New Five Elements Theory and Han Dynasty Politics: A Discussion on the Yao Post-Hexagram Fire Theory

Author: Yang Quan
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not Available
Features: "Yao Houshuo" (Yao's Fire Mandate) is a composite political and cultural proposition popular during the Han Dynasty. It consists of two originally independent propositions: one is "Hanjia Yaohou," meaning the emperor of the Han Dynasty is a descendant of the ancient sage king Yao; the other is "Han is the Fire Mandate," meaning the Han Dynasty belongs to the Fire Mandate in the Five Mandates cycle. This proposition had a significant impact on the politics, culture, academia, and intellectual life of the Han Dynasty, making it highly valuable for research. The New Theory of the Five Mandates Cycle and the Political Culture of the Han Dynasty is a highly academic monograph. To date, no specialized monographs or papers focusing solely on the "Yao Houshuo theory" have been published in academia. However, since the late Qing Dynasty and the Republican era, some renowned scholars such as Kang Youwei, Gu Jiegang, Qian Mu, and Yang Xiangkui have directly or indirectly addressed this issue. This book builds on a thorough review and absorption of previous research, clarifying and advancing the field. Before its publication, it was reviewed by prominent scholars such as An Zuozhang, Jiang Boqin, and Cai Hongsheng, who praised it highly, describing it as having "strong innovative significance," "uncovering what previous scholars had not," "achieving breakthrough innovation," "holding the significance of tracing the origins," and reaching the forefront of research on this topic.