One of China’s first and most important cultures, is the Zhou Dynasty that lasted for almost a century from around 1122 BCE to 256 BCE -in the Neolithic era- succeeding the Shang Dynsaty. Although marked by periods of territorial strength and weakness, it was also a phase of flourishing literary works. The Book of Lord Shang, dating from 338 BCE is undoubtedly one of them. This collection of the works of Lord Shang, composed of approximately 25 sections of which some are lost, have been compiled later on but the matter tackled of a needed qualified government and mostly its idea of a centralized authority was existent throughout major periods in China’s history.
In his book, Lord Shang’s main concern is to guide rulers in their governance by saying how a ruler or a « sage-prince » should be and what a ruler should go in order to lead an empire effectively. Thus, he begins exposing his ideas by arguing that people’s principles are not solid, nor steady ; they actually evolve with the world’s constant developement and fluctuate whithin its various sets of circumstances. He assumes that the inherent nature of the ruled, is to hold easily changed beliefs and morals through time. In contrast, a …show more content…
The dynasty’s situation, when ruled by its last Shang kings was characterized by dissolution and massive corruption, which made the Zhou believe in their legitimate conquerrence of Shang’s lands. The ruling principles of the Shang, as opposed to those in The Book of Lord Shang, lacking righteousness and virtue from the ruler, was the reason for the collapse of their empire. From that moment, the philosophical and historical idea of The Mandate of Heaven rise. This belief consists in thinking that whoever has the most moral corectness gets the right to
In his book, Lord Shang’s main concern is to guide rulers in their governance by saying how a ruler or a « sage-prince » should be and what a ruler should go in order to lead an empire effectively. Thus, he begins exposing his ideas by arguing that people’s principles are not solid, nor steady ; they actually evolve with the world’s constant developement and fluctuate whithin its various sets of circumstances. He assumes that the inherent nature of the ruled, is to hold easily changed beliefs and morals through time. In contrast, a …show more content…
The dynasty’s situation, when ruled by its last Shang kings was characterized by dissolution and massive corruption, which made the Zhou believe in their legitimate conquerrence of Shang’s lands. The ruling principles of the Shang, as opposed to those in The Book of Lord Shang, lacking righteousness and virtue from the ruler, was the reason for the collapse of their empire. From that moment, the philosophical and historical idea of The Mandate of Heaven rise. This belief consists in thinking that whoever has the most moral corectness gets the right to