Conveniences and Hierarchy Create Social Order

Bao Jingyan (4th c.) blamed the pitiful state of the world on government and hierarchy. If people could return to the equalitarian conditions of the beginning of time, peace and happiness would prevail. Ge Hong (283–343) devoted an entire chapter of his book, Baopuzi waipian, to refuting Bao’s views. Ge believed that the imperfect present was still better than the remote past. At the beginning of time, people lived short and brutish lives. The sage kings enhanced their existence through the creation of different innovations, such as cooking, housing, clothing, and transportation. One of the improvements was government, which instilled order and prevented conflict. For Ge Hong, even though the present was far from perfect, by means of building on the progress made by the sage kings, a better tomorrow was always a possibility.