Abstract
The publication of The Great Drought of the State of Lu 《鲁邦大旱》, in the second volume of the Shanghai Museum’s Chu bamboo manuscripts, has sparked a renewed interest in the views Confucius held concerning ritual sacrifice. This issue further instigated the reconsideration of whether or not Confucius really believed, or to what extent he believed, in the existence of a transcendent Mandate of Heaven or Divine Will. This problem is complex and must be approached carefully. For example, if one begins with either the perspective of the Three Dynasties religious traditions or that which later completely opposes the old tradition, one will easily reach faulty conclusions when investigating Confucius’ stance on religious issues. 1 We must recognize that rise of the “learning of the masters” in the Spring and Autumn period, and the competition between the different schools both generated a trend of valorizing philosophical rationality and led to a transformation and fragmentation of religion.
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