To talk about "The early
concepts of order" of China, I
would like to introduce the two ancient Chinese philosophers that
lived during the Zhou dynasty. They both had a great impact on
Chinese thought and culture although they were both disagreed on the
philosophical concepts: Confucius and Lao-Tzu.
Confucius (551-479 BC) was born in the state of Lu (present-day Shandong Province). His original name was K’ung Ch’iu and he had received a fine education.
He married at the age of 19 and had one son and two daughters. Confucius deplored the contemporary disorder and lack of moral standard. He taught the great value of the power. He said: "Rulers can be great only if they themselves lead exemplary lives, and were they willing to be guided by moral principles, their states would inevitably become prosperous and happy" (Chinese K’ung Fu-Tzu [circa 551-479 BC]). Confucius’ teaching was practical and ethical, rather than religious. It only based on the five virtues of kindness, uprightness, decorum, wisdom, and faithfulness.
Lao-Tzu (570?-490? BC)
was born in Henan Province. His name, Lao, means something like "old
wise one," a term often given to legendary sages (Asia, A New
Introduction, vol.4: 117). According to tradition, he was the author
of the Tao-te Ching (Classic of the Way and Its Virtue), a
philosophical treatise. It teaches that "the way" (tao) is realized
through recognition and acceptance of nothingness; that is, wisdom is
understanding that weakness truly equals strength, that happiness
depends on disaster, and that passivity is the greatest
action.
Following the Zhou dynasty was the Qin (Ch’in) dynasty, which ruled from 221 to 206 BC, established the first centralized imperial administration in China. From the dynasty is derived the name China. The Qin state center in present-day Shaanxi (Shenxi), emerged as the most powerful of the Warring Kingdoms whose rivalry marked the decline of the Zhou (Chou) dynasty.
Although Qin dynasty lasted only 15 years, but it was the first dynasty to truly unify and making great changes to China. Local states were abolished in favor of a strong central government.
After Shihuangdi died in 211 BC, his heirs could no longer control it, and this lead to a rapid fall. Some of Shihuangdi’s achievement that he had accomplished during his lifetime as an emperor were:
According to the concepts of cosmos, the Son of Heaven was the only one who could be an emperor, performing the act of ritual worship for all human society. While in the "Mandate of Heaven" (tianming), invented by the Zhou, stated that the Son of the Heaven was not the only one who could be an emperor, because Heaven was on the side of righteousness and good government (Asian, A New Introduction: 115). If the emperor did not perform the ritual worship correctly, or he was not a good governor, he may lose his mandate as an emperor. This privilege may be taken away to the more knowledgeable person.
Bibliography: Twitchett, D., and Loewe, M., eds., The Cambridge History of China, vol.1: The Ch’in and Han Empires, 221 BC-AD 220 (1986); Encarta ® 97 Encyclopedia; Heinz C., Asian, A New Introduction, vol.4; The Archaeology of Ancient China, rev.ed. (1987)