History of Miao Philosophy and Social Thought in China

Author: Shi Zhaojiang, Shi Li
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: Chapter 6 of The History of Miao Philosophy, Society, and Thought is titled The Philosophical Significance of Ancient Miao Science and Technology, which discusses three aspects: agricultural technology, astronomy and calendar systems, and Miao medicine. This is noteworthy because material production is the foundation for the survival and development of every nation, and production always occurs at a certain level of scientific and technological advancement—even the simplest production involves scientific and technological elements. Historically, research on culture often overlooked science and technology, but from today's perspective, it should be a key focus. However, the development of science and technology is objectively influenced by certain philosophical thought, and the author emphasizes this, which should be an important breakthrough. As a historical study, it naturally involves a process and the evolution of time. The author argues that the consciousness of primitive people should be attributed to religious consciousness. He dedicates a chapter to explaining the emergence of Miao philosophy and social thought, then discusses the philosophical and social thought in primitive worship and the naive dialectics of the Miao people. Later, shamanism emerged among the Miao, and philosophical thought and many concepts evolved. After contact with other ethnic groups, the Miao were also influenced by Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and even Christianity. Similarly, politics and ethics evolved with historical development, marking an important step from the social and ethical concepts of the primitive era to the political and ethical concepts in "customary law." The political and ethical concepts reflected in "Lige" and "Lici" further developed, while the political and legal thought of "Jia" underwent significant changes. From this, we can roughly see the evolutionary line of Miao philosophy and social thought, its developmental process, and its key characteristic of being a "history."