On The Philosophy Of Political Administration Of Daoism

Huang-Lao Daoism is one of the leading intellectual sources of Daoism. Political administration of Daoism is the succession of the tradition of Huang-Lao Daoism in controlling oneself and administrating a country. However, owing to peoples narrow understanding on Daoism school, their failure to see the fact that Daoism school and Daoism religion have been melted as one and their deviation, they failed to understand that the main stream of Daoism religion culture is the political administration way to organize a country as well as themselves. Thus Daoism religion political administration remains unknown for a long time, making the original appearance of Daoism religion culture have no chance to be revealed. Therefore, study on this field should be a direction of Daoism religion cultural research one need to exert much efforts on, furthermore, it should become an important part of studying ancient Chinese administration culture. This essay is an attempt on this subject.In terms of philosophical academy, Huang-Lao Daoism is the former of Daoism religion. Its political admimstration, according to Shi Matan of Han dynasty, is actually a succession of LaoZi's ; it extensively absorbed and melted the outstanding philosophical fruits of Confucianism, the school of Mo, the school of Name, the school of Law, and the school of Yin-yang, extending its academic structure in the center of monarchies' way of governing a country and cultivating himself, and regarded monarchies' cultivating himself as the premise and starting point of administrating his country. Huang-Lao Daoism, beginning with the middle of warring states period, after 200 years of developing, matured fully to the beginning of Han Dynasty, represented Huang-Lao Daoism matured and systemic theoretical system, while summed up and commented Huang-Laos philosophicalstyle, which is the key document for us to understanding Huang-Lao Daoism's political administration, following Huang-Lao's philosophical trace and academic tradition, standing by the monarchies side, provided the way of administration for rulers who have the important task to govern his country. Daoism religion political administration is mainly expressed in the Daoism scholars' notes, explanations, proofs which centralizing on by LaoZi.Daoism religion advocated that before administrating a country, one must cultivate oneself. Daoism's way of cultivating oneself is as following: I,"cultivating oneself with the essence of Dao". Monarchies "valuing life" is his starting point to govern his country. II, "valuing life" is not only life's self-preserve in the sense of instinct, but also is to "return" to life's original state of serenity and extreme authenticity, thus life's quality can be elevated, which has great significance for governing a country.III, in order to cultivate his character and improve the quality of his life, monarchy must reduce his selfish ideas and desires, de satisfied with what he owns, not be chained by fame, power, and all kinds of material gains. IV, monarchy needs to begin with the way of natural "No-action", to deal with worldly affairs in the spirit of "weakness", "lower oneself, "dare not to be the first", to gain inspiration from things like "water", "sea", "stream", "vale'W, Although monarchy gains success in governing his country, bringing blessing to his people, he shouldn't take it to his heart. That's to say, he shouldn't have any desire to dominate his country and people, instead, he should let his people live freely, without too much pressure and interference from governors.Monarchies' inner virtue, shinning outside as nobleness, is the core of administration. The career of governing a country is actually extension and expansion of monarchies' cultivating himself. Daoism designed the following ways for monarchies' to rule his country: I, The ideal objective is to "make peace", which contains harmonious co-existence and development between men and other things in the u...