The Review On Tian And Man Of Dong Zhongshu

In the history of Chinese political thought, the coherence of Tian and Man doesn't talk about the harmony of man and nature. In fact, the coherence of Tian and Man considers that Tian, Earth, Human being is an unity. The people can know the human affairs from Tian. By virtue of the ontic Tian, the people demonstrate the justice and rationality of political life. By means of the thinking structure of Yin-Yang and Five Elements, Dong Zhongshu demonstrates clearly and builds up the coherence of Tian and Man. According to the theory, he not only proves the rationality of grand unified absolute monarchy and brings forward the kingcraft of "the benevolence rule is major but the penalty rule is minor"and the ethical pattern of "the three cardinal guides and the five constant virtues", but also puts forward the idea that restricts the emperor's power for the first time. However, the mystical components in the theory should response to the divination combined with mystical Confucianist belief that exists in the period of Han Dynasty. The idea on Tian and Man of Dong Zhongshu inherits the idea on God's will in Shang-Chou Dynasty and the coherence of Tian and Man that Confucius and Mencius are convinced of. In the days of Shang-Chou Dynasty, Tian is a supreme God that has feelings. Only the emperor can communicate with it, which is the bud of "divine right of kings". In order to prove the paramount authority of the emperor, Dong Zhongshu draws on the idea. In addition, "natural law is forever"has come into being in the period of Shang-Chou Dynasty. The idea has profound meaning because only inevitable Tian is the ultimate moral origin. Confucius scarcely discusses Tian. Although he holds Tian in great reverence, he comprehends the relation between Tian and Man from the human being. He thinks that the human being can "know God's will'"by enhancing moral culture. "Benevolence"is the core of Mencius political thought. He inherits and develops Confucius "Nei Sheng"thought. The coherence of Tian and Man of Mencius embodies in the life philosophy and moral culture. He also admits that the emperor's power comes from Tian, but in fact he is inclined to connect the legitimacy of the emperor's power with the emperor's virtue. Mencius admits the existence of inevitable Tian and for the first time gives it a definition in the history of Chinese thought. Finally, Dong Zhongshu introjects Yin-Yang and Five Elements thought. Through it he connects the natural law with the human affairs. The content of the idea on Tian and Man of Dong Zhongshu includes his comprehension about Tian and the correspondence between Tian and Man. In Dong Zhongshu's opinion, Tian is a paradoxical mixture. Tian is not only natural Tian, but also inevitable Tian and personalized Tian. He inherits the idea of "natural law is forever"that exists in the time of Shang-Chou Dynasty. He admits the existence of inevitable Tian. Due to inevitable Tian having moral attributes and aims, it becomes the ultimate moral origin. Personalized Tian has the human feelings and is regarded as a supreme God in many ways. The correspondence between Tian and Man is the core of the coherence of Tian and Man of Dong Zhongshu. He thinks that Tian and the human being are made up of Yin-Yang and Five Elements. In accordance with the principle that Yin-Yang thinkers have, which means the congeneric things can correspond to each other, he draws a conclusion that Tian can communicate with the man. But the relation between Tian and the human being is not equal. Tian not only decides the people's body structure and the origin of morality, but also the ethical principle, the culture and the convention. Above all, natural law decides all of the social life. So the emperor must comply with the order of Tian and push the policy of benevolence. If the emperor takes brutal policy, Tian will curse the disaster in order to caution the emperor, which restricts the emperor's power in impersonality. Early in the days of Shang-Chou Dynasty, the human being have been thought only the emperor has the right to communicate with Tian. During the activity the emperor achieves the paramount status and authority, which can demonstrate adequately the legitimacy of the emperor's power. "Regalism"is the core of traditional Confucian political culture. The legitimacy and justice of the emperor's power is the topic that thinkers often consider as well as how to protect the regality. Generally speaking, if there were political activities, there would be political authority identity. A government without authority equals to inexistent government. In ancient China, for political power there are two measures to achieve political authority. The first is depending on violence; the second is making the government idolized and hallowed. It is difficult that government sustains the long political rule only by political force or other illegitimate means. So the last one is the means that the rulers often adopt. Dong Zhongshu realizes it. He builds up the supremacy and authority of the emperor's power by virtue of dominated Tian. Via the idea he spurs the people to comply with the rule of Western Han Dynasty. The thought of Dong Zhongshu adapts to the political rule of that time. The unified centralized system has been established in Qin Dynasty, but until in Western Han Dynasty Dong Zhongshu demonstrates it in theory. From that time on it had been not only the basic political system in China feudalistic society, but also the important part of Chinese traditional political culture. In the process Dong Zhongshu plays a key role.