Looking at the history of the world's ancient civilizations, in addition to China, we can see a similar point: theocratic power is higher than the royal power, and even until modern times, there are such countries.
The most widely known are the Popes of Europe, and the Caliphs of the Islamic World, who still have a strong influence to this day. However, China is the opposite, as early as prehistoric society, to a certain extent, it got rid of theocracy or religious rule, and now we see Fuxi, Furen, Shennong, Yellow Emperor and other Chinese humanistic ancestors, all have corresponding social contributions, but there is no priesthood, indicating that society gradually got rid of theocracy at that time.
So why is there no theocracy in China above the royal power, and what is the impact of this status quo on China? Some Western scholars lament that this is the secret that China has always been powerful!
Then, the major civilizations in the world have long been higher than the royal power, why is there no theocratic power higher than the royal power in China?
First, The Culture of Chinese Pragmatism. Among the prehistoric mythological figures, most of them have made great contributions, so they have been passed down through the ages, such as Shennong tasting hundreds of grasses, the Flintstones drilling wood for fire, and the father chasing the sun (measuring the shadow of the sun). As for the useless miracles, the primitive ancestors did not pay too much attention to it. Moreover, pragmatism also leads to too many gods, kitchen gods, wealth gods, etc., too many gods are more difficult to be higher than the royal power.
Second, the exchange of interests between God and man. Chinese gods and people are a relatively equal relationship, which belongs to the exchange of interests, such as the ancients asking for rain, taking out various tributes, hoping that the gods and immortals will rain, but if the gods and immortals have not rained, people may not worship in the future. Because the ancients thought that this was an exchange of benefits, and since I gave the tribute, you should rain.
Third, attach great importance to historical records very early. Compared with other civilizations, Chinese civilization has long had historical officials, and Cangjie, who made characters, is actually the historical officials of the Yellow Emperor. The so-called reading of history makes people wise, and a complete record of past experiences will make Chinese civilization not lose itself, and it can also make the theocracy lack the soil for survival because of the historical records.
Fourth, Chinese the idea of victory over heaven. Turning over chinese mythology and stories, it is not difficult to see that it has always been a struggle against nature, rather than succumbing to nature. Why didn't Chinese build Noah's Ark? Because Dayu governs the water, it is necessary to control the great flood. Other myths and stories, such as the legend of the Houyi Shooting Sun and the Father's Pursuit of the Sun, are indomitable struggles, believing that man will triumph over heaven.
Fifth, the immortals come from the canonization of the kingship. In the West, theocracy canonizes secular kings, but in China, it is royal rights to canonize gods and immortals, such as Taoist true immortals, almost all of which come from royal canonization. There is no royal canonization belonging to the "wild gods", with the royal canonization is the "right god", almost every dynasty in China will be crowned with some gods.
Sixth, Chinese ancestors are higher than gods. If the immortals clash with their ancestors, which one should Chinese believe? There is no doubt that the vast majority of Chinese will be on the side of their ancestors. It can be said that Chinese worshipped most is not gods, but ancestors. Therefore, under this cultural soil, there is no room for theocracy to play.
Obviously, in this cultural environment, it is almost impossible for theocracy to be higher than the royal power. Therefore, Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and the like can only submit to the power of the king.
All in all, before and after the Renaissance, Europe was still under papal rule, and in "Notre Dame de Paris", when Quasimodo was hunted down by officers and soldiers, after fleeing to the church, the officers and soldiers had no choice, fully demonstrating that theocracy was higher than the king's power. As for the Islamic world, it is similar to Europe, and even in modern society, the theocracy still has a lofty position.
However, in China, it is the Western Zhou "Book of Poetry" in the "Book of Poetry": "Under the pu heavens, mo fei wang tu; leading the coast of the land, mo fei wang chen".
In fact, judging from the clear written records, even if the Shang Dynasty attached importance to divination and inquiry, the divine power was only a "master of the divine possession" and could not override the royal power.
Of course, at the beginning of Chinese civilization, it should also be that theocracy is higher than the royal power, as for which point in time the theocracy declined, it is still unknown, but it is at least 5,000 years ago. Some feudal superstitions that appeared in China in later generations were related to the history of China's suffering, repeatedly invaded, civilization was destroyed, and even a certain regression occurred, but in general, the theocracy still had no soil for survival.
So, what is the impact of this phenomenon on China, and why do some Western scholars believe that "this is the secret that China has always been powerful"? In fact, from the above six reasons, it is not difficult to see that China's secular society is strong, and the ancestors have long been freed from ignorant religious worship and can develop without the influence of theocracy.
Imagine if China were theocratic power higher than the royal power, then in the process of development, the theocracy would point fingers, thinking that this is not in line with the doctrine, that can not be done, will inevitably affect the development, just like the European medieval inquisition, bruno burned to death in The Place de' Fiori in Rome. And when the kingship is higher than the divine power, it is natural to go light and do things without too much scruples.
As for the impact, you may wish to read a Warring States article called "Ximen Leopard Zhiyi", from which you can see not only the attitude and wisdom of Chinese to religion and secularism, but also the reasons why China has always been strong.
Yicheng (Anyang, Henan) is located in the world's famous rich area, the surrounding cities are very rich, but Yicheng is poor, several times to change the mayor, but it is still the same old, which makes Wei Wenhou puzzled, so he sent Ximen Leopard to govern, hoping that he can find the reason.
After investigation, Ximen Leopard found that the reason why Yecheng was poor was because of "bitterly marrying a woman for Hebo". Every year, for the daughter-in-law of The River, the magistrate would take the witch to collect millions of dollars, two or three hundred thousand weddings, and the rest would be privately divided. Moreover, if you like a woman, you will throw down a little dowry and then arrest her to be a daughter-in-law to Hebo. Because the people were afraid of flooding, they did not dare not follow.
In fact, everyone knows that this is almost drowning a woman in the river, even if it is to marry a daughter-in-law to the river uncle, which is a superstitious practice.
Once again, when Hebo married his daughter-in-law, Ximen Leopard came, first a witch in her 70s, with more than 10 apprentices dancing and casting spells. Ximen Leopard looked at it for a while, and suddenly said that this river uncle daughter-in-law is not beautiful, which will cause the river uncle to be dissatisfied, trouble the witch you go and talk to the river uncle, we will go to find a beautiful, another day to send you over.
Therefore, Ximen Leopard ordered his men to throw the witch into the river, and after a long time, when the witch did not return, he threw another witch apprentice and asked her to see what was going on. Just like that, he threw three in a row, and then threw down three elders. Ximen Leopard waited respectfully by the river, while saying in his mouth, "Witch concubines and three elders do not come to return, why not?" "It looks like we're going to send someone else."
At this moment, the people around them were frightened and half dead, "all prostrate, prostrate and break, the forehead bleeds to the ground, and the color is like dead ash." At this time, Ximen Leopard said that the next time who would dare to say that Hebo was married, then send him to say kiss. Since then, there has been no more hebo to marry in Yecheng.
Later, under a series of policies, Ximen Leopard quickly treated the flood, and then opened canals to divert water to irrigate farmland, and the people of Yecheng soon became rich.
From the case of Ximen Leopard's rule, we can not only see that the Chinese has long since broken the theocracy, but also that theocracy is more likely to make the country weaker, on the contrary, it is easier to make the country strong.
In fact, under theocratic rule, the state may be powerful for a while, but it is difficult to last. On the contrary, under the rule of secular kings without the interference of theocracy, they can always be strong. The decline and fall of many civilizations, both ancient and modern, is closely related to theocratic religion.
It is worth mentioning that because of the decline of theocracy, the secular world is more exciting and prosperous, so it leads to a strong assimilation ability of Chinese and a more humane social atmosphere in the city. The key reason why countless people of different races, as long as they come to China, will soon be assimilated by Chinese is actually this.