Five saints, super imperial status. In ancient China, the emperor was the supreme ruler. However, there are some outstanding figures in history whose status transcends that of emperors, who are remembered and praised by generations, and who must even humbly bow their knees when emperors see their portraits.
So, who are the people in Chinese history who are revered as saints?
Lao Tzu, as the founder of Taoism, does not need to be elaborated on his status in China, and even Confucius once consulted him. Taoism, a religion that has deeply influenced Chinese emperors, is even more revered"Taishang Laojun", in order to get the light.
In the Tang Dynasty, Lao Tzu's status was pushed to the pinnacle, and he was posthumously recognized by the Li family in power as the ancestor of the surname Li. In modern society, Lao Tzu has won many honors such as world cultural celebrities and world historical celebrities, and is known as a world-renowned thinker.
So, what is the charm of Lao Tzu to be able to get such a high courtesy?
His contributions are closely related to China's cultural precipitation. In China, the people who can really live through the ages are either literary and historical masters or scientific giants. And Lao Tzu is undoubtedly a treasure in the Chinese literary and historical circles.
He was a thinker, a philosopher, a man of letters, and a historian. His political theory of "rule by inaction" has been reflected in all dynasties, such as the beginning of the establishment of the Han Dynasty, which used the strategy of "rule by doing nothing" for many years.
In the concept of power and scheming to govern the country, he advocated that "the extremes of things must be opposed", emphasizing that even if the emperor and the official need to balance the political situation of the court, they also need appropriate checks and balances. However, checks and balances are not the whole story.
Historically, whenever a prosperous era came, the relationship between monarchs and ministers was often more harmonious, such as the famous Tang Taizong and Wei Zheng. In addition, the Chinese generally accept and practice Lao Tzu's modesty and do not fight, which has almost become an important character characteristic of the Chinese nation. ”
The Tao Te Ching is one of the classic works that have had a profound impact on the Chinese, and its 5,000-year-old words fully demonstrate its influence. It was proposed in Confucianism"Heaven, earth, man"On the frame, added"tract"concept, further expanded to:"Tao, heaven, earth, man"。
Such enrichment has made Chinese cultural thought more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and at the same time broadened the thinking space of Chinese.
Confucius is a well-known figure in the Chinese and is known as:"Master of the World", which was also revered by later rulers"The Holy Teacher"。He was highly worshipped, tied with Lao Tzu for the top of the world's hand-beaten celebrities, and even in the ancient Chinese society that valued sacrifices, he enjoyed the same level of sacrifice as the ancestors.
Why, then, is Confucius' status so exalted?
Confucius's"Benevolence""Rites"Ideology has been deeply integrated into the blood of the Chinese nation and has become our common spiritual wealth. It not only affected the emperors' political morality, but also affected the self-cultivation of ordinary people and the improvement of their own quality.
The inheritance of this kind of thinking makes us cherish our own virtues more and pursue a higher moral realm. "
He is a prophet and an inspirer. At one time, he founded the largest private school in history, regardless of status, whether rich or poor, as long as they wished, thus eliminating the phenomenon of education becoming the exclusive domain of the aristocracy and breaking the boundary between the aristocracy and the commoners.
Therefore, every modern Chinese has the right to receive education, and all this should be attributed to Confucius.
Sun Tzu, a prominent figure who lived in the Spring and Autumn period, was hailed as:"Soldiers are holy"、"The division of the Hundred Soldiers"and"The originator of Oriental military science"。His immortal work "The Art of War" was regarded as a classic by many generals in later generations, and was known as a sacred book of soldiers, and was admired by the world.
The Art of War is not only in the spotlight in China, but also enjoys a high status around the world. Known as "the world's first ancient military book", it has been translated into English, French, German, Japanese and other languages, and has become a classic in the field of global military science.
In addition, because the art of war is closely related to the political, economic, and cultural aspects of the society that uses soldiers, it also occupies a prominent position in the history of philosophy.
Han Feizi, a representative figure of Legalism and one of the ancient canons, is highly respected for his profound ideological heritage and outstanding achievements. As an ancient thinker, philosopher, and essayist, his honor is unparalleled.
But more importantly, he is regarded as one of the representatives who deeply understood and inherited the essence of Lao Tzu's thought.
Han Feizi, the master of Legalist thought. His ideas integrated the legal system of the Shang Dynasty, the rule of Shen Bu Harm, and the prudent power, and provided an important theoretical basis for later rulers to dominate society.
This idea was later put into practice in the unification of the Qin state and became a model for the establishment of the feudal dynasty. It can be said that Han Feizi's thought laid the foundation of China's feudal system and made immeasurable contributions to China.
Mozi, a sage of the Warring States period, was not only the founder of the Mo family, but also the only scientist who was born as a farmer at that time. He was a multifaceted thinker, educator, scientist and military strategist.
The Mohist school founded by Mozi during the Warring States Period, along with Confucianism, is known as "Xianxue". Mozi's scientific theoretical knowledge covered geometry, physics, optics, mechanics and other fields, and his doctrine was hailed as the "pioneer of natural science".
As a peasant-born thinker, Mozi deeply understood the sufferings of the people, so from the perspective of the people, he put forward the views of "concurrently love", "non-attack", "Shangxian", "Shangtong", "Tianzhi", "Ming ghost", "non-life", "non-music", "festival funeral", "economy and use", etc., to speak for the people.
The points he made had broad applicability. For example, if the country is faced with chaos, the bureaucracy can be rectified with the help of the concepts of "Shang Xian" and "Shang Tong"; If the country is in economic difficulties, the concept of "saving money" and "saving funerals" can be advocated.
These five sages were able to be canonized, or even surpass the throne of the emperor, because their thoughts were immortal. Their ideas are remembered by the world because their wisdom has made people's lives better.
At the same time, their ideas move society forward, and more importantly, their ideas are timeless and enduring.
Their ideas became the cornerstone of ancient Chinese society, and both kings and commoners were deeply influenced by them. Kings thrive in their minds and even rule nations with the help of their minds.
The prestige and contributions to society accumulated by the sages from generation to generation made them revered by the people, and they were thus canonized as saints.