The Chapter of Six Morals in the Bambooslips unearthed in Guodian took a significant place in the history of development of Confucianism, for it expressed te Confucian advocate for government of ethical society and represented political conceptions of early Confucianism. The configuration of the “six morals” showed influence of the primitive fiveelement thinking pattern. The practice of the “six morals” meant conformity to the heavenly will, thus attaining harmony of realistic order. Although the chapter of Six Morals stated mainly Confucian advocates for governing ethical society, it didn’t discuss social order from a political view alone. Instead it offered philosophical basis for political government, namely, the idea of “carrying out ethical government to conform to the heavenly will”. The specific principle to govern the ethical world was to deal well with the relationship between “six places”, which were again divided into the “internal three and external three places” and into the “upper three and lower three places”. The division of the “internal three and external three places” presented Confucian view of social ethics based on family ethics. And the division of the “upper three and lower three places” included good interaction in early Confucianism, which was to exercise profound influence on the statement of “three cardinal guides” which were introduced in later times.

the bambooslips unearthed in Guodian; Six Morals; Confucianists; political ideology