Positiveness To Intelligence And Negation To Intelligence: The Study Of Monarch Thought In Lv Shi Chun Qiu

Monarch thought(君道思想)is the core of Lv Shi Chun Qiu(吕氏春秋).The previous study concentrated more on do-nothingness.“Positiveness to intelligence”(贵知)and“negation to intelligence”(去知)are the two aspects of monarch thought in“Lv Shi Chun Qiu”.In short,the former represents affirmation and importance on monarch’s intelligence.The latter demonstrates denial and exclusion to monarch’s intelligence.Investigating on opposite and uniformity of positiveness and negation to intelligence,we can grasp the monarch thought and see characteristics of the Eclectics in“Lv Shi Chun Qiu”.The theory of “positiveness to intelligence” could be divided to “valuing the monarch’s intelligence” and “advocating the wise”. “Lv Shi Chun Qiu”raised high demand on monarch’s ability mainly for mastering of the Tao. “Li”(理)is another name of “Tao”. Regarding the “following the principle” as legitimate basis of monarch authority and its derivant,the concept of reward and punishment concerning the principle are typical demonstration of “valuing the monarch’s intelligence”. “Begin to kind is not easy” means in the beginning, the short sight of the public and ministers claims monarch to see long-term interests. The importance of monarch’s ability could be manifested in comparing the monarch’s intelligence and public’s hebetude.The concept of seeking the wise in “Lv Shi Chun Qiu” has a relatively complete system. The limitation of human is the premise of seeking the wise, and the key is recognizing the wise, but whether the monarch could recognize the wise depends on his intelligence. In actual, “Lv Shi Chun Qiu” transforms the request for the wise to the monarch’s intelligence, which was proposed directing to the phenomenon in the Warring States period that the monarch lacked clear knowledge of the standard of the wise and was confused in using people. “Lv Shi Chun Qiu” attempted seeking the wise by advisability of the rulers, which was consistent with Confucianism and Mohism in basic logic, but the difficulty in operating highlighted the disadvantages of the Confucianism and Mohism. The knowledge to the standard of the wise was mysterious and arcane, which negated the possibility of seeking the systematic construction. “The wise is rare” is consensus in the Warring States period. But different understanding and anticipation of difficulty on this issue influenced the trend of political theory.The concept of “negation to intelligence” could be divided into theory and political practice. On theory, “Lv Shi Chun Qiu” accepted the view of Taoism, asking monarch for excluding subjective consciousness to get “Tao”. On political practice, it was opposed for the monarch to participate in specific political issue, the reason of which was out of knowledge to human’s limitation, and its purpose was to spare some place for ministers to administerability and wisdom. We cannot view the “negation to intelligence” in “Lv Shi Chun Qiu” equal to “against to wisdom”.In “Lv Shi Chun Qiu”, we can see“positiveness to intelligence” and “negation to intelligence” was combined together in general. But,because of various Literature sources,there are contradictions.Theoretically,“positiveness to intelligence” required monarch to grasp “Tao”, and “negation to intelligence” required for excluding subjective consciousness. The former was objective and the latter was method. Meanwhile,there is another way to master the Tao,which is learning.On the political practice,the point of “positiveness to intelligence” is seeking for the wise, and “negation to intelligence” is using the wise. Both of them compose together for explanation of “working for seeking the wise and comfort for political issue” in “Lv Shi Chun Qiu”.On duty division of monarch and minister, it emphasizes the effects of monarch grasping the trend of political development and arrange minister a right position to maintain the operating of the whole bureaucracy system.