The Circulatory Theory of History

Meanwhile, the views on history in ancient China embodied strong color of circulatory theory, which was widely accepted by the schools of thought. It should be noted that the circulatory theory of history was supported by view on the heaven - the law of circulatory movement of celestial body: the change of the four seasons, the wax and wane of the moon, the rise and fall of the sun, the cycle of the Five Star, etc. The circulatory theory of history was also reflected in the thoughts of Lao Tzu, for instance,

It exists forever without any support of the external force; it moves circularly and ceaselessly.

When one thing reaches the highest level, it will fade; when it fades, it will develop in the opposite direction.

To develop in the opposite direction means the movement of Tao.

The View of Five Elements could be also understood as a view on the heaven (no matter scientific or mysterious), which laid solid foundation for the circulatory theory of history.

The earliest and most representative form of the circulatory theory of history was Theory of the Start and End of Five Virtues proposed by Zou Yan in the late Warring States Period. According to the theory, one virtue (one Element in the Five Elements) determined a dynasty's fate and the alternate of dynasties followed the order of the Five Virtues (the Five Elements). Evidently, the theory applied the mutual reliance of the Five Elements into history filed. In The Annals of Lii Buwei, Zou Yan's thought was embodied:

Before a ruler or king appears, the heaven must show people auspice. For Yellow Emperor, the heaven showed huge earthworm and mole cricket, and Yellow Emperor said, "Earth rose." As earth looked yellow, yellow was worshipped. For Yu, the heaven showed thriving grass in winter, and Yu said, "Wood rose." As wood looked green, green was valued. For Tang, the heaven showed sword in water, and Tang said, "Metal rose." As sword looked white, so white was chosen. For King Wen, the heaven showed a raven with red script in mouth standing above the ancestral temple, and King Wen said, "Fire rose." As fire looked red, red was respected. What would replace fire must be water and the heaven showed a scene of water. As water rose, black was worshiped. When water ended, earth re-appeared. (Ying Tong)

In fact, the circulatory theory of history was ingrained in China. For instance, Mencius said, "A new ruler will arise within 500 years." (Mencius, Gong Sun Chou IT) Mencius argued, "F- >m Yao and Shun to Tang, there was over 500 years... From Tang to King Wen, there was also r 500 years... From King Wen to Confucius, there was 500 years too... From Confucius to the present, there was only more than 100 years, so there was no sage now." (With All Heart IT) Here Mencius indicated that history was determined by heroes, and the circulatory theory of history could be sensed. Later, Dong Zhongshu proposed the theory of "San Tong" and "San Zheng" in Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals (Chun Qiu Fan Lu). San Tong referred the tradition of three colors, black, white, and red. To Dong Zhongshu, Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties changed in accordance with the order of the three colors. San Zheng referred to the three first-months. Xia Dynasty took Yin month (January in lunar calendar) as the first, Shang Dynasty took Chou month (December in lunar calendar) as the first, and Zhou Dynasty tool Zi month (November in lunar calendar) as the first. In his view, when a new dynasty was established, the first month and color of clothes must be changed. It was noticeable that Dong Zhongshu's theory was affected by Zou Yan's Theory of the Start and End of Five Virtues. In the long history of China, San Tong and San Zheng played a pivotal role in the foundation of dynasties. It even impacted the slogan of peasant's uprising, like the slogan of Yellow Turbans Uprising in Eastern Han Dynasty: Black-Heaven Has Already Died, and Yellow-Heaven Will Set up.

Afterward, Shao Yong, a philosopher in Northern Song Dynasty, proposed the Theory of Yuan, Hui, Yun, and Shi in Imperial Calendar of Dynasties (Huang Ji Jing Shi). Applying the theory of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, Shao Yong concluded that 30 years was one Shi, 12 Shi was one Yun, 30 Yun was one Hui, and 12 Hui was one Yuan, namely, 1 Yuan = 12 Hui x 30 Yun x 12 Shi x 30 years = 129600 years. According to Shao Yong, one Yuan was a complete cycle, in which the start and end of nature finished. Then, the new cycle commenced and finished. The cycle was endless. Wang Fuzhi's view also accorded with the circulatory theory of history, but he meant the cycle of peace and disturbance: "The main trend for a country was merely the cycle of division and unification, peace and disturbance." (My Reading of History as a Mirror, Vol. 16) Wang Fuzhi's view demystified the circulatory theory of history and embodied more objective color in the understanding of historical cycle.