During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, "hundred schools of thought contended in the pre-Qin period" was the most brilliant period in the history of China, and it was also the source of Chinese civilization. The four outstanding schools of Confucianism, Mohism and Taoism among the hundred schools have a wide and far-reaching influence on later generations, while other schools are submerged in the long river of history.
Then let's briefly talk about a hundred schools of thought contending outside the "outstanding learning".
First, famous artists
Mainly to demonstrate the logic between "name (name, concept) and reality (reality, reality)", represented by Hui Shi and GongSunLong.
Because famous artists paid too much attention to philosophical issues that had little to do with real life, such as the famous "white horse is not a horse", and their disciples' level was not high, famous artists gradually declined in the late Warring States period.
Second, yin and yang family
This paper mainly discusses the major philosophical issues of "Yin-Yang and Five Elements" represented by Zou Yan.
The theory of Yin and Yang has exerted great influence on astronomy, geography, meteorology, chemistry, mathematics, temperament and medicine in China, and it is an important part of Chinese civilization. After the Warring States period, the theory of Yin and Yang was absorbed by Confucianism and Taoism, and it was no longer an independent school.
Third, strategists.
Mainly to study how to use various strategies and diplomatic means to serve the interests of the monarch, the founder is Guiguzi, and the representatives are Zhang Yi and Su Qin.
Strategists are the pre-Qin school with no moral bottom line, and their only goal is to serve their own monarch. This makes strategists widely criticized, but also highly valued. Yi Cheung, Su Qin and others are ghost worshippers. With the end of division and war, the strategists who lost the stage gradually declined, but the theory was still used in the troubled times.
Fourth, farmers.
He mainly studies agricultural production, calling himself Shennong as a pioneer and Xu as a representative.
Although farmers attach importance to agricultural production, they also put forward political and ideological views such as "following the people's will, being loyal to the people" and "agriculture is the business-oriented". However, due to the coincidence of farmers' political views and Confucianism, they gradually turned into pure technical experts rather than independent schools after the Warring States Period.
Verb (short for verb) novelist
Mainly to record and sort out all kinds of folk gossip, customs, and serve the upper class to understand the country and society. Novelists have no unique theories and handed down works, and their research fields are too specific and have no remarkable achievements. The world did not regard them as independent schools, and they soon died out.
Sixth, military strategist.
A school that mainly studies military issues. Representative figures are Sun Wu, Sima Yi, Wu Qi, Liao Wei and others. Because of the particularity of its research field, military strategists have become one of the few pre-Qin philosophers who have continued to develop to this day except the "four outstanding figures". Military strategists' works are also the most influential outside the "Four Masters".
Seven. Physician
He mainly studies medical problems, with Bian Que as the representative. Similar to military strategists, doctors have become the pre-Qin school that has been developing since then because of the particularity of their research fields. After all, "how can people not get sick if they eat whole grains?"
Nine. sensible
Its main feature is the integration of a hundred schools of thought, which is called "hundred schools of thought knows everything", represented by Lv Buwei. Heresy represents hundred schools of thought's transformation from contention to integration, but it has not formed its own independent ideological theory. The thoughts of many schools in the pre-Qin period were passed on to later generations through saints.