The burning of books and the pit of Confucianism was an important event in ancient Chinese history, which took place during the Qin Dynasty in 213 BC. The main process and impact of this incident are as follows:
1. Causes
The Qin Dynasty completed the unification of China in 221 BC, and Qin Shi Huang adopted a series of centralization measures in order to consolidate his power, including the unification of weights and measures, currency, writing, etc. In this context, Qin Shi Huang also hoped to unify the minds of the people in order to strengthen the cohesion of the country. Legalist thought, especially Han Feizi's theory, emphasizes the universal application of law and the centralization of power, which is in line with the philosophy of Qin Shi Huang. Therefore, when Li Si suggested burning books to unify thoughts, Qin Shi Huang adopted it.
Second, the process
According to the record of the "Historical Records", the specific content of Li Si's proposal to burn the book is: "If you are not a doctor's official, you dare to have a collection of poems, books, and hundreds of languages in the world, and you will be able to guard and burn them." In other words, in addition to the officially recognized books, all private collections of the Book of Songs, the Book of Songs, and the writings of the Hundred Schools of Thought should be burned. Qin Shi Huang accepted this suggestion and issued an edict to implement it. Folk book collections were confiscated on a large scale and burned outside the city of Xianyang.
As for Confucianism, according to the Records of the Historians, it was because some scholars and Confucian scholars privately criticized Qin Shi Huang, believing that his rule was too harsh and did not conform to the Confucian concept of benevolent government. When Qin Shi Huang learned of this, he was furious and ordered the arrest of these Confucian scholars and buried 460 people alive in Xianyang. This incident became known as the "Pit Confucian".
3. Impact
The impact of book burning on later generations is manifold. First of all, it is seen as an extreme example of cultural ** and thought control, and has been widely criticized by later generations of literati. Confucian scholars, in particular, have deeply reflected on and criticized this incident, believing that it was a great damage to culture and scholarship.
Second, the burning of books and the pit of Confucianism contributed to the revival of Confucianism in the Han Dynasty to a certain extent. At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, Confucian scholars began to reorganize and disseminate classics, such as the Book of Songs and the Book of Shang, which were almost destroyed in the Qin Dynasty but were restored and valued in the Han Dynasty. Confucianism was officially recognized during the Han Dynasty and gradually became the mainstream of traditional Chinese culture.
In addition, the burning of books and the pit of Confucianism has become an important lesson in Chinese history, reminding people that in the pursuit of unity and social stability, people should not overly suppress the diversity of ideas and cultures. It also reflects the relationship between power and knowledge, and how to balance unity and pluralism, centralization and freedom in different historical periods.
In conclusion, the burning of books and the pit of Confucianism was an important event in ancient Chinese history, which not only reflected the ruling strategy of the Qin Dynasty, but also had a profound impact on the cultural policy and ideological development of later generations.