On The Daoist Thought Kingcraft

As a unique social phenomenon, religion interacts, integrates, and assimilates with kinds of social organizations and social forces that are the components of the social structure, attempting to control and transform both people's behavior and their thinking. It is in this process that religion manifests its function of ruling a state. Daoism, the native-born religion in China, has exerted great influence on ancient Chinese society, and used to be the cultural mainstay that established and maintained the social system in ancient China. In its lasting integration and assimilation with the Chinese traditional ideologies, Daoism has formulated a systematic thought of kingcraft with unique characteristics: inheriting the Pre-Qin Daoist thoughts, and integrating itself with the kingcraft thought of Confucianism and Legalism in line with the political needs of different dynasties. Therefore, among the representative thinking patterns of kingcraft in ancient China, Daoism bears exclusive features. It holds that monarchs shall adopt the idea of valuing tenderness, nonstruggle, and nonaction, so as to maximumly lessen direct political stress on civilians. Meanwhile, it is also advocated in Daoism that civilians do good deeds and cooperate with monarchs and courtiers in the administration of a country, so as to achieve their own ambitions and simultaneously subject to the imperial court. In this way, Daoism, on one hand, can discipline the sovereign and then leave a large space for individual development of civilians, and on the other hand, maintain the subjection of civilians to monarchs and imperial courts. Positioned between rulers and the ruled and bearing the quality of neutrality between administering and self-administering, Daoism features such a state-ruling mode that can support the self-organization of society. Thus, it is of great significance in the culture of ancient China that attaches more importance to the centralized rule in terms of kingcraft. Even today, it can still provide valuable reference to modern society.This dissertation, therefore, is committed to study the Daoist thought of kingcraft with the application of both the logical analysis of text as well as the historical exposition based on the study of historical facts. It elaborates on the Daoist thought of kingcraft in terms of its system, function, kernel, main purpose, and theoretical foundation, and expounds some certain representative practices of the thought in history. Making an attempt to explore and reveal the connotation, the essence, and thevalue of Daoist thought of kingcraft, it aims not only at a cultural excavation and organization of the excellence of Daoism in ruling a state, but at a probe into the rational application of Daoist thought of kingcraft in modern society. In addition to introduction, the dissertation consists of two sections, i.e. formation and system of Daoist thought of kingcraft, and Daoist thought of kingcraft in a historical perspective, respectively, with the first chapter dealing with the selection and transcendence of Chinese traditional modes of kingcraft, the second chapter the system of kingcraft in religious Daoism, the third chapter the nonaction— essence of Daoist thought of kingcraft, the fourth chapter the valuing tenderness and nonstruggle— strategy of Daoist thought of kingcraft, the fifth chapter the Taiping (universal peace and tranquility)—main purpose of Daoist thought of kingcraft, and the sixth chapter the reverence of life—foundation of Daoist thought of kingcraft.Arising from the social strain of political administration in the late Han Dynasty, Daoism, at the very start, integrated with resources of traditional Pre-Qin thoughts of kingcraft, in particular, with those of Confucianism, Legalism, Daoism, and Mohism. Consequently, Daoism has formed its exclusive thought of kingcraft that transcends the others.Centering on Dao (the way of nature), the religious belief of Daoism comprises the Daoist canons, the belief of apparition, gods, deities, and immortals, as well as sorts of religious rites. Deeply rooted in secular society, the religious belief and rites of Daoism can serve the function of keeping the balance between individuals and the collectivity of society, while providing mental power that maintains the society in order. Since the belief of exterior elixir can relieve people of tension, anxiety, and horror in their pursuit of supernaturalism, and the belief of inner elixir stresses on self-discipline and self-control, the religious belief of Daoism can realize world peace and social stability. In addition, codes of conduct derived from Daoism are in favor of the harmony of the ancient society. On one hand, they can enlighten and exhort the followers to abandon evil and be charitable, and to give up absurdity and return to nature; on the other hand, they can imperceptibly lead social members to do good deeds and dispense charities, and therefore, can strengthen people's awareness of self-discipline. Daoist ethics, commandments, religious rites, and Daoist culture such as tales, music, verses, architecture, and drawings are the manifestation of religious belief of Daoism that help people better understand Daoism and achieve their ultimategoal and value of life. Ethically, faithful devotees of Daoism set good examples to instruct people in behavior; Daoist rituals influence and sharpen people's comprehension of life and social order; religious music and drawings, as forms of art, represent people the value of Daoism. The integration of all the above makes the value system of Daoism, which provides a persuasive and rational interpretation of the worldly social order, and thereby, transcendentalizes the secular social system that is endowed with supreme authority and commands subjection from people. It is such a significant mental resource in favor of kingcraft that makes Daoism a state-ruling tool for ancient rulers that maintains both the social structure and the power system of administration by offering them a legitimate and reasonable interpretation.As the object of study, the Daoist thought of kingcraft is elucidated in the dissertation from the following four aspects: the essence of nonaction, the strategy of valuing tenderness and nonstruggle, the main purpose of Taiping, and the theoretical foundation of reverence of life. Moreover, with much emphasis on the historical background and origin of Daoist thought of kingcraft, it also elaborates on the typical events and figures concerned in the history of ancient China.The idea of nonaction, as a core concept in Daoist thought of kingcraft, originated from the earliest Daoism, developing in the Daoistic Huang-Lao tradition, and attaining to perfection in the book of Huainanzi at its heyday, had undergone the evolution of contiguous stages from a philosophical thinking to the kingcrafts and ultimately to a theory. The essence of nonaction is indeed action in harmony with nature devoid of premeditation, intention, and excessive efforts. That is, humans should follow the way of nature as code of conducts. While running a state through nonaction comprises three aspects, i.e. Dao following the natural order, nonaction in monarchs, and administration with the people as foundation. In Daoism, providence (the way of Heaven) follows the way of nature devoid of premeditation and intention, and allows everything to do what it naturally does. Since the way of man, the way of the world, and the way of political administration are formed on the basis of providence, monarchs shall administrate the state in accordance with the providence, following the way of nature through nonaction, and tempering ambition to nature; whilst, the ultimate goal of ruling a state through nonaction is to make everything be done, and thereby, to achieve the universal peace and tranquility. By nonaction, monarchs refrain from acting contrary to the nature of people, hence the administration...