Study On The Influence Of Confucianism On The Xianbei Historical Process Of Wei, Jin And Southern And Northern Dynasties

The Xianbei nationality is a northern nomadic nationality in ancient China, which originated from the Donghu tribe and developed in Greater Higgnan Mountains. In Western Jin Dynasty, the Xianbei nationality was made up of three groups, with the Duan tribe, the Murong tribe and the Yuwen tribe in the east, the Tuoba tribe in the north, the Tuyuhun tribe, the Qifu tribe and the Tufa tribe in the west. When it migrated to the south area and the west area, the Xianbei nationality was continually influenced by Central Plain culture. In Wei jin Southern and Northern Dynasty, Central Plain culture made important influence on the Murong tribe, the Tufa tribe, the Tuoba tribe and other tribes. When these tribes accepted Confucianism, they touched Han culture and invaded in Central Plains. The Murong tribe touched Central Plain culture earlier and its political institutions were influenced by it. The Tufa tribe, which originated in the Northwest China, was a typical example in Xianbei tribes. It founded the Nanliang regime that didn’t exist for a long time. The upper class in the Tufa tribe drew Han scholars to their side, learned Confucian culture and adopted political institutions of Central Plain. That showed the Xianbei tribe was deeply influenced by Confucianism. The Tuoba tribe and the Yuwen tribe were once active in northern areas of China. The Northern Wei regime founded by the Tuoba tribe unified the northern China. Its laws and regulations were influenced by Confucianism deeply. What the Emperor Xiaowen in Northern Wei Dynasty reformed just showed the Xianbei tribe’s confucianization. The Western Wei Dynasty and the Northern Zhou Dynasty controlled by the Yuwen tribe were famous at that time just because they regained the old constitutions of Confucianism. The social education of the Northern Zhou Dynasty was also influenced by Confucianism. The Northern Qi Dynasty, whose culture belonged to that of the Xianbei tribe, was also influenced by Confucianism more or less.Specifically speaking, the Xianbei nationality’s view of destiny was once influenced by Confucianism and its confucianization on laws and regulations showed the influence and effect of Confucianism on it. Confucianism studies were basic contents of the Xianbei nationality’s upper social education. The Xianbei regime also carried out Confucianism in provinces and counties. Some Confucian scholars helped the Xianbei nationality receive Confucian education. So, the ethical ideas of Confucian deeply influenced that of the Xianbei nationality. It was a typical example showing the effect and influence of Confucian ethical ideas on the Xianbei nationality that the Xianbei nationality accepted and carried out Confucian filial piety.Seeing from concrete ways in which Confucianism made an influence on the xianbei nationality’s historical course, it was a precondition that the upper class of the Xianbei nationality received Confucianism, studied Confucianism classics and carried out Confucianism etiquette system and Confucianism studies and so on. That shows minorities needed to study and accept Confucianism voluntarily when they weren’t brought into the political system of the Central Plains or when the local Confucianism educational institutions couldn’t make effective influence on these nationalities. Besides, when the Xianbei nationality in northern China received Confucianism more deeply and roundly, it had the culture psychology in accord with that of the Central Plain Han. That is also an important precondition that the Xianbei nationality blended in the Han nationality.In a word, Confucianism affected the Xianbei nationality’s historical course, Confucianism is a intermediary of the culture communication between the Xianbei nationality and the Central Plain Han. Studying the effect and influence of Confucianism on the Xianbei nationality’s historical course can help us to sort out the ways in which Confucianism made influence on disappeared nationalities in history, the effect and other problems. And also, in this way, we can sort out the important effect of Confucianism on facilitating the unity in diversity of Chinese nation.