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The notion of "great unity" which underlies The Spring and Autumn Annals is the constant norm applicable equally to past and present. Nowadays, teachers have different doctrines and people have different opinions. Scholars have different theories and do not have a shared philosophy. That is why the ruler is unable to enforce uniform standards. When there are frequent changes to laws and decrees, the subjects do not know by what they should abide. In my humble opinion, everything that does not belong to the six arts and Confucianism should be banned and not be allowed to develop. Prohibiting unorthodox doctrines – this is the way to unify the rules of government, bring clarity to laws and regulations and make people know what they should follow. (The History of the Han Dynasty) 去书内
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  • 黄DAN丹 黄DAN丹

    This excerpt from The History of the Han Dynasty elaborates on the necessity of Great Unity. It points out that conflicting academic opinions and scattered doctrines led to inconsistent government decrees, leaving the public confused about behavioral standards. To solve this problem, the proposal was to ban all thoughts outside Confucianism and the Six Arts. By suppressing heterodox theories, the government could unify administrative standards, clarify laws, and guide people to follow a single set of norms. This policy stabilized ancient centralized rule and established Confucianism’s long-standing dominant position in Chinese society.

    2026-06-22 喜欢(0) 回复(0)

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