Zhongshu Legal Thought

Dong Zhongshu and his legal thought hold an important position in Chinese ancient thoughts. As a famous thinker and founder of apotheosized Confucianism, he is prestigious for 'the head pf Confucians' at that time. Dong Zhongshu had a high status in the academic circle of ancient China, and his thought had a heavy affect in quite a long time. It is in Dong Zhongshu's thought that the development of Confucianism has underwent a great turn from prominent idea to official theory. So , making a study on the thought of Dong Zhongshu is very important.There are three parts in this thesis. The first part tells the background of Dong Zhongshu's legal thought before its forming. The second part makes a comparation between thoughts of pre-Qin Dynasty and that of Dong Zhongshu. First, Dong Zhongshu inherited Confucian thought thoroughly wich represented by Confucius, Mengcius and Xuncius. He made a great development and a successful recreation on the Confucianism. Secondly , the paper discussed the relationship between Dong Zhongshu and the theory of five elements. The theory of five elements occupied a high position in Dong Zhongshu's legal thought. We can find resource in the theory of five elements for Dong Zhongshu's theory. Then , we can find relationship between Dong Zhongshu's theory and Huanglao'thoughts. After a brief introduction to Huanglao theory, the paper discussed the absorbing and development made by Dong Zhongshu. Next the paper analyzed the relationship between thought of Dong Zhongshu and that of Han Fei. Dong Zhongshu realized the importance of punishment and made it one kingcraft. Last the paper investigated the inheritance to Mecius made by Dong Zhongshu .In the third part, the paper discussed the main idea of Dong Zhongshu's legal thought from five aspects. And then,in this part the paper also makes a brief assessment to Dong Zhongshu's legal thought.The purpose of the paper is making a relative correct description to Dong Zhongshu's legal thought through the study of Dong Zhongshu's legal thought. And further the author wants to find the importance of the orthodox legal thoughts to our construction of monocracy nowadays. This is also the main value of this paper.