Research On The Confucian Scholar's Social Activity In The Han Dynasty

The Confucian scholar is a special knowledge community in the society of Han Dynasty. They believed in the Kong Zi theory, disseminated and transmitted the Confucianism classics, impelled the social Confucianism, and played an important and influential role in many fields of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty, such as the politics, the culture and the economy. From the social history angle, this article researched into the Confucian scholar community's social activity in the different periods of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty, based on this, tried hard to evaluate this community's historical situation during the social development of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty objectively.The first chapter,historical origin of the Confucian scholar of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty. The Confucian scholar was the Confucian thoughts carrier, therefore the birth of Confucian scholar and the Confucian thoughts formation permeated mutually. This article believed that after the country formed, as a result of social division of labor numerous, special talented person was engaged in some professions of society. Under this social background, in the Shang Dynasty, the Confucian became independent from the professional religious disciple personnel. In the last phase of the Spring and Autumn Period, Kong Zi compiled the six Confucian classics, professed disciple, disseminated and transmitted the ritual music, and established the Confucianism school of thought. As the inheritance of Confucianism, in the long-term historical development process, the Confucian scholar formed the personality characteristic of"supple", the professional characteristic of excelling in being"Xiang Li"(相礼), the academic characteristic of disseminating and transmitting"the Six Arts;", conducted characteristics of paying great attention to"the personal integrity and moral courage", and some other group characteristics.The second chapter, classification and overall characteristics of the Confucian scholar of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty. In the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty, Confucian scholar community's formation and development related with the transmission of the scripture and scholarship. In the Han Dynasty, the scholarship of scripture was transmitted according to the different schools of scripture, thus the Confucian scholar also formed different schools on the corresponding"The Book of Songs, The Book of History, The Book of Rites, The Book of Yi(易), The Ritual Music System, The Spring and Autumn Annals"In the identical school, according to the master's academic characteristic, there were more concrete branches of sects. Not only that, but also because of the boundary between the New Text Confucianism and the Old Text Confucianism. In the Han Dynasty, therefore each academic school also had divided into the New Text Confucianism and the Old Text Confucianism. Therefore, generally speaking, on the question of classification of Confucian scholar of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty, although there were many viewpoints based on the Confucian scholar morals or academic standard, the arteries and veins of academic inheritance were sill taken as the essential feature.The third chapter, the constitution and change of the Confucian scholar of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty. Based on the predecessor's research, this article, from the Confucian scholar social activity's angle, thought the Confucian scholar of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty could be divided into the Confucian scholar on learning, the Confucian scholar on teaching, the Confucian scholar engaged in politics, and the Confucian scholar who was also a hermit. In the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty, the change of the Confucian scholar community was obviously gradual: Before Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty, because the thought of Huang Di and Lao Zi was in vogue, Confucian scholar community had not only a small quantity but also a feeble political influence; After Emperor Wu venerated the Confucianism method, the Confucian scholar community not only had a sustained growth on quantity, also entered the ruling circles through the institutionalized channel to enter politics. After the foundation of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Confucian scholar community not only had the domination on the political stage, also became the trailblazer of the social morality.The fourth chapter, Confucian scholar and politics of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty. From the establishment, The Confucianism was the academic school with the intense political aspiration. Statesman was the most main role of Confucian scholar. Emperor Wu venerated the Confucianism method; the Confucian thoughts became the national dominant thought, which provided a broad political arena for the Confucian scholar. By being the aids and staff of the government, participating the administration and some other things like this, The Confucian scholar produced a marked political influence and effect. Gradually, they became the key forces which controlled the politics of the Han Dynasty.The fifth chapter, Confucian scholar and social economy of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty. During the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty, the Confucian scholar not only wrote books, established theories, participated in government and deliberated over governmental affairs, formulated the state economy policy and the governmental management of economy on the base of thinking highly of the peoples livelihood which was the Confucianism idea on learning and concept of value, also they involved in the social economy domains, such as agriculture, industry and commerce. It was obvious that Confucian scholar's social activity has the close relationship with the social economy domain.The sixth chapter, Confucian scholar and the institution of rite of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty. The Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty was the crucial phase of the development of institution of propriety. From the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the period of Emperor Xuan and Emperor Yuan, the last stage of the Western Han Dynasty to the three stages of Eastern Han Dynasty,"the rite"of pre-Qin developed for more than 400 years and became more integrated and systematic. The Confucian scholar participated in each stage of the national institution of rite. Not only the Confucian scholar community's participation decided that the institution of rite was permeated by Confucianism, but also the individual Confucian scholar had also played the concrete role.The seventh chapter, Confucian scholar and the Culture and education of the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty. As a social group which had Confucianism values and knowledge system, Confucian scholar shouldered the responsibility of disseminating and transmitting Confucianism academic. The Confucian thoughts became the dominated national Guiding principle. The long-term unification of the country and relatively stable political scene made good social basis for development of the culture and education, also provided the historical arena for the Confucian scholar to displayrd their own ability and wisdom in culture and education of the Han Dynasty. The Confucian scholar became the main social power to impel the prosperous development of education culture of the Han Dynasty. The Confucian scholar displayed influential role in education culture domain by many active ways, such as transmitting the scholarship of scripture, writing books, establishing theories, reorganizing the ancient books, and disseminating culture.