Timing and Rulership in Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals (Lüshi chunqiu)Master Lü’s Spring and Autumn Annals (Lüshi chunqiu) inspired the king who united the warring states to become China’s first emperor. In this work on the Lüshi chunqiu, author James D. Sellmann finds that the concept of “proper timing” makes the work’s diverse philosophies coherent. He discusses the life and times of its author, Lü Buwei, and the structure of the work. Sellmann also analyzes the role of human nature, the justification of the state, and the significance of cosmic, historical, and personal timing in the Lüshi chunqiu. An organic instrumentalist position begins to emerge from the diverse theories of the Lüshi chunqiu. In conclusion, Sellmann looks at the implications of the syncretic philosophies of the Lüshi chunqiu for contemporary conceptions of time, human nature, political order, and social and environmental ethics. |
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achievement action ancient appropriate argues art of rulership basic benefitting the masses chapter character xing China Chinese concept concerning context contract theory cosmic creative cultivation cultural Daoist daojia desires discussion Dworkin dynastic cycle dynasty eclectic empire employing the masses environment environmental especially establish existential extrinsic fajia fulfill Han dynasty Hanfeizi harmony Heaven historical Hsiao Hu Shi Huanglao human character Ibid impartiality instrumentalist integration interpretation junzi Kongzi Laozhuang Laozi Liezi loving and benefitting LSCQ LSCQ contains LSCQ's Lü Buwei Lüshi chunqiu Mengzi military ministers Mohist moral Mozi myriad things natural one's organic contract passage person perspective political order position pre-Qin pre-Qin philosophy proper proposes qing Rawls relationship ritual rujia sage ruler seasonal self-cultivation Shang Shang Yang shierji social and political social role society Son of Heaven Taibei temporal tian traditional unified Xunzi Yang Zhu Yellow Emperor yongmin Zhou Zhuangzi