Includes bibliographical references and index.

Print version record.

Prefatory note; Abbreviations; Introduction; Appendix: Evaluations of Dong Zhongshu in Western writings; Chapter One The historical and intellectual background; Chapter Two Dong Zhongshu's life and reputation; Accounts in primary sources; Dong Zhongshu as seen in subsequent writings; Dong's reactions to his own times and his subsequent influence; Summary; Appendix; 1. Chronological problems; 2. A passage in the Lunheng; Chapter Three Dong Zhongshu's writings; The Three Rescripts and Responses; Agriculture and taxation; Relations with the Xiongnu; Dong Zhongshu's fu

A letter addressed to Gongsun HongThe imperial cults; Decisions in legal cases; Summary; Appendix; 1. The three responses; Ban Gu's part; 2. Treatment of the three responses in the Qian Han ji and the Zizhi tongjian; 3. The Gu wen yuan; 4. Land holdings; Chapter Four Subjects discussed in Dong Zhongshu's writings; The explanations of abnormalities; The recruitment of officials; training; The foundation of schools; The academicians and their pupils; The Chunqiu; Continuity and change: past and present; Dong Zhongshu's attack on certain figures; The promotion of Kongzi; Control of the rain

Titles and ranksAn ordinance and its date; Summary; Appendix: Translation of Chunqiu fanlu 23 'San dai gai zhi zhi wen'; Chapter Nine Conclusion; List of works cited; Index

The assumption that a system described as 'Confucianism' formulated by Dong Zhongshu became accepted as the norm during the Western Han dynasty (202 BCE - 9 CE) is challenged and his supposed authorship of the Chunqiu fanlu examined.