The Search Of The Way Of Being An Official In Qin Dynasty Unearthed At Yunmeng And The Related Questions

The thesis is divided into four chapters.Chapter One briefs the appearance of Yunmeng bamboo slips of Qin dynasty titled The Way of Being an Official. The thesis approves the idea of viewing the bamboo slips as mixed articles. However, the thesis also assumes that the bamboo slips might originate from the author's collection of some materials or learning notes since most of the information originates in Qin Kingdom despite their different concluding time. In addition, the thesis speculates briefly on the time when the bamboo slips might conclude. It holds that according to the taboo principle, the bamboo slips might be produced during the period between the reign of Emperor Xiaowenwang and the reign of Zhuangxianwang, but it can not be the definite speculation because this is the only evidence and taboo principle was far from being perfect in Qin and Han dynasties. Therefore, the first chapter is skeptical about the time when the bamboo slips might conclude.Chapter Two describes the contents and meanings of all the sections. This chapter discovers some ideas of officialdom in the bamboo slips and presumes that being quite different from what is contained in The Legalists School, the theme of the bamboo slips bears more affinity to Confucianism and Taoism. In this regard, the thesis holds that The Way of Being an Official is an article with Dao School thought at the center instead of with the legalists accompanied by the thoughts of other schools.Through the analysis of The Way of Being an Official, Chapter Three provides a paramount description of the thoughts after the reforms of Shang Yang .Then the thesis holds that even though Qing kingdom took the thought of The Legalists School as the ideology to manage state affairs, it also allowed for openness. Duringthis period, the thought of Qin dynasty underwent several changes, i.e. the changes caused by the fact of Lu Buwei took the position of minister as well as his death. Another change occurred in the ideology of Qin dynasty after burning of the books and execution of recalcitrant scholars.The last chapter sums the whole thesis and concludes that the thought contained in The Way of Being an Official has been applied to practice in early Han dynasty in spite of its being somewhat ignored in Qin dynasty. Through the comparison of The Way of Being an Official with the articles on officialdom in the following dynasties, the chapter believes that in Qin dynasty, the experience of how to be an official The Way of Being an Official has already assumed a large and perfect official system together with some experienced officials, who has cast great influence on the later generations.