Incorporating Confucianism & Mohism, Combining Min & Fa: “Shi Zi's” Philosophical Thoughts and His Contentions

In Liu Xiang's “Other Records”, it is said: “Shi Zi was in the State of Chu, but probably in (Shu) Sichuan. Now according to the book 'Shi Zi', he has the name 'Jiao' and originally from the State of Jin. He became an adviser to Wei Yang, the prime minister of Qin. He was always consulted in the administration and legislation that Wei Yang (Lord Shang) contemplated and implemented. Later, When Lord Shang was executed, Jiao fearing complicity in and fled to Sichuan. Since then, he completed this book containing 60,000 words in 20 chapters. He died in Sichuan."
Since the excavation of Four Texts of the Yellow Emperor at Ma Wang Dui in Chang Sha in 1973, scholars have come to understand the full aspect of the "School of Huang Lao" from the period before Qin to the beginning of Han. What the Royal Historian, Tai Shi Gong had characterized about "Daoism" as " bending to the alternation of Yin and Yang, adopting the positive aspects of Confucianism and Mohism, summing up the essentials of the school of Min (Names) and Fa (Legalist)," the scholars have come to appreciate this being essentially an integration of thoughts at the time of the Warring States from all previous schools since the period of Spring and Autumn. As Ban Gu said about "Shi Zi", it "incorporates Confucianism and Mohism, combining Min and Fa." In fact, it also includes the thoughts of Lao Zi and Yin Yang, and is a work from the Warring States period. Ban Gu classified it as one of the "Miscellaneous Schools." Lao Zi's "Dao" is an abstraction of prevalent principles and laws. It is not something that could be understood through sensory perception or that could be altered subjectively. Thus, Lao Zi emphasizes "non-intervention", "natural", "not to go against the nature of things", "cause over effect". Hence, "Shi Zi" also says in the chapter "Feng": "Once on the right track, no longer need wisdom and techniques." : "(care for the people, appreciate advisers, govern diligently) may appear different, but really belong to the same principle. And thus, in chapter "Fa Mung" :"Once the right analysis is made, it is applicable to every matter; once the right regulation is established, everything is so regulated." In the chapter "Qui Yan": “The old lived in a house without chimney and crack knows no fire alarm all his life.” In the chapter " Chu Dao": "Know the world without setting foot outdoor, govern the world without descending his court, for the principles are the same." In the chapter "Fa Mung": "An aware Lord does not need to enhance his hearing and sight, does not need espionage, does not expressly find out; for he observes when formations appears, listens when sound arrives and reacts when events transpire." "Shi Zi" assume the objectivity and universality of these principles and laws in order to distill and describe the thoughts of the different schools so as to establish its own school of thought. So it is in the study of "Shi Zi", one must grasp what in the original text and then proceed to compare it with Daoism, Confucianism, Mohism and Fa in order to fully interpret its thoughts and contentions.