A Study of the Incorporation of Taoism, Legalism, and Ying-yang Philosophy by the Confucians of the Former Han Dynasty

• Main Authors: Liu, Chin-yuan, 劉錦源
• Other Authors: Lin, Tsung-shun
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/88914834668492475940

博士 === 國立清華大學 === 中國文學系 === 101 === A Study of the Incorporation of Taoism, Legalism, and Ying-yang Philosophy by the Confucians of the Former Han Dynasty Every age has its own environment. As described by Shu-sun Tung with the saying, “The Five Emperors have different music, and the Three Kings different rites,” different environments of Pre-Qin and Former Han have different social and political requirements. This study focuses on the Confucians of the Former Han such as Shu-sun Tung, Lu Jia, Jia Yi, Dong Zhong-shu, Liu Xiang, Yang Xiong, Meng Xi, Jing Fang, and some hermits, in order to observe objectively and individually how they incorporated Taoism, Legalism, and Ying-yang Philosophy. My aim is to delineate how they, under a newly established united empire, cut their attachments to the old days and adjusted themselves to the requirements of a new age. The author regards this topic as a key to deeper understanding of the scholarships and thoughts of the Former Han dynasty. In addition, each of Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, and Yin-yang philosophy has once been prominent in the world of thoughts of the Former Han. The author is interested to know how Confucians of the Former Han successfully integrated Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, and Yin-yang philosophy to help Han empire solve practical problems, constructed new order of sovereignty, and maintained the dominant position of Confucianism. During this research, the author found that the Confucians of the Former Han, in addition to solve practical problems, were ambitious in the establishment of “legality” of the Han government, and in the maintenance of the Han sovereignty by providing with a national ideology. With characters of accommodation and leniency, Confucianism is advantageous to governance in time of peace. However, for a successful national ideology it still contains some shortcomings. The incorporation and digestion of Taoism, Legalism and Yin-yang philosophy is necessary amendment. By doing this, Confucianism is able to respond to the requirements of the new age, help the Han empire to solve the practical problems, construct the new order of sovereignty, maintain the continuing peaceful governance, and with the incorporation Confucianism is able to play the central role of the sovereignty thought and enjoy the highest place of respect.