The Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods: The Proliferation of Thinkers and the Stirrings of 'Unification'

Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, Legalism... In the wake of the proliferation of schools of thought and the chaos of war

There was once an era when warlords vied for power across the Chinese continent, and from the midst of bloody warfare, 'giants of thought' who would later support Chinese civilization emerged one after another.
This was the 'Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods' (770 BC – 221 BC).

This era was not merely a history of war.
It was an unprecedented experimental ground for civilization, where 'thought' became a weapon and 'scholarship' determined the course of power.
In this article, we will trace the currents of thought that were born from the chaotic world where the Seven Warring States vied for power, and how they shaped the later China and, by extension, Asian society.

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Chapter 1: The Collapse of the Zhou Dynasty and the Beginning of the 'Spring and Autumn' Period

The story begins in 770 BC.
As the Zhou Dynasty moved its capital to the East and central power began to weaken, local feudal lords gradually began to assert their independence.
Although they formally pledged loyalty to the 'King,' the era of warlords competing for hegemony—the 'Spring and Autumn period'—began in earnest.

In this era, war was still controlled by 'ritual'.
Envoys from enemy states were welcomed politely, and formalities were emphasized even on the battlefield.
However, behind the scenes, shrewd diplomacy and schemes were intertwined.

Within this unstable order, a single thinker appeared—Confucius.

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Chapter 2: Confucius and the Philosophy of 'Ren'—The Birth of Confucianism

Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC), observing a society exhausted by war, thought as follows:
'A society where people care for one another and where superiors and inferiors are connected by ritual is the ideal.'

This is the philosophy of 'Ren' (benevolence) and 'Li' (ritual), which forms the foundation of later 'Confucianism'.
Confucius traveled to various feudal lords to preach his ideals, but they were never accepted.

Even so, his thoughts were passed down by his disciples and eventually became the state religion of the Han Empire.
The teachings of Confucius would long become the foundation of social ethics for all of East Asia.

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Chapter 3: The Origins of Taoism—Laozi and Zhuangzi's 'Wu-wei' (Non-action)

While Confucianism preached order and ritual, Laozi (around the 6th century BC) preached 'Wu-wei' (non-action/naturalness).

'Do not try to govern by force. All things will go well if they follow nature.'

This paradoxical philosophy was called 'Tao' (The Way) and was later further refined by Zhuangzi.

Through fantastical and philosophical allegories such as the 'Butterfly Dream,' Zhuangzi fundamentally questioned the values of the real world.
Taoism, as a wisdom for living in harmony with nature, would later develop into religion, health practices, and even Feng Shui and the philosophy of immortals.

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Chapter 4: Mozi and the Philosophy of 'Non-Aggression'—The Anti-War Philosopher

Mozi (around 470 BC – 390 BC) was a practical thinker who challenged Confucianism.
He opposed war and preached indiscriminate love.

The philosophy of 'Jian'ai' (universal love), which states that 'one should love everyone equally, whether they are from an enemy state or a neighbor,' fundamentally shook the order and class system of the time.

He was also skilled in military technology and was valued by many feudal lords as a practitioner because he preached defensive measures to prevent war.

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Chapter 5: The Rise of Legalism—The Realism Spoken by Han Fei

In the late Warring States period, when the chaos of war intensified, a philosophy that preached 'rule by force' rather than idealism appeared. This was 'Legalism'.

Han Fei argued that the state should be governed by law and punishment, and he faced the reality that 'people are moved by self-interest'.

This philosophy was eventually adopted by Qin Shi Huang, leading to a harsh form of governance.

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Chapter 6: In the Wake of War—The Unification of Qin and the Suppression of Thought

The long era of warlords finally came to an end with Qin Shi Huang.
In 221 BC, Qin 'unified' China for the first time.

But at the same time, the First Emperor suppressed freedom of thought.
He made Legalist philosophy the guiding principle of the state and carried out the 'Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars,' in which other philosophical books were burned and Confucian scholars were buried alive.

This meant the end of the garden of thought, but its roots did not disappear.
Confucianism was revived in the Han Dynasty, and the philosophies of Legalism, Taoism, and Mohism were each passed down in their own ways.

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Final Chapter: Thought and Power—What is the Legacy of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods?

The greatest 'achievement of civilization' that the Chinese built during this Spring and Autumn and Warring States period was not merely the unification of the state, but the fact that they 'created the weapon called thought'.

Confucianism, which sought to maintain order.
Taoism, which sought to harmonize with nature.
Mohism, which sought peace.
Legalism, which aimed for governance based on reality.

Each of these philosophies, while sometimes clashing and sometimes merging, shaped the cultural and political foundation of later Chinese civilization and, by extension, all of East Asia.

Knowing this era gives us, who live in modern society, a valuable perspective to re-examine 'what is order' and 'what is justice'.