Laozi · The Way of Nature

Author: Zhao Naizeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The term "pre-Qin thought" primarily refers to the ideas of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, feudal lords engaged in annexation, states launched invasions, powerful states attacked weaker ones, and large states swallowed small ones. The initial tax reform in Lu, the Tian family's overthrow of Qi, the division of Jin by the three families, Wuqi serving as prime minister of Chu, and Shang Yang's reforms—all were economic forces ruthlessly clearing their own path. Behind the dazzling political and military stage, the economic base was quietly playing a decisive role, demonstrating its immense selective function. Amid fierce political, military, and diplomatic struggles, all classes and political factions were searching for their theoretical representatives, consciously or unconsciously shouting for their interests through their theorists and thinkers, and intensifying the refinement of their ideological weapons. This led to the extraordinary phenomenon of scholars debating freely and the Hundred Schools of Thought competing. The outcome of this debate helped our nation shake off the ignorance and constraints brought by primitive witchcraft and religion, laying the foundation for a rationalist cultural psychological structure. The thoughts of the various schools during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods were both rich and complex. The works left behind by these schools were mostly compiled by later generations, and some were not written by a single person at a single time. For example, regarding the Inner, Outer, and Miscellaneous chapters of the Zhuangzi, scholars still hold differing views on which parts were actually written by Zhuangzi. The Mozi contains both the words and ideas of Mozi and those of his later followers. As for whether Laozi came before or after Confucius, there is still no consensus. Issues like these are avoided in this book because its target audience is readers with a medium level of education, and its purpose is simply to provide a popular introduction. If, after reading this book, readers can gain a general impression of the ideas and propositions of the pre-Qin schools of thought, that will have achieved the book's goal. The book is divided into eight volumes. Among them, Laozi, Confucius, Mozi, Mencius, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, and Han Feizi each have their own volume; The Book of Changes, The State of Guan, and The Art of War are combined into one volume.