Zhong Changtong's Thought Research

As a representative personnel of the thought trend of social criticism at the end of Han dynasty,Zhongchang Tong thoughts represented distinct compatible feature of Confucianism and Taoism and had great changes during the different period of his life.This thesis mainly researches and discusses the major thoughts and ideas of Zhongchang Tong in the ideals of heaven and man,politics,loyalty and filial piety,life and other aspects.The thesis aims to revealing the thought features and development history of Zhongchang Tong of “draw nutrition from Taoism into Confucianism,draw nutrition from schools other than Confucianism into Taoism,and adhesion to Confucianism”.Firstly,in the ideal of heaven and man,the thesis verifies the heritage of Zhongchang Tong of Huang-Lao Taoism through his recognition to the “heaven” of nature and affirmation to the obeying of natural rules.Meanwhile,the viewpoint of Zhongchang Tong--“people first”is analyzed in the thesis.And the profound influences of such viewpoint on his thought development and things understanding are discussed.Secondly,in the ideal of politics,this thesis,through differentiation and analysis to his ideals of“do things based on conditions”and“do nothing that goes against nature”,identifies the features of his political ideal,namely with Confucianism as major and political principles of Taoism as assist.Then,the moral education,moral ruling,and golden mean ideals of his political idea are discussed,changing with times according to Huang-Lao Taoism and supplementing the national governance by national law.Thirdly,for the filial duty thought of the Eastern Han Dynasty permated the politics,this thesis disuss the loyalty and filial piety ideals of Zhongchang Tong with the bidirectional principles.Fourthly,for view of life,based on the life trace of Zhongchang Tong--seclusion--official--seclusion,this thesis discusses the representation of world saving spirit of Confucianism on himself,namely selecting and assisting a certain master under the ambivalence of whether becoming an official and following the behavioral pattern of Taoism--living in seclusion after finding out no possibility of assisting the Han Dynasty.