중국 고대정치사상에서 천명(天命) 관념의 등장과 군권의 정당화

Abstract

The ancient Chinese thought that politics have a deep relationship with communication between Tian(天, heaven and God) and human, and expected that the rulers ought to submit Tianming(天命, the heavenly destiny or the order from God). During the transition from Shang to Zhou dynasty, Tianming already came up as justification of political power. Confucius was more concerned with the humanism than the Tian or destiny. Especially, Xunzi emphasized political leader's attitude, Tianming is the object of utilization, not fear. Tongzhongshu in Han dynasty combined the Tianming idea with mysticism, and it caused major changes in traditional Chinese political thought. On the one hand he had an intention to limit monarchical power, but on the other hand, His idea became theoretical base for the legitimation of new Monarchy by connecting Tianming and Monarch power. In the history of Chinese political thought, ultimately, the idea of Tianming or Heaven-Human Induction was used as an aid to ensure the justification of autocracy or absolute Monarchy.