Historical Periodization and Evolution Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Economic Thought

As a foundational work in the study of the history of Chinese economic thought,historical periodization helps clarify the transitions between different eras and reveals the connections and turning points in the evolution of economic thought.This paper,building on existing research,examines the mechanisms behind the evolution of traditional Chinese economic thought and divides it into four major periods.The study finds that:(1) There is a general consensus among scholars regarding the historical and pivotal roles of the “Qin-Han Transition”, the “Tang-Song Transition”, and the “Ming-Qing Transition” in the development of traditional economic thought.(2)Examining the dynamic evolution of traditional Chinese economic thought requires grounding in historical practice and analyzing social existence and social consciousness.The emergence,clash,and integration of contemporary economic thought are primarily influenced by current social practice and the impact of the previous period’s economic thought.The economic foundation,state governance,and the market of ideas are the three main threads running through the development of economic thought.(3) Based on scholarly consensus and the mechanisms of evolution,traditional Chinese economic thought can be divided into four periods:Pre-Qin,Qin-Han to mid-Tang,mid-Tang to Yuan,and Ming to the Opium War.These periods respectively represent the formation of traditional economic thought,the establishment of its basic doctrines,and its changes and tortuous development,each displaying distinct characteristics of its stage.