Several Problems about the Transformation of Value-Orientation of the Confucians in the Han Dynasty——Replying to Professor Chen Qiyun

The author replies to Professor Chen Qiyun’s critique from historical fact to theoretical methodology. He argues that there exists significant deficiency in the analysis of Confucians’ value-orientation in the Han Dynasty according to “academic theory” using the approach of “history of mentality” and the conclusion thus obtained deviates from historical reality. The author analyses further the following questions according to historical fact starting with the interaction of social transformation and idea and political practice: social critical spirit of Confucians in Han Dynasty and the development of Lihua(吏化,giving official position to Confucians);the reason that Confucians followed Wang Mang(王莽)in the late Western Han Dynasty; the political sense of pure critique and one-party dictatorship in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Moreover, the author investigates systematically the problems about comprehending Gu Yanwu’s book Rizhilu·Custom of Western and Eastern Han Dynasty(《日知录·两汉风俗》) correctly and so on.