The Perspectives on “Human Beings” and “Community” in the Political Theory of the Xunzi and the L?shi chunqiu as a Foundation of the World State
Resource
政治科學論叢, 69, 149-182
Journal
政治科學論叢
Journal Issue
69
Pages
149-182
Date Issued
2016-09
Date
2016-09
Author(s)
Abstract
This article attempts to elucidate a distinct aspect in the thoughts of the Xunzi and the L?shi chunqiu (Mr. L?’s Spring and Autumn Annals) and philosophical significance as propelling the unification of the Chinese world, as well as providing a blueprint of the “world state” which has been the model for ongoing East-Asian state formation and structure during the last two millennia. Under a comparative perspective of the political philosophy of these two texts, the author aims to persuade the readers of the following three points. Firstly, in terms of the physical and social features that constituted human beings, the Xunzi and LSCQ have presented a clear definition of how the whole human race are distinct from all other creatures, and such distinction was rarely seen in other preceding texts from the Warring States period. Secondly, the discussion about human characteristics in the Xunzi and LSCQ begins with a proposition that every human individuals are physically the same, and such a focus on the sameness in various human individuals has led to the formation of a new image of human society in which the difference of physical and intellectual conditions between the ruling class and the ruled would become obscure. Thirdly, in the discussion of the origin of state and society, building upon these aforementioned understanding about human condition, the Xunzi and LSCQ have developed their socio-political theories which would be applicable to the whole human society and go beyond blood relationship and geographical locality. In sum, as the Xunzi and LSCQ deliver a complete picture of what defines human beings, rulers of that time consider the distinction by clan, blood relationship and regionality to be less important conditions to their ruling. The advent of such a view on human beings a few decades before the actual unification by the State of Qin was significant to the extent that it was this view that has promoted the unification of the Chinese world, and presented the proto-type image of an everlasting unified empire whenever the Chinese world witnessed its separation.
Subjects
《荀子》、《呂氏春秋》、人論、養生論、群論；The Xunzi, The L?shi chunqiu (Mr. L?’s Spring and Autumn Annals), Argument of Human Being, Argument of Health and Longevity, Argument of Human Society
SDGs
Type
journal article