A hundred schools of thought contend is a profound ideological change in China's history during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and it is also a great liberation, change and development in the cultural field. During this period, China was in the stage of separatist regime, and the rapid social changes made various ideological theories emerge one after another, and cultural thoughts were in an unprecedented period of prosperity, which was a peak of China's cultural development.
There are many schools of thought in this period. They argue with each other and learn from each other. They all tried their best to publicize their views, and many scholars and ideas emerged that had a far-reaching impact on later generations. Later generations collectively referred to this cultural phenomenon as "a hundred schools of thought contend".
A hundred schools of thought contend from the dispute between Confucianism represented by Confucius and Mohism represented by Mozi. Confucius was the first real thinker and educator in China. He advocated that Zhang Yiren should govern the country and opposed the abuse of criminal law. Mozi advocated universal love and non-attack, caring for all people in society and opposing war.
Taoism, represented by Laozi, emphasizes conforming to nature and not being interfered by human beings. At the same time, it treats everything in the world with simple materialist dialectics, believing that everything in the world is the unity of opposites, and people just have to follow the natural laws of things. Laozi was the first philosopher in China, and his views had a far-reaching impact on the life ideas and moral standards of China people in later generations, which were embodied in painting, calligraphy, architecture and other fields.
Legalists, represented by Han Feizi, Li Si and Shang Yang, are radical reformers who advocate controlling people's behavior through severe punishment. Reformers in China all learn wisdom from the point of view of Legalists to arm themselves. They realize that reform is the driving force of social development. Without reform, social contradictions will not be solved automatically. China's feudal society has always adopted the method of governing the country with internal law and external Confucianism.
2, the formation of a hundred schools of thought contend
The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period in the history of China is a special historical stage in which a hundred schools of thought contend and society undergoes great changes and transformations. At that time, the royal family of Zhou declined, the emperor of Zhou had no real prestige, and governors from all over the world rose in succession. They invariably recruited talented people and reformed the law, hoping to make the country rich and strong, and then forced the neighboring small countries to submit to them and realize their dream of dominating the world.
Therefore, in the history of China, there were "Five Overlords in the Spring and Autumn Period" and "Seven Heroes in the Warring States Period", and China was in a period of division, which just created a relaxed environment for a hundred schools of thought to contend in culture.
This period is the period when slave society changed to feudal society in the history of China. Various social contradictions intensified, and the struggle between the declining slave class and the emerging landlord class was fierce, so various theories representing different classes came into being.
For example, Confucianism founded by Confucius is the representative of the slave-owning class. They hoped to restore the etiquette system of the Zhou Dynasty and maintain the existing social hierarchy.
Laozi's Taoism advocates doing nothing and conforming to nature, which is a relatively moderate school.
In contrast, the legalist school represented by Li Si, the son of Han Fei, is a radical reformist school. They advocate severe punishment and strict control of people's thoughts and behaviors, and at the same time, they are honored with meritorious military service and reform the tax system.
In other words, as long as a civilian or even a slave makes meritorious military service on the battlefield, he can get the corresponding title and become a noble, which obviously threatens the interests of existing slave owners and promotes the flow of social classes.
Expanding information Confucius and a hundred schools of thought contend
The great liberation and reform movement in the field of culture and thought during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period was later called "a hundred schools of thought contend". This period is a crucial period for China to change from slavery to feudalism. Society is in great division and change, and various forces compete to express their views on society for their own interests, which leads to the emergence of many academic and ideological schools.
They all expressed their opinions, vigorously promoted themselves, and constantly lobbied in various countries, hoping to gain the appreciation of the monarch and realize their ideals and ambitions. The theory of this period is very complicated, and there are great differences of views. Scholars with academic views emerge one after another, so it is called "a hundred schools of thought contend".