Abstract:

As for the abdication mode prevailing in the Wei-Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, there was profound historical and intellectual background. It can be called as the "revolution within abdication". Under the influence of the legends about the abdication of Yao and Shun and the revolution of Tang and Wu, and with the modification of their implications to form a series of highly routinized abdication ceremonies, this mode confirmed the adaptability of the principle of selecting talent and worthy men both in an age of "the world of the people" and that of "the world of a family", and affirmed the positive relationship between the revolution conforming to Heaven and the people on the one hand and the abdication on the other. In this way, it provided a feasible approach to transfer power in a peaceful way in a time when sagely kings would no longer exist while the constant virtues had been established and solved the difficult problem of how to prove the legitimacy of the change of dynasties, which was key to the development of the dynasty system. In this sense, it should be regarded as a historical progress in ancient political civilization. Since it was still difficult to affirm the will of the people and the mandate of Heaven, the authorities appealed to policies in accordance with the political teachings of ancient sagely kings to prove that the change of dynasties did conform to Heaven and the people. Consequently, the mode was transforming from abdication to revolution.

Key words: abdication, revolution, the mode of the change of dynasties, dynasty system, conforming to Heaven and the people