The Shang and Zhou dynasties were a mysterious and fascinating era in Chinese history. Its distant history and numerous mythological stories, such as the Warrior King in the Romance of the Gods, have left a deep impression on later generations. The establishment of the Zhou Dynasty and its adoption of the patriarchal system and the feudal system had a profound impact on later Chinese society, and it can be said that it is the foundation of China's national character. After overthrowing the Shang dynasty, the Zhou dynasty established a nominally unified regime and implemented a system of feudal feudalism, a system that is breathtaking. Many historical figures during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, such as Confucius, Lao Tzu, and Zhuangzi, had a profound influence on later generations of Chinese.
Yang Zhao's book attempts to explain how the Zhou dynasty organized its social structure to achieve unity, why it fell apart, and how its thinking changed in the midst of major epochal changes. Although the Xia and Shang dynasties were different, they did not form a unified situation. The area actually controlled by the Shang Dynasty was small, and it was not difficult for the Western Zhou to defeat the Shang Dynasty. However, how to establish a new ruling order was the greatest challenge facing the Zhou dynasty. The sub-feudal system adopted by the Zhou Dynasty, that is, sending troops to conquer the East, and the land of conquest was a fief, similar to the subsidiary system, which had similarities to the British colonization of the Americas. This system is similar to the federal system to some extent, with Zhou Tianzi equivalent to the federation** and the vassal states like states**.
Under the condition of limited means of communication, it is obviously not enough to rely on the sub-enclosure system alone, and a sound supervision and trust mechanism is also needed. Duke Zhou strengthened the patriarchal system, with the family as the core, and determined the position of each person in the patriarchal system. The eldest son inherited, and the other children and grandchildren needed to carve out their own territory, which stimulated their motivation to expand their territory. An important tool of the clan system was the centralized management of the patriarch, which concentrated nominal power in the hands of Zhou Tianzi, while using subordinate clan members to expand the territory. The objects of the division were not limited to the Zhou Gong clan, but also included some meritorious officials, the original old clan, and the defeated Shang Dynasty to balance the rule.
The second culture** is the official study of the king of Lile. Lile prescribes what people should do at a given moment, provides a set of behavioral norms for ordinary people, and regulates everyone's behavior on a spiritual level. With the help of the military force of others and the cultural output designed by the Duke of Zhou, the Zhou dynasty succeeded in expanding its territory and forming a nominally unified dynasty. Patriarchy and ritual music have undergone constant changes in thousands of years of agricultural society, but they have always had a profound impact on the Chinese.
However, after hundreds of years, the Zhou Dynasty changed from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, and the reason for this, in addition to the princes of the Zhou Youwang Fenghuo Opera, the deeper reason is that the world has no place to be divided. The era of increment ended, and the era of stock was entered, and the system designed by Zhou Gong had problems. In the absence of effective supervision, the princes brought huge benefits from the war, so they began to war. Compared with the modern federal system, the princes have actual military power, and as the population grows, the feudal system will inevitably reach a bottleneck.
Through an in-depth analysis of the social structure, culture, and ruling patterns of the Zhou Dynasty, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of this historical period and its profound impact on later generations. The story of the Zhou Dynasty is not only a part of Chinese history, but also an important cornerstone of the formation of Chinese culture and social structure.
As an important chapter in Chinese history, the Shang and Zhou dynasties are not only fascinating because of their long history and rich mythological stories, but also because of their unique social organization and ideological concepts that have a profound influence on later generations. In particular, the teachings of thinkers such as Confucius, Laozi and Zhuangzi have made an indelible contribution to the shaping of Chinese culture.
First of all, Confucius's thought centered on self-denial and retribution, and advocated the restoration of the ritual society of the Zhou Dynasty. Although this ideal seemed unrealistic at the time, Confucius's contribution to the field of education was enormous, advocating education without class, emphasizing universal and equal education. Confucius's thought is not only about shaping personal morality, but also about how to live with grace and integrity, showing the inner power of human nature.
Lao Tzu's thinking is more advanced and dynamic, he believes that things are always changing, emphasizing the impermanence of heaven and the balance of all things. Even in modern society, this kind of thinking still has profound significance. Lao Tzu's exploration of the laws of nature eventually translated into how to use the balance of nature to rule effectively, which influenced later Legalist thought.
The reason why the Zhou Dynasty fell apart is that its institutional design is top-down. The system of the Zhou Dynasty was from the Son of Heaven to the princes, to the scholars and the lower classes, and this top-down design could not cope with the changes of the times and the growth of the population. In contrast, bottom-up institutional design can better ensure the basic rights and obligations of everyone and adapt to changes in society.
Although the Zhou Dynasty was eventually replaced, the patriarchal system and liturgical culture it established dominated China for a long time, influencing the way of thinking and social structure of the Chinese. Until modern times, with the development of the economy and the liberation of people from the traditional dependence on land, the clan-centered way of life began to disintegrate, and the Confucianism, Taoism, and culture gradually stripped away the dominant elements in it, and the form of social organization became more complex and diverse.
Understanding the roots of Confucianism and Taoism gives us a deeper understanding of the reverence for this traditional thought in today's society and the deeper meaning behind it. The intellectual and cultural heritage of the Shang and Zhou dynasties still has a profound impact on the development and transformation of Chinese society. 100 help plan