From Chronicle to Canon

Every general account of the development of Chinese thought makes mention of Tung Chung-shu (195-105 BCE) as one of the pivotal philosophers of the Han. His Luxuriant Gems of the Spring and Autumn established the first state-sponsored Confucian orthodoxy and created a view of the ruler and his role in government that was focal in political discussion for two thousand years. The author has carefully scrutinized this text for authenticity and her book represents the most systematic account yet of Tung Chung-shu''s importance in Chinese philosophy and religion.