Investigating the Establishment of Principles of Hermeneutics in West Han Dynasty through Hai Zhi ——the 2nd Paper on Investigation of Cultural Values of Han Zhi

After a careful study of Han Zhi such conclusions can be drawn:The academic creation in West Han Dynasty transformed from the raise of original doctrines by scholars before Qin Dynasty to successive Confucian scholars’ theories on the ground of annotations of Confucianism Classics. This was indeed an intentional readjustment of academy with profound significance for, on the one hand, it related with the unification of state; and on the other hand, it meant the corresponding change of academic apotheosis and value structures. Consequently, the object of scholars in West Han Dynasty was to establish principles of hermeneutics. The highest ideal was“seeing Confucius as the greatest master of academy”and resuming Confucius’ doctrines that were ruined by“Qin huo”(the burning of documents by Emperor Qin). Therefore, specific methods like decoding words, which existed as tools were thought as prerequisites for academic thinking.