How to Govern the People:On the Contradictions Faced by the Lofty Officials from Han to Tang Dynasties and Their Choices
Officials of Han and Tang Dynasties mainly faced four contradictions relating to their administration of the people.The first was the contradiction between the interests of the people and the personal interests of the officials themselves and of their relatives.Lofty officials,at this time,would choose to sacrifice the latter and serve the people wholeheartedly.The second was the contradiction between the interests of the people and the interests of the officials'subordinates,of their colleagues and superiors,and even of the monarch.In this case,lofty officials would choose to prioritize the interests of the people,sacrificing the interests of the latter parties.The third contradiction existed between the interests of the people and the legal system of the country.Upon this time,lofty officials would choose to act for the people and not comply with the legal norms.The fourth contradiction often appeared when the interests of the common people were conflicting each other.Faced by these situations,lofty officials would resort to contextualized solutions.For criminal cases,the law should be enforced impartially;For civil disputes,mediations and reconciliations were adopted as the major approaches.In the hearts of lofty officials,the weight of the people was the heaviest,followed by that of the legal system,while that of the monarch was least important.When dealing with the above-mentioned types of contradictions,lofty officials observed the principles of selfless dedication,fearlessness of authorities,prioritizing rituals over laws,and flexibility and adaptability.
Han and Tang Dynastylofty officialcontradictionschoicesadministrating the people
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