On the Political Thought of Huang-Lao and the Governance Practice in the Early Period of Han Dynasty

Huang-Lao’s thought was the principal doctrine of the politics in the early period of Han Dynasty. He insisted that a government should make its bureaucrats fit the position, should govern the country without doing much, should rely on its people and love its people, and should pay more attention to love, obligation, custom and law. It was a theoretical system of governance that was based on Taoism, and was influenced by Confucianism and Legalists. Huang-Lao's political thought had played an important role in enhancing the political, economic and social development in the early period of Han Dynasty.