Formation And Development Of Views On Nationalities Of Confucianism

China is a multiethnic and multicutltural country with a long history. The historic realities provided important background and social foundation for the early Chinese thoughts on natioinality. The thoughts'development accompanied the process of Huaxia groupp's forming. During the Pre-Qin period, the complicated relations among different groups, the severe and fluctuate social situation and prosperous acdemic studies interweaved and influenced each other. Confucius, Mencius and Xuncius, the greatest representatives of the Confucianism, interpreted their own viewpoints on nationality. and nationality problems. These thoughts and views set the early theory's keynote of the viewpoints on nationalities of Confucianism. It's clear that the viewpoints on nationalities of Confucianism is not only the production of the time but also the result of the Confucianism thoughts.The basic contents and views on nationalities of Confucianism during the period of Pre-Qin were contradicted but unified. The Confucianists strongly supported to distinguish the differences between Hua people and Yi minorities. They advocated that Yi minorities mustn't invade Hua people's kingdoms. On the other hand, the Confucianists carried their ideas out onto the actual political operations. They considered that the standard to distinguish Hua people and Yi minorites is the culture and the rite. They insisted that the culture of Hua people was advanced but the Yi minorites'was backward. In their mind, it was naturally and unavoidablely for Hua people to assimilate the Yi minorities. Although this stems from the so-called Huaxia cultural-centralism, it doesn't solidify the group indentifications of Hua people or Yi minorities,but sets it into a changeable social order to analyze it. This is progressive.The viewpoints of Pre-Qin Confucianists who dealed with the problem of nationality were unique. And they came to think the problem of nationality based on the view of " Under the Heaven", handling national relationships on the view of "Grand Unification" . On the famous thoughts of"Three Stages of Social Progress"and"Being Loyal and Submitting to the Central Realm"advcocated during the Spring and Auntumn Period, the Confusianists spread their national space and time concept. Generrally to say, when the contradiction between Hua people and Yi minorities was extremely sharp, the Confucianists emphasized "Driving Yi minorites out of Hua Realm ", and stressed that "the difference Between Hua people and Yi minorities", this obviously shows the conservativeness and exclusiveness of viewpoints on nationalities of Confucianism; however, under mostly situations, they stressed on"Distinguishing Hua and Yi according to the Culture and Rite", disired for the state of "One Family", and this sufficiently embodies the tolerance and openess of viewpoints on nationalities of Confucianism;. Thus, this acdemic studies system is full of contradiction and countering, it is exclusive but tolerant, conservative but open, principle but flexible.All of these are combined naturally, and sustained for the national viewpoint of Confucianism together, developing its theorization, systematization and integration.With the development of Confucianism and the times changing, the Confucianism's national viewpoint developed forward, but it was enriched and improved. The Confucianism's national viewpoint has been experiencing such a basically developing process: yielding during the Period of Warring States.It was the founding and developing period of the Confucianism, too. It was first molding in West and East Han Dynasty, and enriching in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties and the Sui-Tang Dynasty period, It matureed , perfected in Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties during which the theroy was its heyday. Among them, Song Dynasty can be termed as milestone in the advancing of national viewpoint of Confucianism. under the effect of "morality", the standard of traditional view of"Distinghuishing Hua people and Yi minorites" and"Contesting to the Right Ruling or Ruled Position in Central Realm"had changed, people's understanding of the connotation of"Hua people"and "Yi minorities" had also changed. Henceforth, the viewpoint of"Difference Between Hua people and Yi minorities " was yielded to idea of"Hua and Yi are One Body" causually. During the Qing Dynasty, with the pattern of country's "Grand Unification" ultimately shaped, the thoughts of"Hua and Yi are One Body " and "One Family" ultimately became the theme of viewpoint on nationality of Confucianism. Hence, viewpoint on nationality of Confucianism theory system has finally built up which had the solid rationality, rich theory content , perfect theory structure , the way of development being a true disciple and unique of characteristic.Viewpoint on nationality of Confucianism played a great role on the nations and the national relationships in ancient China. Not only the principle of formulation of ancient national policies, but the mainstream of national relationships among ancient China nations ; the identification of Chinese Nation and the pattern of diversity in unity of the Chinese nation were influenced by views on nationalites of Confusianism. In fact, everything has dual characters, and the view on nationalities of Confusianism are also unexceptedly. The views on nationalities of Confusianism has a good aspect, and also has a bad side. The views on nationalities of Confusianism have a positive character, and also a negative character. The saying of"Absorbing good aspect, and dropping bad aspect"always is our attitude to treat traditional culture heritage, and it is our basic attitude to treat the views on nationalities of Confusianism. We can make good use of history to reflect present, only by objectively thinking and scientific evaluating the views on nationalities of Confusianism, and by completely digging the good aspect of the views on nationalities of Confusianism, and by developing their positive effect.