Introduction

In China, during the Spring and Autumn period (c. 770-481 BCE) and the Warring States period (c. 480-221 BCE) different schools of thought flourished: Confucianism, Legalism, Mohism, and many more. So many schools of thought were there, that it is now referred to as the period of the “Hundred Schools of Thought.” Eventually, the Warring States period ended when the Qin Dynasty unified China, and only 15 years later gave way to the Han dynasty. The Han Dynasty proceeded to rule China for 400 years, coinciding with (or perhaps causing) the first true Golden Age of Chinese History. China was unified, and made many advances in technology, science, art and poetry.

The Han unified China under a Confucian ideology, in which the state is “like the father”, and the citizenry “like his children” — each owing loyalty to the other, and each having certain responsibilities for the other. This worked well, for in China there is one thing that a dynasty must have in order to rule — the Mandate of Heaven. Under Confucianism, the classics were elevated, scholars were trained in Confucius’ teachings to advise the throne, and Confucian values — ritual virtue, filial piety, the responsibility [...]

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Outline:

(00:09) Introduction

(02:56) The School of Legalism

(04:09) The School of Mohism

(05:38) The School of Names (Logicism)

(07:24) The School of Celestial Efficiency

(09:05) The School of the Mechanical Sages

The original text contained 1 footnote which was omitted from this narration.

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First published:
December 11th, 2025

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/BxayuSb3KwbpfGxdj/annals-of-counterfactual-han

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

“Annals of Counterfactual Han” by GenericModel

LessWrong (30+ Karma)