Once upon a time, Confucianism in the Han Dynasty took "the feeling between heaven and man" as the core, which theoretically proved the sanctity and unshakable of the ruling order of the unified empire, thus making itself sacred and unshakable. However, the good times did not last long. What followed was that the theological deduction of Chen Wei, a Confucian classics scholar, was neither fish nor fowl, and the opposition of Confucian classics, which emphasized the exegesis of famous things in modern literature, quickly became rigid, complicated and fragmented. The disadvantages of Confucianism in its development make it face the danger of shrinking day by day. The turbulent historical vortex since Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties has intensified the decline of traditional Confucianism and promoted the growth of new cultural factors.
First, the micro etiquette of Confucian classics is damaged.
The loss of Confucian classics and the crisis of famous religion marked the unprecedented crisis of Confucianism in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. History contains: "Confucianism has been exhausted for more than a hundred years" (Biography of Zang Dao in Song Dynasty) and "Being few is Confucianism" (Biography of Confucian Liang Shu). Under the situation that the rulers of Han Dynasty combined the study of Confucian classics with official positions, aristocratic families studied Confucian classics all the time, and scholars were even more rustic. But in Wei and Jin Dynasties, they were "officials, officials, scholars and scholars without Confucian classics" (Biography of Scholars in Southern History), and even Cao Pi, the king of a country, unceremoniously questioned Confucian classics. No wonder "children in aristocratic families are ashamed of ethics". In the troubled times of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, people showed unprecedented disappointment with Confucianism since the Han Dynasty. While Confucianism was lost, the important ethics and etiquette program advocated in the Confucian system also fell into an unprecedented crisis. Standardizing the roles of monarch, minister and father is the fundamental essence of Confucianism, and the proposal of "three cardinal guides and five permanents" is the symbol of etiquette stereotypes. The belief that "the monarch is the minister, the father is the son, and the husband is the wife" has had a far-reaching impact on China culture. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the etiquette norms of monarch, minister and father were severely criticized at first. Ruan Ji said in the biography of Mr. Adult: "Without a monarch, things will be settled, and without a minister, things will be smooth." ..... monarch and abuse xing, I gather and thieves live. Sitting on the ceremony, binding the people ... exhausting everything in the world, in order to offer endless desires, this is not the reason to support the people. " In Ruan Ji's view, the existence of monarch and minister is not a good thing! On the contrary, only without monarchs and ministers can the world be peaceful. Bao Jingyan even advocated the elimination of the monarch and the establishment of a utopian society without princes and ministers, because the monarch was nothing more than "cool thin wantonly slaughtered the world." This denunciation of the holy monarchy is sharp and straightforward, shocking the world. It not only caused sociologists to think deeply about unreasonable reality at that time, but also provided ideological material and theoretical courage for later generations to criticize China's traditional political culture. Kong Rong refuted the Confucian theory of "father is son": "What is the relationship between father and son? As far as its original intention is concerned, it is actually lust. What is a child to a mother? Is it also ridiculous? For example, in the mail bottle, I left when I came out. " This crazy and contradictory speech has caused unprecedented impact and challenge to the Confucian order of monarch, minister and father. At the same time, the existence of this kind of speech itself also reflects the actual appearance of breaking rites in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. It must be pointed out that as a moral principle and etiquette order, the basic negativity of etiquette embodies the constraints and constraints on people's thoughts and behaviors. In the etiquette order, there is only human relationship, and there is no independent value of individuals as individuals. The individual will always be standardized as an object, and human subjectivity will be completely dissolved in the hierarchy of nobility and inferiority, which is particularly binding on women. Therefore, we can inherit the fate of women. Women in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties had relatively broad activity space and humanized personal image, which was the result of a relatively tolerant social atmosphere formed by the effective impact of multiculturalism on an exclusive culture. Traditional Confucianism has lost its former strength and social integration ability. With the chaos and turmoil of the times, the authority of Confucian classics and Taoism established in the Han Dynasty is helplessly sliding down the declining historical channel and facing unprecedented difficulties.
Second, advocating inaction and willfulness.
The suffering in troubled times and the loss of Confucianism triggered a discussion on the meaning of life. Only when the external authority is doubted and denied, the internal personality can be awakened and pursued, which is rooted in the prevalence of metaphysics in Laozi and Zhuangzi in Wei and Jin Dynasties. Compared with the real kingly order and Zoroastrianism order, metaphysics pursues infinite noumenon, takes the pursuit of ideal personality as the central topic, transcends the impermanence in troubled times, and has a speculative and ethereal atmosphere. Treatise on Febrile Diseases by Cao Zhi describes Gao Shi's "Mr. Ling Xuan" in treating diseases that are described as "withered essence" because of "indulging in the secular world and confusing fame", and shows us one of the characteristics: "I will give my son inaction medicine, give my son weak soup, use mysterious acupuncture to my son, use simple moxibustion to my son, and use gorgeous houses and seats. This indifference and freedom to life is an important spiritual orientation of Wei Jin people. Wei Jin people's pursuit of infinity embodies a value style different from that of traditional Confucianism. As Mr. Li Zehou pointed out, Confucianism determines individual value from interpersonal relationship, while Wei Jin people yearn for "feeling" and individual value from getting rid of interpersonal relationship. Yang Zhu in Liezi in the 3rd century A.D. describes a conversation between Zi Chan and his younger brother, which clearly shows the pursuit of individuality. Zi chan runs the country well, while his brother is good at wine and his brother is lewd. Zi chan persuaded them. "People are more expensive than animals. Wise and thoughtful people will be polite and loyal, and polite and loyal people will be famous. If you move with emotion and indulge in lust, your life will be in danger. " Zi chan's answer is, "if a husband is good at governing others, things may not be cured, but he is very painful;" Good governance, things may not run away in disorder. If ruled, its laws can be temporarily in a country, which is not in line with the people; With my rule, I can push the world, and the way of monarch and minister is gone. "Extraterritorial jurisdiction is equivalent to following people, while internal governance is to let me go. The meaning of human existence is not to follow people but to serve me. It is this personality spirit that makes Wei Jin people hold high the spirit of happiness and willfulness and carry forward people's natural feelings. In response to the theory of keeping in good health, Xiang embroidery declared that "you have feelings when you are alive, and you will naturally have feelings when you say it." If it's transcendence, it's just like nothing, so why is it more important to live? "This attitude of" feeling "and" living together "has raised" feeling "to an unprecedented height. Compared with the modest style of Confucian tradition of "love ends with courtesy and righteousness", people in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties are enthusiastic, vivid and vivid. Shao Mi, one of the five sons of the Northern Song Dynasty, said: "Seeing things by things is also sexual; Look at things from my point of view, and so does love. The theory of "public nature is bright, emotional nature is dark"-this theory has a far-reaching influence on China's cultural spirit-compared with the latter, it is obvious that it suppresses and imprisons human nature. In the eyes of people in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, emotion is the basic element of people, so it is completely natural to express people's emotions boldly. " "Shi Shuo Xin Yu Confused Drowning" records: "Wang Anfeng's wife, Changqing Anfeng. An feng said,' a woman is a husband, so treat her with courtesy, and you can't reply later.' The woman said,' If you love Qing, you will be Qing. I don't know, who knows?' Listen to it. "In Mrs. Wang Anfeng's view, it is disrespectful for the Confucian" ceremony "that" the feeling of lust is not between appearance and private banquet ",and" I don't know, who will know? " "This also shows the humanity of justice and fresh cure. Ruan Ji lost his mother, but he ate and drank without taboo. When his mother was buried, he "vomited several liters of blood" and his love for his mother went deep into his heart. Why should he interfere with eating meat? In the eyes of people in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the complicated etiquette system often only pays attention to form, and the heavy and rigid appearance conceals and melts people's true feelings, which often leads people to pursue the internal procedures and superficial effects of things. As a cultural model, over time, it has caused people to be cautious and cautious, even hypocritical. Therefore, Wang Bi said that "the more benevolence and righteousness are respected, the more false they become" and "the more skillful they become", so the role of "benevolence and righteousness" and "loyalty and filial piety" is really not fundamental. It may be useful, but it's just "morality", which is far from the original work. What is the origin? Wang Bi said, "This is inaction, and my mother is nameless. Abandoning the roots and leaving the mother, though big, will be bad; Although the name is beautiful, falsehood will also be born. " (Note to Chapter 38 of Laozi) This objectively deconstructs the authority of Confucian etiquette and law.
Wei Jin people's "expressing ambition" not only broke through the Confucian "expressing ambition" model, but also provided a philosophical basis for the rationalization of emotion. The essence of "lyric" lies in the pursuit of human nature, and the essence of "Tao" lies in "legality", so "lyric" is both human nature and Tao nature. This is simply seeking justice for people's "feelings". Driven by this spiritual philosophy, the behavior mode of conforming to nature and feelings has become the pursuit of Wei Jin people. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the popular ethos of "doing whatever you want is the best" and even all kinds of absurd things of scholars were all a way of "natural legalization". Through their madness, what we feel is obviously a different brand-new cultural atmosphere. The truth of expressing one's true personality, inspiring the will of life and seeking the value of life. Its value lies not only in their discovery and promotion of human nature, but also in their brave practical character that is not afraid of vulgarity. Praise for natural scenery and natural scenery is another way to "learn from nature". Nature is beautiful because of its nature, and mountains and rivers are "interesting in quality and spirit", which is a kind of silent and self-sufficient beauty, "great beauty without words", which contains "god" connected with Taoism. Since there is indescribable beauty in heaven and earth, far away from the hubbub, picking chrysanthemums under the east fence, "seeing you return to Hong, waving five strings, wandering mysteriously, complacent with your intonation" (Ji Kang's "Giving Scholars to Join the Army").
Wei Jin people's "inaction" and "obedience to nature" reflect their individual spirit of pursuing ideal personality. With their own theory and practice, they have shined in the history of China's thought and culture for a period of time, showing Zhang's natural feelings and personal values. More importantly, they pushed the ideal of Taoist personality, which was "ousted" because of Confucianism's exclusive respect, into the intellectual's spiritual world with unprecedented strength, and shaped the life interest of "Qing", "Xu", "Lang", "Da", "Jane" and "Yuan" in the intellectual's spiritual world in China, making China culture more diversified.
Thirdly, the immortal way shows that the Buddha came from the East.
During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, religion spread in the vast space-time by virtue of the hotbed of suffering and chaos of the times. The blending and confrontation between foreign Buddhism and China native Taoism has opened up another brand-new stage for the prosperity of China culture.
Buddhism was introduced into China from the Han Dynasty to the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and entered the independent development stage of Buddhism in China, such as the teacher of success, the teacher of land certificate, the teacher of pure land, the teacher of three arguments, the teacher of ten chanting, and the teacher of four teachers. Later, various Buddhist sects developed on the basis of these schools.
When Buddhism first entered China, it grew slowly in a reserved and tolerant foreign cultural environment. People equate the "foreign deity" Buddha with China's "immortal": "In a trance, change, disperse, live or die, be big or small, be round or square, be old or young, be hidden and visible, not for fire, shoes, pollution or disaster." (Confusion) In order to survive, Buddhism also publicizes itself with the help of Huang and metaphysics. It was not until the Southern and Northern Dynasties that Buddhism really became popular in China, and its description of endless sufferings in reality gained strong support in the dark reality of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. People believe that conversion to Buddhism can be saved, which gives people hope of getting rid of suffering. The preaching of "retribution of good and evil, reincarnation of life and death" makes people believe that the suffering in this life is originally the result of karma in the past, and the fruit of the afterlife is in this life, so it is reasonable to exist, so the karma of the afterlife is sown. In this way, people's resentment and despair of reality have been alleviated, their hearts have been comforted, and Buddhism, as a hotbed of society, has spread rapidly. For a time, regardless of the lower class, the upper class aristocrats or emperors, Buddhism became a common practice. There are 1367 Buddhist temples in Luoyang, the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The population supported by monks and nuns and their temples in the Liang Dynasty accounts for almost half of the registered permanent residence in the Liang Dynasty. " My Lord, when you watch the karma, you will suddenly lose yourself. "As for" spending money to make fun of monks, losing everything to become a Buddha ".
Taoism, as a local religion in China, has developed greatly since it began to preach in the late Han Dynasty and the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Kou, a Taoist priest from Songshan Mountain in the Northern Wei Dynasty, and Lu, a Taoist priest from Lushan Mountain in the Liu and Song Dynasties, used the word "Tao" to unify all factions for the first time. At the same time, they gradually formed a complete set of religious ceremonies and fasting procedures. The Taoist thought of "miscellaneous and multifaceted" is rooted in China's profound cultural soil. It is mainly based on Taoist philosophy, widely absorbs Confucianism and Mohism, and integrates the ideological achievements of astrology, medical skills and fortune tellers, forming its own ideological system. It aims at immortality, on the one hand, it guides people to enjoy happiness, and at the same time, it accumulates immortal capital in parallel. In this way, once you succeed, you will "lightly" enter the "Elysium" and continue to enjoy greater happiness. In the view of Taoism, this is not the exclusive patent of anyone, and everyone can realize this ideal through correct cultivation, which largely satisfies people's ideal of pursuing their own destiny and longing for harmony and comfort in turbulent times. Water-rich Taoism in the lower class takes the responsibility of eliminating disasters by illegal evils, which adapts to the needs of the lower working people and lays a broad social and psychological foundation for Taoism.
It is true that the spread and development of Buddhism and Taoism are not smooth sailing. Especially, Buddhism, as a foreign culture, has more setbacks and hardships when it meets the local culture in China. However, Buddhism has developed and grown with its unique vitality and lifestyle that adapts to the environment. With its tolerant mind and extensive assimilation, China culture has absorbed and transformed this exotic flower of foreign culture, making it a beautiful landscape in the splendid spiritual garden of Chinese culture.
Four. Concluding remarks
During the turbulent 400 years of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the combination of Confucianism, Taoism, metaphysics and Buddhism and Taoism made the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties present a spectacular scene of multicultural blending. In a sense, metaphysics, Taoism and Buddhism, as critics, supervisors and promoters of Confucianism, were "fixed on a statue" from the beginning. From the standpoint of rulers, Confucianism and Legalism, as the art of governing the country, are adhered to by any ruler who is not ready to collapse. The difference is only degree and light and shade. In traditional society, China is a country with autocratic imperial power. Fundamentally speaking, Confucianism and Legalism, as ruling thoughts, have their profound political and cultural soil, so "Yang Confucianism and Yin Fa" is the basic spirit of China culture that many commentators admire. In fact, in the cultural history of China, the cycle of "one rule and one chaos" has always been an extremely important chapter. In troubled times, rule by virtue, or law or Confucianism, varies from time to time; There is no clear distinction between "Confucianism" and "Legalism". More generally speaking, Confucianism and Legalism only pay attention to practical operation, that is, the so-called benevolence and compassion, tempering justice with mercy or "overlord and miscellaneous". From here, we can easily see the historical role of Confucianism and law as the ruling ideology. As far as practical utility is concerned, both of them play an irreplaceable role in the consolidation of power and political power in a specific historical period. But in the sense of ultimate value, Confucianism undoubtedly shows its benevolence and sincerity more than law, so it has more affinity and assimilation. It defends the supreme power and strict hierarchical order with a generous, loving and affectionate face, which is far more acceptable than the "tyranny" coveted by Legalists. More importantly, when Confucianism stands on the position of legalist critics and accuses them of being "heartless and unjust", it often gives people a sense of righteousness. After all, China is a country that advocates "people's heart" and "courtesy", so the position of Confucianism is further highlighted in the pattern of Yang Confucianism and Yin Law. In the history of China, once the rulers gained supreme power, in order to safeguard their vested interests, Confucianism was often pushed by the rulers, and it was easy to gain a grand core position. At the same time, other ideas became heresies. In this "exclusive" situation of tangible and intangible, conscious and unconscious, Confucianism has gradually become a stagnant pool due to the lack of an inclusive and activated mechanism.
In the open era since Wei and Jin Dynasties, Confucianism lost its former glory. During the Southern Dynasties, although Confucianism was gradually revived, it was still impacted by various aspects in the pluralistic ideological pattern. However, it is in the baptism of this pluralistic trend of thought that Confucianism has achieved its own rebirth. With its complex and precise Buddhism, metaphysical thinking and ethereal transcendence, it has injected new vitality into the troubled Confucianism and melted into Confucianism and spirituality. It provided an ideological source for the opening of Neo-Confucianism in Song Dynasty.
Mr. Qian Zhongshu said in "Talking about Art Record": "Young people have developed talents, so they are Tang-style; Thinking deeply in the evening is a tune. " As the saying goes, in the cultural history, the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties were like a clever and naughty little urchin. He played truant from a serious and rigid school in the Han Dynasty, skipping on the way to truant, breathing fresh air into his heart, feeling and appreciating the vast world around him with childlike innocence, and doing all kinds of things without teachers and rules. He was hardly punished too severely. In a more tolerant atmosphere, he was able to develop a free nature, and had a far-reaching impact on China culture. China culture finally had a lofty character and pursued ideals and even utopia in a sense. History often presents such faces. With the establishment and consolidation of unified political power, the unity of ideology and culture is required accordingly. Qin Huang's "teaching by law, taking officials as teachers", burning books and burying Confucianism; Hanwu respected Confucianism and ousted hundreds of schools; Even in the late feudal society of China, Neo-Confucianism was exclusive and literary inquisition prevailed. With the disintegration of the unified regime and the fragmentation of the political unity, the unity of spiritual values is facing a profound crisis, and at the same time, new cultural and spiritual factors have been bred. Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties developed a vibrant pluralistic spiritual culture in the great shock of a fragmented society, in people's general psychological loss of "impermanence of understanding and abolishing" and in the doubt and criticism of the inherent spiritual value of monism.