The Nature And Limitations Of The Rule Of Li

Rule of Li is a kind of governance model advocated by traditional Chinese Confucianism and plays a very important role in the development of ancient political civilization.Although the rule of Li with the progress of history gradually far away from our line of sight,with a new perspective-body politics to analyze this traditional Chinese governance model is still very valuable.Body politics is a branch of modern politics,focusing on the interaction between individual body and political system.The body is the interactive medium of the individual and the political system.On the one hand the individual can make political expression by virtue of the body,including protest expression and compliance expression.On the other hand the individual's body will be controlled by the political system and discipline.The political system will discipline the body,including the physical appearance,physical senses,physical behavior,and use body to achieve some functions,such as political construction and political change.Rule of Li is originated in witchcraft,and has a long history in China.After the rationalization,witchcraft activities become Li.Li as an important strategy to manage state affairs form rule of Li.Li structure has three levels,such as ritual form,ritual system and ritual kernel.As a strategy to manage state affairs,rule of Li represents a political line from the difference to harmony,and contains the restraint mechanism from the law to the self-discipline.On the one hand,rule of Li construct an expansion line,from body and family,to country and world.But on the other hand rule of Li also makes people attach to the ritual system,and build a barrier to people's thinking.The perspective of body politics can be an in-depth analysis of rule of Li.There are two aspects of the purpose of Li.On the one hand,rule of Li can discipline the behavior and emotions,and then shape the gentleman personality.On the other hand,rule of Li can build legitimacy for the political system.The important form of Li is the discipline and enlightenment of the body to shape the ideal personality.Then theindividual norms are expanded to become political norms.Kneeling ceremony is a typical process of ritual activities.To a large extent,kneeling is the result of political power discipline,reflecting the specific political significance,and has a certain degree of political resistance function.The body is the foundation for Li to achieve the goal of harmonious world,but there are worries of hierarchical order.However,from the perspective of body politics,rule of Li also has its limitations.From the view of ritual point,the meaning of the ritual is facing loss.And the value of Li and the value advocated by modern political civilization are alienated.From the perspective of discipline,the compliance of physical behavior doesn't represent the inner conviction,and there is a certain degree of division between the body and the heart.From the view of physical point,there is the fracture between the self-cultivation and governance.