Theory Of Iron And Salt & The Ideal Generation Of Xianliang, Wenxue In Han Dynasty

In the first year of ZhaoDi Emperor Yuanshi Times in Western Han Dynasty (81B.C), a meeting was held to discuss the monopoly policy of salt and iron and the relevant social concern. Then in HanXuan Emperor times, the work "salt iron theory" was finished by Huankuan according to the record of this meeting.The Salt And Iron Meeting was held under organization of Huo Guang, preside by the Prime Minister Che Qianqiu. Two groups argued with each other. One was XianLiang and WenXue, and the other was government official. The foci of the discussion are the advantages and disadvantages of monopoly policy of salt and iron, the peace and war with Xiongnu people, ruling by law and ruling by virtue, the appraisal on Confucianism and Lawism etc.In the course of arguing, XianLiang and WenXue School, while condemning social drawback of Han Dynasty, they also described andpraised the ideal generation in their mind-----the Ancient society. Theirsocial ideal had obvious inclination of restoring ancient ways, maintaining that imitate ancient people and implement the field system of the well. Objecting to the annexation of land, they insisted that agriculture was the foundation of the nation, the men plough and the women weave, they were against a large number of workforces abandoning agriculture to do business, they thought that's the reason causing common people to be poor.They yearned for passing the simple, unselfish life, as ancient people, hated extravagance and wasting. They had not only described their own social ideal but also put forward the method of realizing it, that is, policy person improve his training, implement the rule of virtue and mercy, enlighten common people by education with the moral integrity, and from itto the generation of morality. XianLiang and WenXue School is definitely idealists, who has bright ideals and bright hope that transform the society and all people live a happy life.However, though they have proposed some measures, lack of the possibility of practice, make ideal of them can only be one ideal and unable to be realized.