The Political Thought of《Shi-tsu》
Author: Lin Chun-Hung
Abstract / Chinese PDF Download
Six parts are included in this article. The core of chapter one will focus on two issues, the former, dealing with the distinction between name and reality (essence), the latter, with correcting (i.e. to make names or concepts identified with realities, sometimes, also referring to the order-maintenance by defining political or social stratification). The distinction was also seriously concerned by other academic communities like Confucians, Legalists and Logicians (also recognized as Dialecticians). The importance of making such a distinction locates on the well-understanding of the rigid social stratification which defined by the highest norm – Li (rituals). Being courteous to the virtuous and the wise, usually thought to be the doctrine of the Confucian School, is factually a kind of ruling skill granted by several academic communities, except Toaist, in ancient China. In Chapter two, the focal point will be the theory of esteeming the virtuous and the wise. Ruling skills are the basic concern in Chapter three. By using rituals together with penalty, compliance will be gained and political order can nowhere be turned down. We should keep in mind that rituals mean sort of internalization ;while penalty sculpturing. The theory of political roles talked in Chapter four, denoting to the division of labor in political field, beside defining the boundary, deals with the relationship between the ruler (Monarch) and his subjects. The ideal ruler, for Shi-tsu, should act as a perfectman like that in Taoist’s viewpoint so that the ideal governing form (non-action) can be achieved. 《Shi-tsu》had a critical development in “composing” thought by extracting materials from many different thinkers and the development coincided with the socio-political changes during the Warring-State epoch. That is why Sui-tsu was viewed as one of the “School of Mixer” or “Tsar-Jia” and the book《Shi-tsu》as one of the classics of “Tsar-Jia”. This reveals the tendency found in the convergence of political thought in Pre-Chin era.