Author ｜
Hirotsugu Sugamoto
Abstract ｜
The aim of this paper is to discuss the concept of Tian, which was regarded as the supreme power in the Pre-Qin Period. Tian sanctions weal and woe to humans according to what they have done. Tian played a crucial role especially in the political scene where people must have been evaluated. Therefore, I will discuss the political philosophy in the Pre-Qin Period as well as the concept of Tian which was believed to have had supreme power over humans.The concept of Tian as the supreme power, which sprang up in the early Zhou dynasty, is still alive in neighboring archipelagoes, such as Japan, which is located on the eastern fringe of the cultural sphere using Chinese characters. We can trace the origin through some inscriptions carved on excavated bronze wares. When the Causality of Tian was ordained in the beginning of the Zhou dynasty, people were given weal when they kept on doing good deeds, and the converse was also true.In this paper I mainly discuss Tian as the supreme power from the following aspects: (1)Why Tian could have the supreme power over the people in Ancient China. (2)How the concept of Tian as the supreme power sprang up and spread. (3)The relation between the law philosophy of Shang Yang and Tian as the supreme power. (4)The academic position of the newly excavated Chu Bamboo Slips such as Guodian and Shang Bo in the history of thought, where the meaning of Tian as the supreme power was obviously changing.Taking a look at these traits, I traced the changes in the concept of Tian as supreme power over humans by examining inscriptions on bronze wares and philosophical discourses by Confucius, Mozi, Guanzi, Mencius and Zhuangzi. And my final goal is Xun Zi, who advocated Tian-human demarcation in which he refuted the concept of Tian as supreme power.
keywords ｜
Tian 天, supreme power, wheat, the causality of Tian, Tian humandemarcation