What a very good idea it was to burn what Emperor Qin called "undesirable books", also known as the Confucian Classics.The decision to burn the Confucian Classics was made after a scholar one day compared Emperor Qin to model kings of the Western Zhou from The Book of Documents. All the books were burned, expect for the important, approved books about Qin himself. All scholars that protested Emperor Qin for burning the books were forced to work on state projects or were executed (Torn in two by the waist, killed for criticizing, etc.) just like what happened to the daring scholar.
This was a good idea by the emperor for burning all Confucian Classics, because he shouldn't really have been compared to the Western Zhou models, because there was really no reason to be compared to him. Who knows who Qin could have been compared to next for the wrong reasons?
Another reason for burning the books, was because the Legalist beliefs were countered to the teachings of Laozi and Confucius. At some point, someone was bound to point out the differences between the policies of Qin and the ideal benevolent ruler.
Earlier today I spoke with one of the townsmen about the book burnings and he says, "Yes. Very, very, very good idea to burn the Confucian Classics. Emperor Qin has done none of what the Western Zhou has horibally done to China. I doubt he would if he wants what is best for all of China."
This is a good start to an editorial, but you need to add more reasons and evidence to support your opinion that this was a good decision. Why else would burning these books be good for the empire and emperor (think about the conflict between Confucian ideas and legalism)?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I suggest that you take out the information about the scholar comparing Qin from the first paragraph since you basically repeat it in the second paragraph.