Confucian Politic In The Late Western Han Dynasty

After the Emperor Han Yuan,the Confucian scholars community was active in the political arena of the late Western Han Dynasty,forming a unique political phenomenon.We call this political phenomenon "Confucian politic." This article focuses on this concept and observes the influence and effect of the Confucian scholars after participating in politics.At the same time,placing the Confucian scholars community as the research object in the Yuan,Cheng,and Ai periods makes it a window for observing the political situation in the late Western Han Dynasty.The prerequisite for "Confucian politics" is the development of the Confucian scholars electoral system.Since the Emperor Han Wu "strike a hundred schools and respect Confucianism alone",with the prosperity of Confucianism,a lot of Confucian scholars participation in politics has had a significant impact on the bureaucracy at that time.Together with the executive officials formed the main body of the Han Dynasty bureaucracy.The trajectory of Confucian scholars promotion shows that they gradually broke through the specific cultural and educational responsibilities and transformed into a officials holding specific positions.In the late Western Han Dynasty,most Confucian scholars were in high positions.Confucian scholars in the power world have limited political space.When they enter the political power order,it means that they need to obey the corresponding rules of power,and all power comes from the emperor.By observing and analyzing the death of Xiao Wangzhi and the Confucian scholars under Waiqi Politic,we can see the trend of power structure and political operation in the late Western Han Dynasty.At the same time,in the real political struggle,the Confucian scholars community have undergone differentiation,which is characterized by complexity.How to deal with the relationship between Confucian political ideals and political reality is the fundamental reason why the Confucian scholars community encounter different situations in political struggles.Practicing its political ideals in a limited political space is the core of "Confucian politics".We can conduct a dynamic analysis based on the content and effects of the governance measures.They adopt a more roundabout way of governance between ideals and beliefs and political reality,that is,using Confucian classics to propose their own measures,these measures have their practical characteristics.For example,the Jingfang Examination System and the system restricting fields and slaves during the period of Emperor Han Ai.But often because they harmed the interests of most officials at that time,they were opposed and failed to implement.At the same time,the reform of the ritual system of the Confucian scholars community shows the strengths of Confucianism in the ceremonial system,but these measures are partial to idealism and cannot effectively solve the various contradictions and crises that existed in the late Western Han Dynasty.In the end,under the influence of the "Tianming" thought,the Confucian scholars questioned the legitimacy of the Han Dynasty,It provided the ideological and theoretical support for the Waiqi Wang Mang to the Han Dynasty,and Wang Mang’s "New Deal" was also born.