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Reform Regulations in Zhou Dynasty to Strengthen its Political Power

The foreign students who start to learn Chinese in China could start to learn Chinese culture with the story from Zhou Dynasty. These interesting stories often encourage the foreigners to study Chinese in China and it occurred to them that to understand the Chinese culture, those stories about reform of regulation play an important role.

Some students say that before choosing to learn Chinese in China, they have learnt something about feudal society in Chinese culture. In the feudal society, Zhou Wang was the chief of the feudal lords so that he was honored with the title “天子”(the son of the sky), the first born of the sky as well. In Chinese culture, if you study Mandarin in China, it is easy to know that the first born of the sky could be more powerful than any other emperor. Zhou Wang held the great power due to his multiple identities that he was accepted as the common master among all the vassals, at the same time, he was the general of the whole feudal country. On these account, he had the final say to decide the fate of most important things about the whole country.

To study Chinese in China for foreign students, they have general knowledge of Zhou Dynasty. Under Zhou Wang’s thumb, the chancellor, who was called as “三公” or “师保”as well, worked for Zhou Wang to manage the national affairs. According to the record of Zuo Zhuang •Rang Gong Shi Si Nian , which is popular among the overseas who learn Chinese in China, that 有君而为之贰,使师保之,勿使过度. Thanks to study Chinese in China for several month, you would realize that these words has given the information about “三公” in details that “三公” not only monitored the decisions made by the King, but also guaranteed the king to make the right decisions.

All in all, on one hand, “三公” which is recorded in the history books for those who intend to study Mandarin in China, had been placed more important position above the other vassals; on the other hand, he was selected to serve the king fortunately. And the function of “三公” had shown the primitive central decision-making organization in the feudal country.

It is said that in the early ages of Xi Zhou, there were another two important chancellors, who were named as “两寮”, besides “三公” to serve the king in national affairs. Thanks to deal with the national affairs, serving the king, “两寮”, including “卿事寮” and “太史寮”, had high social standing as well in Zhou Dynasty.

Under the control of “卿士寮”, there were several officials taken in charge such as “司徒,司马,司空”,which were know as “三右”. What’s more, those students choose to learn Chinese in China have realized that these three officials mainly managed the civil affairs, military regime and manufacturing industry in their respective duties.

At the same time, “太史寮” had managed “三左”, the different apart from “三右”, including “大史,大祝,and大卜” which mainly focused on the affairs about the religion sacrifice and documents. However, on the basis of the book Zhou Li •Tian Gong, some people hold the different opinion about “六卿” , or even those students who study Mandarin in China, which included the sky, the earth, the spring, the summer, the autumn, and the winter six different officials. In another words, these six officials referred to 宰,司徒,宗伯,司马,and 司寇.

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