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今日摘引孙英刚《古代帝王靠迷信统治人民？》与大家共享。
孙英刚，复旦大学文史研究院副研究员，毕业于普林斯顿大学，专业领域为中国中古时期的宗教信仰、礼仪制度等方面，是国内隋唐史界较有名的年轻学者，代表作《神文时代：谶纬、术数与中古政治研究》，本文即可算是此书内容简介。
* 从汉代到隋唐，存在一个绵延近千年的儒家的神学主义时代。纬学为经学的重要组成部分，当时许多其他的知识体系，比如天文、气象、音律、历法、祥瑞灾异、阴阳五行，乃至许多信仰体系如佛教、道教，无不与其紧密相关。这些知识和信仰系统，共同构成了中古时代的知识世界和信仰世界。唐宋时代的重要思想转折，是把人心从天上拉回到人间。去宗教化、去神文化，是这一思想变化最重要的层面之一，不过在之前的研究中被掩盖了。学者们反而多注重文人价值从“文”到“理”的转折。以至于现代学者多赋予儒家学说人本主义的色彩，而忽略了其早期的宗教性质。比如费正清就认为，儒家学说最主要的是主张一种温和的人本主义——以人而非上帝作为宇宙的中心。但儒家学说是个变化的知识、信仰体系，并非一成不变的。宋代比较彻底地把纬书等带有宗教神秘色彩的内容挤出了正统的知识体系，实现了从神文到人文的变化。纬书实际上就是解经用的，到了《隋书•经籍志》中它们依然被认为是儒家的典籍，不管谶言如何，纬书最开始是解经用的，所谓“一经一纬”，有一“经”就有一“纬”。
* 看上去此书是围绕谶纬、术数展开的，其实并不局限于此，我关注的是中古时代政治合法性建立的知识、信仰背景及其内在逻辑。有的学者将这种路径称为“政治文化史”，其实在我看来，就是政治史，不过关注的是政治事件背后的文化、思想、信仰语境。我们也许无法解释一些细节的政治事件如何发生，但是在一个较长的时间里，政治事件发生的知识、信仰背景是较为稳定的。政治宣传和意识形态的构建，必须建立在当时人所能理解的一般知识和普遍观念之上，只有这样才能影响政治大势。古人不可能用现在“主义”、“民主”、“自由”等价值观来论述自己统治人民的资格，他们的合法性论述，也如现在一样建立在当时的知识和信仰体系之上。
* 历史有时就像一条河流，它如果停滞你就看不出来其中的细节，但如果你扔进去一块石头，激起的浪花就相当于政治事件，而你只有解释这朵浪花才能把比如说历法对政治的影响淋漓尽致地表达出来。所以本书所选择的个案研究，其实只不过是为了说明道理而进行的。这些个案都是有较为坚实的史料基础，而且比较复杂和典型，能够达到说明道理的目的。我虽然讲的都是浪花，但目的是说明那条河本身。
* “现代”的政治意识形态，也往往需要建立在“先进”的科学理论基础上。比如自然科学的进化论，就对人类社会的逐次前进学说产生了重大影响，比如我们的历史唯物主义也是植根于19世纪末的科技体系上的，也是要控制在大家都能理解的范围之内。而一旦某种知识或信仰体系与政治联系在一起，尤其是与其紧密联系在一起的意识形态，比如对人类社会前景和规律的描述，往往会被神圣化，变成一种神圣的知识（Divine knowledge）。有人要想挑战这种理论体系就会面临惩罚的危险。
研究制度史和思想史的趣味正是在于循今人之迹，溯古人之源。最后再引豆瓣网友汤降不迟之语以结束：
“人人平等”，这大概是近世以来人类制造的最大神话并因此激发了社会普遍的欲望，如何满足这一点却又能包容真实的差异是建立社会新秩序的最难。神权社会通过人-神关系的均等建立这种幻觉；民主制度通过选举这个普遍的仪式性存在（一人一票）提供给全社会人人平等的幻觉，皇权大概要通过皇帝—臣民关系。
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About the game:
USA as a world power? In E-Sim it is possible!
In E-Sim we have a huge, living world, which is a mirror copy of the Earth. Well, maybe not completely mirrored, because the balance of power in this virtual world looks a bit different than in real life. In E-Sim, USA does not have to be a world superpower, It can be efficiently managed as a much smaller country that has entrepreneurial citizens that support it's foundation. Everything depends on the players themselves and how they decide to shape the political map of the game.
Work for the good of your country and see it rise to an empire.
Activities in this game are divided into several modules. First is the economy as a citizen in a country of your choice you must work to earn money, which you will get to spend for example, on food or purchase of weapons which are critical for your progress as a fighter. You will work in either private companies which are owned by players or government companies which are owned by the state. After progressing in the game you will finally get the opportunity to set up your own business and hire other players. If it prospers, we can even change it into a joint-stock company and enter the stock market and get even more money in this way.
In E-Sim, international wars are nothing out of the ordinary.
Become an influential politician.
The second module is a politics. Just like in real life politics in E-Sim are an extremely powerful tool that can be used for your own purposes. From time to time there are elections in the game in which you will not only vote, but also have the ability to run for the head of the party you're in. You can also apply for congress, where once elected you will be given the right to vote on laws proposed by your fellow congress members or your president and propose laws yourself. Voting on laws is important for your country as it can shape the lives of those around you. You can also try to become the head of a given party, and even take part in presidential elections and decide on the shape of the foreign policy of a given state (for example, who to declare war on). Career in politics is obviously not easy and in order to succeed in it, you have to have a good plan and compete for the votes of voters.
You can go bankrupt or become a rich man while playing the stock market.
The international war.
The last and probably the most important module is military. In E-Sim, countries are constantly fighting each other for control over territories which in return grant them access to more valuable raw materials. For this purpose, they form alliances, they fight international wars, but they also have to deal with, for example, uprisings in conquered countries or civil wars, which may explode on their territory. You can also take part in these clashes, although you are also given the opportunity to lead a life as a pacifist who focuses on other activities in the game (for example, running a successful newspaper or selling products).
At the auction you can sell or buy your dream inventory.
E-Sim is a unique browser game. It's creators ensured realistic representation of the mechanisms present in the real world and gave all power to the players who shape the image of the virtual Earth according to their own. So come and join them and help your country achieve its full potential.
Invest, produce and sell - be an entrepreneur in E-Sim.
Take part in numerous events for the E-Sim community.
