Dong Zhongshu

Dong Zhongshu was a Han-dynasty scholar and adviser associated with the reign of Emperor Wu, whose dates are approximate. He is traditionally credited with helping make Confucianism the official learning of the Han state, combining it with yin-yang and five-phases cosmology into a theory of resonance between Heaven and human affairs. His Confucianism differs markedly from Confucius's own. The Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals is attributed to him, though parts of its authorship are disputed.

Key ideas

• Heaven and humanity resonate: the ruler's conduct is reflected in natural portents.
• Yin-yang and the five phases provide a correlative framework for ethics and government.
• The ruler mediates between Heaven, Earth and humanity and must govern through moral education.
• The Spring and Autumn Annals encodes principles for judging political conduct.

Major works

• Chunqiu fanlu (Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals; attribution partly disputed)
• Memorials to Emperor Wu (preserved in the Book of Han)

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