Abstract
Since admonitions to officials of Qin was discovered, abundant achievements have been brought out to our eyes. However, due to the complexity of these historical materials, most of the relevant studies merely focused on certain words or parts of the sayings in the documents, leaving out the main idea of the entire texts.
In order to coherently understand the content of these precious historical materials, this study shall firstly analyze the idea of Guiyin, a political theory suggested by Huang-Lao philosophers in the late Warring States period and widely accepted by contemporary rulers. Secondly, in view of the Guiyin theory recorded in classic texts of Huangdi Sijing, Guanzi, Lushi Chunqiu, and the philosophy books of Shen Dao and Shen Buhai, this article shall try to figure out the same spirit underlying the writings of the admonitions to officials of Qin.
What is the essential idea of Guiyin theory? How did the Huang-Lao philosophers introduce the metaphysical ideal of Taoism to the practical field? In what way did the Guiyin theory exert its influences on the shaping the admonitions to officials of great powers in that period? Furthermore, was the Guiyin ideal genuinely embodied in political or legal practices subsequently? Hopefully, this article shall find out the proper answers to these questions.
Keywords
Huang-Lao, the admonitions to officials, Guiyin, The Way to Be an Official, The Way of Governing the Officials and the Common People
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