The Research Of The Lvli (the Temperament And The Calendar) In The Han Dynasty

The name of the Lvli originates from History of the Lvli of the Han book. It is a classic Chinese knowledge that consist of astronomy, calendar, the Yinyang (the two opposing principle in nature), the Wuxing(the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth) and the Eight Diagrams. Because it is mixing and disordering, modern researcher almost regard it as the concentration feudal superstition. According to the historical record, unearthed artifacts and philology research, I consider that the original meaning of the word lv is the bamboo pipe that can be blew to make sound, the bamboo pipe is the predecessor of a series Lv pipe used for determining temperament later. Before the Qin dynasty the Lv pipe was used for divination, perhaps the custom is the cause of existence of the content about the Yinyang and the Wuxing of the Lvli in later periods. The Houqi was the chief connection that temperament and astronomy had lastly combined into one in the Han dynasty. According to historical book, the Houqi is that it fills the Lv pipe with ash of reed, the ash would come out from the Lv pipe without force on special time. From research about the Houqi records from the ancient times to today and explanation of the Houqi according to modern physical manchanism, I conclude that the ash may come out from the Lv pipe, but its preciseness of time is exaggerated. There is relation between reason of exaggerated preciseness of the Houqi and formation of the Lvli. I think that there are two ideology source of formation of the Lvli, one isthe ideology that man is an integral part of Tian (it means the universe), another is that music connects politics. Ancient ideology that man is an integral part of Tian(universe) was used by rulers, they had set up the concept that the empire is son of Tian, the ideology that music connects politics make music become tools upholding the system of social class by means of ceremony and proprieties regulations. If temperament and calendar combined into one, Lv reflects the change of Tian(it connects calendar.), at the same time Lv is the standard of the music, so it make a ladder from Tian to Lv to music to people. That lv reflects the change of Tian was performed Houqi in practice, the Houqi was controlled by imperial government, in fact, it symbolized that the empire follows Tian and becomes ruler of people society. Because of shortness of the Qin dynasty, it hadn't haven enough time to complete some rules, the prime assignment of the Han dynasty is establishment of complete controlling rules from the ideology and the practice. Under the circumstance, the development of the culture certainly went to the direction being of advantage to establishment of the rules. The Houqi was not so pricise, but its preciseness would make that temperament and calendar become into one looks more convinced. So it isn't avoidable that the Houqi was exaggerated for that the ladder from Tian to people becomes more stable. Therefore, the advantage feudal domination was most direct impetus of formation of the Lvli.