Research On The Deification Of Confucianism In Han Dynasty

Confucianism is the orthodox guideline of Chinese feudal society. For thousands of years, a lot of people have studied it. It became the backbone content of Chinese intellectual history. Confucianism received attention and high praise of the upper rulers. Since period of Emperor Wu of Western Han Dynasty, it became the guideline of the feudal society finally. The big unified feudal kingdom was built in Western Han Dynasty. In order to deal with those things of the empire effectively, there must be a set of political philosophy which was from summarizing realistic experience of life. In order to enslave the people from spirit, relying on the strength of religion, the hierarchical system of the big feudal empire had to be sanctified. This text thinks, the Confucianism , as one of many thoughts in that period ,became official guideline. Its basic route is the deification of its own thought. The deification of Confucianism is Confucianism's one's own result of developing changes. It has catered to ruler's social demand of controlling society and the subjective need. It fused with the absolute monarchy principle. It is advantageous to social stability and the national long-term peace and good government.Confucianism deification has the external and intrinsic advancement factor. During Qin and Han Dynasty, the legalist school and the Taoism's thought expired, which became the political cause of deifying Confucianism. The book "Spring and Autumn " had essential meaning of absolute monarchy theory. It constituted the rationale and the intrinsic driving influence of deifying Confucianism. At the same time, the mysticism political guidance of Qin and Han Dynasty became the environment and the external attraction of deifying Confucianism. To the earlier period of Emperor Wu of Han dynasty, after Dong Zhongshu's efforts, the deification of Confucianism had been completed in the form and the content preliminary .In the form, at the beginning of Han Dynasty, in the Five Classics of the Confucianists , "Poem" is too life-style. Although "Book" had the political gene, it is the assembly of historical paper. "Ritual" stressed on gentleman how to deal with the human relations. Only "Spring and Autumn Period" is a book which has the sublime words with deep meaning. It has the theory which was used to rule the country. Therefore one of Five Classics of Confucianism "Spring and Autumn Period" then fully was paid much attention. Deification of Confucianism and absolute monarchy principle fused. It paved the way for the development of various schools of Confucianist in feudal society. In the content, Dong Zhongshu has carried on the large-scale transformation through his two paper to Confucianism. He deified the absolute monarchy core essential factor , imperial authority, deified the maintenance feudalism order key, three cardinal ethical relationships of the social order and the five constant virtues, deified feudal society's dominant strength, political power organization, which was considered the restriction strength in the society.At the beginning of the society of Western Han Dynasty, mysticism was popular with ordinary people. Dong Zhongshu formulated the theology system, which catered to the ruler and society's subjective and objective demand. Not only it has satisfied the populace belief for the mysticism, also provided the theory basis for the ruler's governing. Quickly it unified with the absolute monarchy principle, had formed a set of theories which were consistent with the absolute monarchy principle centralization. Its concrete manifestation were as follows: The monarchial power was supreme .The imperial authority sanctified absolutely; The monarchial power was the outline, the rank order was made absolute; Governing plan was standardized ; The culture was despotic, ideology was unification; Education was standardized, political ethics was socialization. Confucianism reached highest knowledge since, and became feudal society's legitimate guiding ideology. Not only it has affected the Han Dynasty, but affects profoundly the entire Chinese feudal society.