Events
United College Distinguished Visiting Scholar Lecture Series 2021-22:
Xunzi and Mr. Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals during the Era of the Transformation of Political Order among the Warring States
21 Oct 2021
16:30
ZOOM Video Webinar
Professor Masayuki SATO
Professor, Department of Philosophy
Taiwan University
3943-7455
Xunzi and Mr. Lü ’s Spring and Autumn Annals during the Era of the Transformation of Political Order among the Warring States
Monday, 21 October 2021, 4:30 pm, ZOOM Video Webinar
Generally speaking, historians regard the year of 221 BCE as the end of the Warring States period. However, it is also known that, according to historical records, Zhou Dynasty has been demised far before that year: it happened in 256 BCE, and in the same year the State of Lu was also conquered by the State of Chu. This lecture calls this “interregnum” of 35 years as the “post-Zhou-Lu Era” in which the King of Qin started to behave as the “de facto” Son of Heaven, and as such interacted with other feudal lords. Taking into consideration such an inter-state situation will help us recognize the unique historical significance of the advent of two political philosophies, i.e., the Xunzi and Mr. Lü’s Spring and Autumn Annals (hereafter, LSCQ). This lecture proposes a viewpoint that the LSCQ was written and compiled to provide the King of Qin with both theoretical basis and concrete action plan for enabling him to elevate his status from a “de facto” Son of Heaven up to a genuine one. On the other hand, Xunzi more or less hoped that the Qin ruler would fulfill his political theory to become the ruler of the whole Chinese world. Nevertheless, the King of Qin was also admonished for any further military invasion against other Warring States which were expected to hinder Qin’s endeavor for that purpose.
Language: Putonghua
