Machiavellian Culture Display And Criticism In Er Yuehe's Qing Emperor's Series Historical Novels

The Qing Emperors'series of Er Yuehe have acquired huge success; meanwhile, the demonstration of Machiavellian culture in the novel is also subjected to hostile opinion. Machiavellian culture is an important part of Chinese tradition culture. Scholars are divergent toward it tactic culture. This thesis attempts to disclose the inherent relation between Machiavellian culture and feudal politics and make comment on Machiavellian culture, basing on an ontological reading of Qing Emperor's series of Er Yuehe and the exhibition of the Machiavellian manipulation among the emperors and the great ministers. By doing so, we can get a fundamental understanding of the essence and function of Machiavellian culture and try to find measures and ways of thinking to cope with the existence of Machiavellian culture.Apart from introduction and conclusion, this thesis is divided into four chapters.Chapter One: The enduring vitality of Chinese Machiavellian culture is closely connected with the cultural environment of China since ancient times. The Masters of ancient China continuously provided for the successive rulers with innovative theories to administer the country, thus formed the unique Chinese political system. Chinese ancient political system is the foundation on which Machiavellian came into being and developed. The so-called tactics is to acquire, maintain and exercise power by strategy. The deficiency in supervision and constraints of monarchy system determines the effectiveness and vitality of tactic as a means. In a sense, the history of the several thousand years of feudal society is the history of power struggle as well as the history of Machiavellian culture.Chapter Two: The ruling tactic of the three emperors in Er Yuehe's Qing Emperor's series coincides with the tactic theories of Mencius, Han Feizi and Dong Zhongshu. Kangxi runs the country with the policy of benevolence and becomes the moral models for Chinese emperors; Yongzheng administers the country by law and tactics due to the special situation, and he is regarded a tyrant. Qianlong combines benevolence and law under the political inertia to push the last feudal dynasty to the peak. However, the three emperors'manipulations are all the ruling tactics of feudal emperors with the aim to conquer and dominate the country. Though they have pushed a big country to ultimate brilliance, they can not change the country's destiny of disappearance because of the monarchy nature of feudal dynasty.Chapter Three: The political tactics of ministers are diverse. The tactics of the loyal minister is vigilant and world-wise, while the flattering officials'are treacherous and deceitful. The nature of ministers are suppressed and concealed by the severe hierarchy of feudalism officialdom, and what they do expose is only the artificial official appearance, which does not betray their true nature. The loyal ministers make every effort for the country and the people; the flattering officials seek personal interests through power by whatever means. The coexistence of loyal ministers and flattering officials, in return, becomes the catalyst of Machiavellian culture. The perilous officialdom becomes the performing stage for Machiavellian culture.Machiavellian culture and officialdom interact with each other and forms a vicious circle.Chapter Four: The Machiavellian culture exhibited in Qing Emperors'series make people ponder deeply. At a certain degree the emperors favor monarchic power than their own lives. The fight for and maintenance to monarchic power become the main contents of monarch life, and the monarchs almost become the incarnation of tactics. Monarchy political system makes the officials keep their power by mutual protect and deceit, which causes great wastage to the nation. In the meantime, monarchy system produces various minion groups, it is evident that the Qing Emperors'series of Er Yuehe is a historical narration in the light of the relationship between master and minion. This demonstrates the author's criticism on the master and minion ideology of feudal society. Machiavellian culture consists of not only the wisdom and intelligence of political arts but also the treachery and deceit of the scheme political strategy. The scheme political strategy is the dregs part of Machiavellian culture, therefore, should be abandoned.Readers'appreciation of the Machiavellian culture displayed in the novels exceeds their understanding of its role in changing human's nature. This is a problem worthy of ponder. Machiavellian culture roots so deeply that it is impossible to perish with the end of monarchy system. For Machiavellian culture, only have we reasonable understanding and make the best of the situation can it promote society's harmony, national health and the positive development of the country.