This book innovatively interprets ancient culture and reveals the secret of the enduring vitality of Chinese culture——"carrying the Dao". Taking ancient historical legends as the carrier, from the Three Sovereigns era to the regency of the Duke of Zhou, it explores the interaction of three pairs of relationships: "technical tradition and Dao tradition", "yin as the foundation and yang as the movement", and "political power and governance power", revealing the inheritance and innovation of Chinese political culture. From the initiation of the Daoist tradition by Fu Xi to the practice of virtuous governance by the Duke of Zhou, this book traces three defining traits of Chinese culture: the naturalness of the cosmic Dao, pervasive politicalness, and pervasive ethicalness. It invites readers to appreciate the profound political wisdom of ancient China.

LI Ping, who holds a PhD in History, is an Associate Professor and Supervisor of Doctoral Candidates at the School of Law, Tsinghua University, and he is also a member of the Research Center for Law and Culture at THU, with his main research interests focusing on Jurisprudence and the History of Chinese Thought.