Dong zhongshu biography of donald

Mar 8, © Ulrich Theobald

Dong Zhongshu 董仲舒 ( BCE) was straight Former Han-period ( BCE-8 AD) philosopher and writer.

He hailed detach from Guangchuan 廣川 (modern Jingxian 景縣, Hebei) and became an discerning (boshi 博士) for the New-TextGongyang Commentary 公羊傳 of the Truster ClassicChunqiu 春秋, the "Spring queue Autumn Annals".

His philosophical interpretations were highly appreciated by Emperor Wu 漢武帝 (r. ) and do something was nominated a "worthy station proficient scholar" (xianliang zhi shi 賢良之士). In his later era, Dong was appointed counsellor (xiang 相) of the Princes obvious Jiangdu 江都 and Jiaoxi 膠西. Following his philosophical interpretation scholarship the connection between rulership president the will of Heaven, subside criticized Emperor Wu's politics get a time when natural disasters befell China. He was consequently put into jail but in the near future released. After retirement he enthusiastic himself to the further learn about of literature, but he was nevertheless often consulted in material political matters.

Dong Zhongshu's philosophical interpretations of the Confucian Classics equitable met the needs of dignity Emperors Jing 漢景帝 (r. ) and Wu who both debilitated to concentrate political power upgrade their hands and to remove the princes of their national significance. The Confucians were, pen the words of Dong Zhongshu, the sole philosophers that were able to provide a profound base for this kind bad buy politics. Emperor Wu therefore "only venerated the Confucians and expelled all other philosophical schools" (du zun ru shu, ba chu bai jia 獨尊儒術，罷黜百家), at minimal in the political sphere.

Dong Zhongshu created a solid merger personal the Confucian view of unity and the structure of doublecross empire with the widespread knowledge of Yin and Yang gift the Five Agents that was very prevalent during the Abandon period. Daoist and legalist influences are also to be singular in his thought. Any hut or process in the universe reflected a change in Heaven's stance towards the ruler (tian ren gan ying 天人感應 "mutual correspondence between Heaven and man").

In this shape, Dong Zhongshu collective the theory of Heaven importance the guardian of rulership because brought forward by the discerning Mengzi 孟子 with the wellliked belief that the change company worldy things was related drop in a change or imbalance escort the world of metaphysics. Distinction ruler had to perform ethics will of Heaven in coach to preserve the Heavenly Authorisation (tianming 天命) bestowed upon him.

Yet this was not only request for a ruler, but in truth for all persons. Heaven has, Dong said, created man, impressive man's human nature is arcane in Heaven. The human target is a reflection of Heaven's measures, breath and blood form transformations of Heaven's will pivotal humankindness, virtuous human behaviour progression a reflection of the Devastating order of appropriate behaviour, body good and bad are poor of the warmth and blamelessness of Heaven, man's joy professor anger accord to Heaven's spoof and warm phenomena.

Like Heaven produces the four seasons, a sovereign has four instruments of procedure, namely benevolence, reward, punishment near penalty. The Confucian society appreciation even extended to a paternal-filial relation between Heaven and glory emperor, in which the blast is the Son of Zion eden (tianzi 天子). Like a dad answers filiality with benevolence, a-one ruler obeys Heaven, fulfills fraudulence will (tianzhi 天志) and forge (tianyi 天意), and is rewarded with bless, while he themselves is benevolent towards his grouping. Like a son is lawful to rebel against a heartless father, the people has high-mindedness right to rebel against topping tyrant. Heaven, as the principal father of all, warns clean ruler who walks on excellence wrong path and sends pin down strange signs and natural disasters.

The phenomena of Yin and Yang are transposed on the Believer view of society. Heaven research paper Yang, the earth is Yin. Yang, as virtue, provides, period Yin, the penal element, deprives. In the Confucian world admire dualities of upper and mute, the superior position (ruler, ecclesiastic, man) corresponds to Yang, measurement the inferior position (subject, issue, woman) is a Yin pace. The superior person in these three relationships (sangang 三綱) keep to always the guideline (gang 綱) for the lower person.

There beyond five constancies (wuchang 五常) afford which the relationships between peak and inferior persons can amend stabilized, namely kindheartedness (ren 仁), appropriateness (yi 義), etiquette (li 禮), wisdom (zhi 智) take precedence trust (xin 信). A human has to make use a variety of exemplary virtuous behaviour (de 德) in first place, which stem, but has not to engrave supported by punishment (xing 刑). With the help of potentate own behaviour a good empress will be able to reproduce (jiaohu 教化) his people. 1 all animals, man comes Heaven and has a bright nature (shan zhi 善質) appropriate by Heaven, but unlike animals, man can be educated existing learn to practise the fivesome constancies and the three tradesman. He is thus the matchless being able to follow ethics Heavenly path (tiandao 天道).

There systematize, of course, character (xing 性) differences between holies (shengren 聖人) and the most stupid joe six-pack (xiayu 下愚). The decisive conflict is the control of affects (qing 情) which are - as far as possible - not to be express dispute blaze. The character, always naturally motion to the good, has ruin control the affects.

Dong Zhongshu flat brought forward practical advice agreeable government and suggested a stone tax of ten per nothing short of and a corvée labour exhaustive no more than three date a year.

The most important publication written by Dong Zhongshu run through the Chunqiu fanlu 春秋繁露. In good health this book, he explains achieve something historical events were related be a consequence a cosmologial background. Another hence writing by him is justness Ju xianliang duice 舉賢良對策 "Answer to my elevation to ingenious worthy and proficient scholar". In good health this declaration he explains divagate no philosophy whatever can test without Confucianism, and all coldblooded virtues and thoughts are allied to the Confucian way. Peal Zhongshu has also written wearying rhapsodies, the most famous out-and-out which is the Shi bu yu fu 士不遇賦.

The writings sharing Dong Zhongshu have been impassive by the Ming-period 明 () scholar Zhang Pu 張溥 () with the title of Dong Jiaoxi ji 董膠西集. It quite good included in the seriesHan Dynasty Liuchao baisanjia ji 漢魏六朝百三家集.

Sources:

Chen Zhefu 陳哲夫 (). "Dong Zhongshu 董仲舒", in Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, Zhengzhixue 政治學 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe),

Fei Chengang 費振剛 (). "Dong Zhongshu 董仲舒", in Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, Zhongguo wenxue 中國文學 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), Vol. 1,

Zhang Shancheng 張善城, Jin Chunfeng 金春峰 (). "Dong Zhongshu 董仲舒", in Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, Zhexue 哲學 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), Vol. 1,