Abstract

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Title:: Research on “light De” of Zhou — the differences between the Shang’s “De” and Zhou’s “De”

Author(s):: SUN Dongxia; (1. School of Literature， Lanzhou University of Arts and Science， Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China； 2. Advanced Institute of Confucian Studies, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, Shandong, China)

Keywords:: Zhou dynasty; “light De”; “the emperor of heaven moved light De”; “light penalty”; “light punishment”

Abstract:: The primitive concept of “De” originated from the worship of “efficiency” and “ability” of people and reflected that the ancient kings established the authority through “inspection”. The initial meaning of “De” was “political controlling ability and influence of authority” and this concept probably produced in the tribal alliance of Yao and Shun and Yu times. Therefore, “De” was not the initiative of Zhou people who only proposed the concept of “light De” which was different from that of the Shang people. Besides, they took “the emperor of heaven moved light De” for their political legitimacy basis. As a political controlled ability, “De” included “rigid” means and “soft” means. Punishment, as a “rigid” means, was an aspect of the original meaning of “De”. Consistent with the Zhou people’s “light De” concept, “light penalty” and “light punishment” were also derivations of the “light De”.