In about 340 B.C., a baby boy was born in the home of a famous nobleman in Danyang, Chudi (now Yichang, Hubei Province). The good education he received from an early age and the experience of growing up in the common class have gradually formed a good worldview that stands on the ideological level of the ruling class, but can really pay attention to the practical problems of the people around him. With the accumulation of intelligence and studiousness, the boy grew up step by step. With his outstanding talent and good family background, he stepped into the political arena of Chu and began to try to promote his ideas.

The background of the prince and nobleman determined that he did not need to struggle for food and clothing, but the chaotic political situation of Chu State and the external environment of the whole era made him not have the hypocrisy of only knowing pleasure. Compared with many nobles who were accustomed to being pampered, Qu Yuan was closer to the lives of the people of Chu. However, after all, he came from a famous family, and compared with the people who need to struggle for food and clothing every day, he still has more time and opportunities to learn and get in touch with higher-level theories and academics.

The virtuous reputation brought about by the concept of generosity, benevolence and love for the people, supplemented by a good family background, Qu Yuan soon entered the power core of the Chu state. He was not fooled by the life of a drunken man, and still wanted to realize and promote his concept of governance. At the same time, as a well-read scholar, he also has unique insights and views on culture itself. Moreover, in his masterpiece "Lisao", which established his important position in Chinese cultural history, he also integrated the ruling and his own literary concept many times, and the word "beauty" alone appeared as many as 12 times in "Lisao", and in the last time, he even directly proposed that "neither is it enough to be beautiful and political, I will live from Peng Xian's place". So much so that later generations separately summarized Qu Yuan's governing philosophy as "American politics".

What kind of specific concept is the so-called US politics, all the parties involved in it have long been covered up by the thick dust of time, but through the words that have been handed down, they can get a glimpse of the leopard and get a glimpse of the clues. Politics has never been associated with beauty, because throughout the ages, once anything begins to be influenced by politics, it will change its flavor to a greater or lesser extent, because there is never a king who always has romantic feelings, and power is often tainted with the smell of intrigue and blood. Such a system, it seems, cannot be integrated with "beauty" in any way, after all, not all beauty can be satisfied with the pleasure of desire and tangible benefits.

Judging from Qu Yuan's earliest governing philosophy and measures, his American policy is not mainly to educate the king or his people on how to obtain short-term benefits through various channels and means. Instead, it first proposed that the king should be self-cultivation according to the standard of a gentleman, and the king himself should understand what is beautiful, what is ugly, what is a gentleman, and what is a villain. And through a proper and systematic selection mechanism, the virtuous and virtuous people from all over the world will gather and assist, and the people of the world will return to their hearts. Through certain means, establish the virtue of examining the good, so that we can guide the people and control the country.

In the process of implementation, the original advantages of the privileged class and the disadvantages of the common class were first narrowed. The selection system, supported by the law, has entered the right track of meritocracy. At the same time, no one in power can rely on his own selfish desires to influence and destroy the structure of the entire ruling system, so that the majority of scholars with a skill or good character and outstanding talents can be used and placed in the most appropriate way.

Second, we should attach great importance to the problem of food and clothing for the common people, and further win the support of the broad masses of classes by satisfying the people's desire for survival. At the same time, by guiding the king to goodness, to promote the unity of aspirations and the unity of direction among the monarchs and ministers, the process itself is very close to the concept of "governing the country by virtue".

Through proper and perfect laws, noble kings and virtuous courtiers combine the originally unharmonious, even somewhat opposing concepts of rule of law and rule of virtue, to find a most compatible intersection between the two, so as to achieve the harmonious state that Qu Yuan has been calling for and pursuing. Judging from the records of Qu Yuan's politics in the Chu State, his beautiful politics have also been promoted to a certain extent under the recognition of the king to a certain extent. Among them, there are six more prominent points, which are highly summarized by later generations as: "rewarding ploughing and warfare, meritocracy, communicating with monarchs and ministers, restraining friends, clearly stipulating rewards and punishments, and criticizing bad customs." ”

However, with such a well-intentioned governing philosophy, it is natural that the interests of a large number of vested interest groups will be touched. In the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, when there were constant wars, it was extremely difficult for such a "rule of gentlemen" to see tangible benefits in a short period of time. For the virtue of the monarch and the minister themselves, it is difficult to achieve it quickly only by relying on the restraint of good character.

Not every aristocrat is willing to try to think about what exactly is "people-oriented", because they don't need to think about whether they have their next meal or not. For the aristocracy, the so-called subjects should be willing and continuous dedication of everything to provide them with the tools to enjoy life. As for the idea of tools, what is there to care about? Of course, the basic survival guarantee of the tools still needs to be there, and this is what they should give to these laborers. As for the feeling and thought of tools as the foundation of the state, it is really extremely ridiculous and makes the nobles sneer.

Besides, they hate the constraints of the law, their ancestors have done enough to contribute to this country, and their family background is so noble, how can it be compared to those lowly commoners? It would be a great shame to select officials from among the common people and to rule side by side with them. What's more, how can such a noble glory be corrected by rigid rules?

The princes of all walks of life outside the Chu State did not really want to achieve the unification of the entire nation and race by virtue of harmonious and beautiful moral constraints, as described in the American government. After all, no one can completely abandon their own selfish desires, just like there are no two heavens and no two masters in the country, this world obviously only needs one master now, and there should not be so many voices in the formulation of this order. As to whether the rules are good enough, it is obviously not as important as acquiring the power to make the rules in the first place.

Since a gentleman can only get along with a gentleman, but after all, there are not all gentlemen in this world, if you first rely on the power of morality to restrain yourself, then when you encounter a scheming villain who is good at using intrigue and trickery, it is obvious that you can't make the other party submit and correct just by virtue of your will and mouth. In many cases, when the persuasion of others cannot fully achieve their own goals, it is still sharp weapons and brave soldiers that are more effective. After all, life is far more important than dignity and morality, and no one ever uses virtue as a bargaining chip to control the situation, because this bargaining chip is far less enforceable than "obedience or death".

So looking back, a cruel but true conclusion emerged: the so-called American politics is nothing but a beautiful dream of expecting the harmony of monarchs, ministers, sages, and the world, although it has a certain degree of enforceability and relatively generous people-orientedness, but in fact, the excessive requirements of American politics itself for "rule by man" have already determined its final outcome, and the seemingly advanced and perfect grand vision is just a dream of self-deception that can never be realized.