Chapter 18 6. Feudalism is an order
Feudalism divided the world into three levels.
The tallest and largest is called "Tianxia".According to the concept at that time, it was "the whole world", so it was also called "under the whole world".The supreme leader of the world is called "Tianzi", that is, Zhou Wang, also known as "Zhou Tianwang".He is the common monarch of all people in the world, called "the common master of the world".His state is the "kingdom", his people are the "royal family", his family is the "royal family", and his society is called the "king society".
The next level is called "Guo", that is, "Feng Guo".The monarch of the feudal country is called "Guojun", and his title should be subdivided into five grades, collectively referred to as "gonghou".Therefore, their clan members are "gong clan" and their family is "gongshi".Their society is called "Guoshe" for the people, and "Houshe" for themselves.
The third level is called "home", that is, "benefactor".The monarch of the fief is called "Jiajun", that is, "Doctor".Doctors are also hereditary, called "so-and-so clan", such as the Jisun clan, Mengsun clan, and Shusun clan of Lu State in the Spring and Autumn Period.This is also the difference between "family" and "country": the monarch is called by surname (Ji, Jiang, Si, and Ying), and the doctor is called by surname.Therefore, the family members of the doctor are "clans", and their families are "clans".
The world, the country, and the family have distinct levels, right?
This is the so-called "feudalism".Feng means "dividing the sphere of influence"; Jian means "determining the relationship between the monarch and his ministers".Why "Monarch and Minister"?Because the princes are granted by the emperor, and the officials are established by the princes.The former is called "Fonding the State and Building the Country", and the latter is called "Finding the Earth and Establishing a Family".The latter kind of "feudalism" is also evidenced by bronze inscriptions.
Therefore, the princes are the ministers of the emperor, and the great officials are the ministers of the princes.The doctor should try his best to assist the princes and undertake the obligations of conscripting and paying tribute.The duties of the princes include guarding the territory, defending the royal family, paying tribute, and reporting on their duties on pilgrimage.Of course, if you are bullied by other princes, you can also complain to the emperor, and the emperor should come forward to uphold justice for him.This is the duty of the Son of Heaven.
Likewise, rights and powers are clear.
The Son of Heaven has the power of feudalism, the feudal lords have the right to re-enfeoff, but the doctor does not.That is to say, once it is sealed to the doctor, it cannot be sealed again.There are only these three levels that enjoy governing power.The difference is that the Son of Heaven has the right to rule both the world of Zhou in theory and the Kingdom of Zhou in practice.Princes and officials only have the right to rule over their own feudal states and fiefs, but their ruling power is both theoretical and practical.That is to say, the family of the doctor and the country of the princes are all self-governing.The doctor has the right to manage the fiefs by himself, called "Qijia", and the princes do not interfere; the princes have the right to manage the feudal country by themselves, called "governing the country", and the emperor does not intervene.However, in addition to "regulating the family", the doctor is also obliged to assist the princes in "governing the country".The feudal lords are also obliged to follow the order of the emperor to level the rivers and lakes when turmoil occurs, which is called "Ping Tianxia".
Ha, three levels of ownership, subcontracting layer by layer, orderly, right?
This is the "state system" and "feudalism" in the true sense.In this system, Zhou Tianzi is the "co-lord of the world" in name, but in fact he is "the republic of false monarchs".The family of the doctor and the country of the feudal vassals together constitute a real political entity, namely the "family country". "Family country" has become "country", going to the Warring States period.After the Qin and Han Dynasties, the country and the world merged into one, and the state became an empire.From then on, only "counties" were set up in the world, and "princes" were not granted, and the feudal system came to an end.Feudalism was the "international order" before the Warring States period.
Is there such a thing anywhere else?
No.The state system of the Zhou people is different from the "monarchy" of most ancient civilizations, the "democracy" of ancient Greece, the "republic" of ancient Rome, and the "federal system" or "confederation" of modern times. ", which has only similarities with the "feudalism" of Europe and Japan.The feudal system, which is matched with well fields, patriarchal clan, rituals and music, is a unique state system of our nation, and it is also the "institutional innovation" of the Zhou people.
Innovation is smart.The well field system is the economic foundation, and the feudal system is the superstructure, and both are means of consolidating the political power.The feudal system binds Ji Zhou with different surnames, the central government and the local government, while the well field system binds the people's livelihood with the hearts of the people, the people and the land.Farmers don't "leave their homes and leave their homes", wealthy chieftains don't "commit chaos", and idlers don't "make trouble out of nothing", isn't there "peace in the world"?
What's more, whether it is feudalism or well field, it is all about order.Where there is order, there will be no chaos.But order alone is not enough to "maintain stability," because order can be broken.So, what else can Duke Zhou and his successors do to "maintain feudal order and prevent social unrest"?
Patriarchal law and ritual music.
The new system and new order created by Zhou people is a big chess game.
If you are not careful, you may lose everything.
Neglect of soldiers is a hidden worry.
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