Management Ideas In "Shuo Yuan"

"Shuo Yuan" by Liu Xiang in Western Han Dynasty has multiple significance and research value. However, as a book entrusted with political ideals of "Support Han Dynasty" its true value should be the ideas of managing people and governing the country, and should be the rich management thinking contained in this book. Through systematical combining and summarizing, we find that it is widely involved in management principles, management cultivation, management ethics, management attitude, management grades, management roles and many other aspects. For management principles, it advocates that the world belongs to the people, rule by moral force, change customs and usages, respect and put the talents in an important position. These four principles are the main line and soul of the management ideas in "Shuo Yuan" that the emperors and ministers must live up to as managers. It emphasizes on respecting and putting the talents in an important position particularly, and advocates to respect talents, honor talents, recommend talents, use talents and make people who are more talented to take up the position. In addition, for management cultivation, it advocates learning, knowing things, distinguishing things, learning literature, good at speaking profoundly and return back to simple and unadorned; for management ethics, it advocates benevolence, filial piety and loyalty; for management attitude, it advocates caution, beware beginning and know graciousness; for management grades theory, it pays attention to distinguish kingship, ruling by forces, penalty and powers, it worships kingship and believes that rule of virtue and criminal penalty must be combined; for management roles, it believes that emperors should be let things take their own course, be close to citizens and cultivate their moral characters, while official in feudal times should have six principles, six standards of behaviors, tell three grades of morality, quality and taste, applying secondary opportunities, make five remonstrations, have careful tactics, be obedient and supplementary to play their parts.