant position in the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Since then, it has been the mainstream ideology in China. The May 4th New Culture Movement completely denied the traditional culture, and Confucianism was completely subverted. At that time, all kinds of voices coexisted in China, and the problem and doctrine could not be disputed. Until * * * established the new China, the mainstream ideology became imported Marxism. It is true that Confucianism, especially after the development of Neo-Confucianism, shows its dross and is despised and hated by people of insight. However, it seems that the cultural figures of a period represented by Lu Xun totally denied their overcorrection, which may not be fully affirmed today. In fact, people who deny Confucianism are "great scholars" who have read sage books and learned everything, although they may not admit it themselves. Moreover, the inheritance of Confucianism in China for thousands of years and the deep-rooted social ethics are far from being overthrown by one or two movements. Confucian etiquette still regulates and constrains ordinary people in society. With the stability and development of new China, * * * gradually abandoned the philosophy of struggle with class struggle as the key link, and replaced it with the concept of harmonious development and harmonious society, which coincides with the Confucian emphasis on harmony. For example, the newly revised evidence rules of criminal law confirm that relatives can become suspects without providing evidence, which is the dogma of "the son is the father's secret" in China Confucian culture. Therefore, Confucian culture will inevitably inherit and influence all aspects of China society. Without Confucianism, we cannot know China, nor can we change China and develop China.
The most important thought of Confucian culture is "benevolence", and benevolence is the foothold of Confucian culture. Kindness refers to different kinds of love. A person loves himself first, then his relatives, then his friends and people with various geographical, professional and academic backgrounds, and finally the whole world. Confucianism values human relations, that is, human feelings, and the relationship between people will be far and near. It is a concentric circle centered on itself. You should pay attention to the people closest to you first. You should give them your love first, and then you can gradually love others. If you can't even take care of your parents, wife and children, and say that you love your country and the world, Confucianism won't believe you.
The dominant idea of Confucianism is that human nature is good, but some Confucians think that human nature is evil, such as Xunzi. Starting from the evil of human nature, the West has built a restriction system, completed the theory of power balance and laid the cornerstone of Western civilization. In China, although Confucianism admits human selfishness, the Confucian thought of valuing righteousness over profit makes China's tradition lack of attention and research on human interests, thus embarking on a completely different road from the West. Confucianism does not believe that people are selfish. People can be selfish, but not selfish. It's birds and beasts who are self-interested, not people. People pursue justice rather than profit. Therefore, the Confucian idea of benevolence defines all kinds of human relations, emphasizing father, son, monarch, minister and minister, thus giving full play to their social roles, and the world is full of love and harmony.
Confucius was an ordinary scholar and educator. His extraordinary holiness happened after his death, and he didn't know it himself.
I remember that when I visited the Confucius Temple, I saw the dragon ornaments and the favor of the emperor, all of which declared the supremacy of saints. However, I am getting more and more confused. Confucius, who is true in temperament and great in wisdom, who is persuasive and tireless in teaching others, who has never changed his religion, is getting farther and farther away from me, and there are only Confucius saints who make me look up and marvel. Later, in Dacheng Hall, I vaguely saw Confucius in my mind. The "eternal model" hangs high in the middle and is golden. I always think that Confucius is the most respectable and proud teacher. Therefore, when I wandered around the Confucius Temple by the Qinhuai River and saw Yan Hui, Zi Gong and other disciples standing upright, I felt that this was in line with the master's wishes. It is most important for a teacher to be respected by his disciples, and the sanctification of the emperor is secondary. This is the attitude that a generation of exemplary teachers should have. In Dacheng Hall, I saw the harp and musical instruments on display. I vaguely saw Confucius, Luz, Gong Xihua and so on. I saw Confucius curse Zaiyu who slept in class, and I saw Confucius' grief after hearing the death of Luz. This is the real Confucius. With true temperament and great wisdom, the road is impassable, and teaching and educating people is enjoyable.
Confucius never considered himself great. He just did what a good teacher should do-sort out the lecture notes, sort out the past events, tell them to students and let them see for themselves. In this way, he sorted out his previous China culture and became a classic; He takes great pains to educate his students and takes pleasure in it. In this way, he got the reputation of "a generation of famous teachers". He is an ordinary Confucian scholar who preaches the method of saving the country and the world in his own way. However, he became a world-famous saint.
dao jia xue pai
The second most important culture in China is Taoism, and Yi Zhongtian is called a hermit philosopher. In fact, real hermits should be called hermits, because they are not "scholars", they do not cooperate with society, do not care about the sufferings of the people, and do not care about their own honor or disgrace. As a representative of hermits, Laozi and Zhuangzi wrote books and talked about their influence on the world. They said to people like Confucius who are actively running for the transformation of the world: "You are wrong. The more you worry, the more chaotic the world will be. You will all obey others, do nothing, and the world will be the same. " I don't think this role of government watcher is the originator of naturalistic market economy thought. Perhaps Keynes wanted to learn from Laozi. Under the guidance of this thought, they praised the seclusion life through their own demonstration effect, and pointed out an alternative but correct way for the Chinese people to achieve social order and the people. These Taoist "scholars" are different from Taoism today. They don't take "Taoists" as their profession. They are all open-minded In real life, they all have their own careers, either farming or being officials. Just like ordinary people, they just disdain to compete with young honeymooners for fame and fortune. They believe that if everyone is like this, the world will naturally be the same. From then on, the intellectuals in China have the ideological destination. If they reach a high level, they will help the world, and if they are poor, they will be immune to it. Or, if they reach a high level, they will be Confucian and poor, and there will always be more poor people than those who reach it. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand the profound influence of Taoism in China. The most glorious time of Taoism was in the early Han Dynasty, when Huang Lao ruled, and the people's livelihood in the early Han Dynasty quickly developed into the prosperity of Hanwu. It's a pity that Hanwu only respects Confucianism, and Huang Lao has become the soul mate of a recluse and frustrated scholar. There are no more "scholars" in Taoism, although they are all called Taoists.
Taoism is Zhuangzi. Strangely, by virtue of my personality, I should like Zhuangzi. Wang Yang wantonly, pitching heaven and earth, what kind of life realm is this! And Lao Tzu, a few withered words, froze. However, I just like Lao Tzu's words that are neither too painful nor too itchy.
Perhaps, Zhuangzi is too ostentatious. Zhuangzi, the beauty is in the forest, the wind will bend, and it is not suitable for standing in the world. Especially in an authoritarian society, your destiny lies not in your ability, not in your nobility, but in the preferences of despots. Therefore, if Zhuangzi lives in the afterlife, it is only natural that he will perish.
In fact, the core idea of Taoism is health preservation. Life is a hundred years, and it is fleeting. As long as you are worthy of yourself, the rest is nothing. Isn't it? Even emperors and princes can't resist the impermanence of fate. And hard work, short life. So smart people are useless. When you Wang Yang wantonly show your talents, you have been reduced to the lower class. Only by making no one pay attention to you can you stay healthy.
Taoism is the doctrine of the wise, but all the descendants of Confucianism will shed their blood in history without hesitation, and only after hitting a wall will they choose to be immune. This is the "scholar" culture in China.
Legalists and Han Feizi
Among the pre-Qin philosophers, the most tragic is the legalist school. Their idea of manipulating power and changing opportunities is a sword for ruling the people. They taught the rulers how to treat the people in order to strengthen the country. After the country became strong, they became the people's grievances and the scapegoats of the monarch without exception. They handed this sword to the rulers without hesitation, because they are "scholars" and because they have dreams of strengthening the country and ideals of social order, even if they are shattered. There is no successful ruler who doesn't study Legalism, but no ruler publicly praises Legalism except the brutal Qin Huang. Shang Yang, Wu Qi, Li Si ... Let's remember these names. Like moths to a fire, they forged the sword of legalism with their own bodies and forged a powerful country with their own happiness, life and even eternal infamy, thus ending the troubled times of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. They don't defend themselves, they don't treat the people cruelly, they don't treat the people around them cruelly, they don't treat themselves cruelly, because they know that they are responsible for history and the people from generation to generation. Without Legalists, I don't know when the process of reunifying China will come and how much people in China will suffer.
Legalist thought blossomed in Qin, which made Qin's strength rapidly enhanced and ended the troubled times of the Warring States. The Qin Dynasty ruled the world by law, so it became the only dynasty in China's history that ruled by legalism. However, the first emperor imposed harsh laws, and the people were in poverty, and the rule of law in the Qin Dynasty collapsed. Before the Han Dynasty's exclusive respect for Confucianism, there were also legalist thoughts, and the most typical example was the cruel officials represented by Zhi Dou. They are called "cool", not cruel, but cold, and act without mercy according to law. Legalism is a sword, and the sword is invincible, but the sword must be hidden in the sheath, and Confucianism is the best scabbard. Therefore, the outstanding rulers of later generations are all practicing Confucianism in foreign countries.
Han Fei is a student of Xunzi, a great scholar, and a classmate of the famous Reese.
Xunzi is a great scholar, but his thoughts are different from those of Confucian scholars. He believes that human nature is evil and needs education and etiquette to restrain it. His students go further and think that etiquette cannot be bound and needs legal restraint. Therefore, the representative of Confucianism taught the representative of Legalism in such a strange way.
Han Fei is a master of legalism. He absorbed the thoughts of the pioneers of Legalism in the Warring States Period, and his works were highly praised by Ying Zheng and came to Qin. He didn't come to the state of Qin to give lectures. He is a scholar. He hopes to use his knowledge and ability to help the king of Qin transform the world government. However, Reese, who is also a legalist, did not give him a chance. Han Fei is a giant in thought, and he doesn't know how to act-because unfortunately, his classmate Reese is a giant in action. For his own selfish interests, Reese refused to let Han Fei display his talents and soon persecuted him to death. The giant in thought lost to the giant in action.
Legalist thought is more about tactics, so Reese got the essence of legal thought. Han Fei's misfortune is the misfortune of the Legalists-two great scholars can live in harmony, but two Dafas live to the death. When Han Fei protested against himself in prison, the jailer of Qin sneered at him: "If you use it, you will be punished. Why are you guilty? " It can be seen that Han Fei is a great theorist, but he did not combine the theory and practice of a small official in Qin Dynasty, so it is natural to be hurt by Li Si.
Legalists thus won notoriety and social progress in the struggle between blood and fire.
Mohism and Mozi Mencius
The most pitiful thing in pre-Qin thought is Mohist thought. Confucianism and Mohism were prominent schools in the pre-Qin period, but Mohism almost disappeared after Mencius' criticism, which is even more sad in history. Mohism is a popular theory, and Ren Xia has the obligation to stop this unjust war by himself. Diligence, Shang Tong and martial arts are hidden dangers of social instability in the eyes of rulers, but because of their opposition to Confucianism, ordinary people do not understand and support this self-evident theory. The loss of Mohism is a great loss to Chinese civilization. Otherwise, there will be no old people lying on the street in China society without help, and there will be no "Little Yue Yue Incident" because it does not conform to Mohism.
There are many reasons for the decline of Mohism. One of the important factors is that Mohism attaches more importance to skills than ideas. Therefore, when Mencius later denounced Mozi for leading beasts to eat people, Mohism, as a loser who no one struggled with, gradually faded out of the historical stage.
Mohism is a common people. Mozi himself is a civilian, and many of his disciples are ordinary workers. His theory represents the interests of ordinary workers, so naturally he is concerned about the transformation of productive forces and the improvement of skills, because it can bring tangible benefits. Based on the law of productive labor, Mozi put forward that Shang Tong and Shang Xian are actually labor coordinators and excellent leaders, and they are both factors of production. The idea of universal love is more similar to a utopian society, and even in the song "Proletarians of the world unite" in the Internationale, we can vaguely feel it. The resulting non-offensive and Ren Xia is a natural trend. In a word, from the perspective of a production worker, Mozi first demanded to improve productivity, and then demanded that all beings be equal, without exploitation and oppression, only wise leaders. Mozi can't imagine the leadership style of the wise. From his own point of view, Shang Tong asked everyone to be consistent with the leadership of the wise, and naturally the world is one. Yi Zhongtian's analysis is correct. Mozi, from the standpoint of a commoner, reached the autocratic theory by extending his own theory. This is the portrayal of China people who are full of servility. Fortunately, his thought of not attacking Ren Xia was not bound by his autocratic thought, but passed down along another line, forming the legend of chivalrous man with colorful history and deep suffering in China.
Mencius' character is very similar to Mozi's. Both of them shout when they see injustice, which is both chivalrous and courageous. They should appreciate each other. Unfortunately, due to different basic positions, Mencius regarded Mozi as the most dangerous beast and regarded his theory as a scourge. The fundamental difference between two people, or two factions, is "love". Mozi thinks that all beings are equal and love is boundless, but Mencius thinks it is wrong and love is different. You love your wife, relatives, friends and others. You should love yourself first, then the people around you, and the rest of the love can be destroyed. Since the founding of Confucius, Confucianism has always been the theory of rulers, and it is to look at the problem from the perspective of rulers. Starting from equal love, he advocates that the most basic love is the rule, which is the basic order of society. Freedom and loyalty to rulers are one of the rules and the most basic love, while other so-called longing for justice and boundless love should take a back seat. This is obviously the best tool for rulers to enslave civilians, so Confucianism soon became China's orthodox theory.
Confucianism is the tool of rulers, but Mencius is not. Mencius' chivalrous character made him an alternative among the gentle Confucian scholars. He thinks that the ruled should be loyal, but he thinks that loyalty is not free, and the ruler should take care of the ruled. The so-called "monarch, minister, father and son", if not, then it is legal to be a minister. Therefore, Mencius believes that attacking Zhou is no way to seek Tao, and there is no problem of not being a minister. From the perspective of protecting the rulers, he standardized the rulers, and then reached the people-oriented thought of "people are the most important, the country is the second, and the monarch is the least".
Therefore, Mozi and Mencius, despite their ideological opposition, brilliantly embodied the traditional personality of China intellectuals: they were far away from the rivers and lakes and worried about their country and people, so that they were willing to sacrifice themselves and were imprisoned in the quagmire of autocracy; Being high in the temple, I am worried about the people, so that I am willing to restrain myself and reach the realm of people-oriented. If two people can come at the right time and abandon their opinions, they can really appreciate each other, stay together for life and travel around the world with swords. But it is this view that makes Mencius kill Mozi and make Mozi drop out of school. China's scientific and technological thought for thousands of years has also become a dirty road with the drowning of Mozi's thought. Really sad!
Re-reading Chinese studies and revisiting philosophers, hoping that Chinese civilization will be passed down from generation to generation, can eradicate the indifference and blind obedience of today's society.