A Study On The Thought Of "Assisting Mohism Into Confucianism" By Confucian Scholars In The Western Han Dynasty

Both Confucianism and Mohism were prominent during the Warring States Period.The two scholars not only challenge each other,but also influence and absorb each other.Since the establishment of the Western Han Dynasty,a unified centralization of power had become the general trend.Based on the political stability,the economy recovered and developed,and the culture was gradually flourish and diversified.Confucianism,Taoism,Mo and other pre-Qin Zizhixue once again influenced and absorbed each other to improve themselves to adapt to the needs of the current situation.It is particularly interesting that Confucian scholars improved and expanded their ideological and political system by "aiding Mo into Confucianism",which created the necessary conditions for Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to "reject a hundred schools of thought and respect only Confucianism".With the decline of the Mohist school,Mohist thought has also found a way to continue to express its own thoughts – Confucianism,which creates conditions for the further development of Confucianism in the Han Dynasty.Many representatives of Confucianism in the Western Han Dynasty have obvious Mohist thoughts in their thoughts,such as Jia Yi,Han Ying,Gongsun Hong,Dong Zhongshu and others.Because Confucian scholars used "aiding Mo and entering Confucianism" in the Western Han Dynasty,people at the time were accustomed to saying "the same name of Confucianism and Mohism".Mohist thought was gradually merged with Confucian thought and formed a more complete and systematic Confucianism.That’s why the false appearance of "the ultimate in Mohism" appeared in the Western Han Dynasty.The “aiding Mo and entering Confucianism” in the Western Han Dynasty also reflected the efforts made by Confucianism at that time to adapt to the needs of unified politics,which was consistent with the trend of confluence of academic thoughts in Qin and Han Dynasties.Confucian scholars absorbed and integrated Mohist thought,which not only enhanced the adaptability of Confucianism,but also made Confucianism more universal,closer to reality and in line with the needs of the times than before.That is because Confucian scholars took advantage of the strengths of various schools and made up for their own shortcomings during the Western Han Dynasty,Confucianism was gradually flourish and became the official ruling thought of feudal rulers."Aiding Mo and entering Confucianism" plays an important role in our further study of the origin and development of Confucianism and Mohism,and also has important reference significance for our ideological construction and cultural consciousness today.