Journal of Hebei University(Philosophy and Social Science) ›› 2023, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (4): 7-17.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1005-6378.2023.04.002

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The Ideological Implication and Value of the Succession of the Thrones through a Comparison of Confucianism and Mohism

OUYANG Zhenren   

  1. Center of Traditional Chinese Cultural Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430064, China
  • Received:2023-02-10 Online:2023-07-25 Published:2023-09-18

Abstract: Based on the handed-down and newly-excavated literature,as well as the development of the ideology of the pre-Qin Hundred Schools of Thought,it is argued that the succession of the thrones possibly originated from Confucius,then it was developed by his seventy famous disciples,and later it faded when the Rites system gained strong momentum during the middle and later Warring States Period.This process reflects the arduous exploration of pre-Qin Confucianism into traditional Chinese political system from both theory and practice.The succession of the thrones is not only a capture and display of the influence of ancient Chinese history,but also a reconciliation and remedy for the chaos back then.Through an in-depth study of the relationship between primitive Confucianism and The Way of Tang and Yu as well as Rong Cheng Shi,the bamboo slips unearthed in Hubei Province,it is discovered that the succession of the thrones proposed by pre-Qin Confucianism was strongly suppressed both by the feudal lords for the sake of their vested interests and the traditional “Rites” system,which are the genuine reasons for the disappearance of the fore-mentioned and related literature.At the very core of the succession of the thrones,there existed a spirit of criticism on the reality at the time,which showed strong sympathy towards the masses who lived in adversity.

Key words: Confucius, the succession of the thrones, excavated literature, rites and benevolence, reasoning and potential

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