Scholars and experts in Hebei Province, north China, are planning an international seminar on Dong Zhongshu (B.C.179-104), one of the best-known philosophers and Confucians in ancient China.
Jingxian County of Hengshui City, the birthplace of Dong, is to host the seminar on the studies of Dong Zhongshu in the second half of this year, and the local government is preparing to build an exhibition hall for the ancient scholar.
Emperor Wudi, of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD), adopted Dong's theory, making Confucianism the official belief and banning all other ideological schools, resulting in a long period of stability and progress in the country.
Dong believed men were always dominant and women had to be obedient to men. Dong advocated increasing the population and he opposed the indiscriminate killing of slaves.
(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2003)