By 'n' by hard times comes a-knocking at the door ! (51)

周武王推翻商紂暴政，除保留殷商京畿外，分封家族成員及功臣，分別在殷商領土建國，以實際軍事佔領商土，屏障周王室，並以井田制度，推行其殖民政策，稱之封建制度。
此封建制度，堯帝已行之，而舜禹湯沿用之。
王室居其所，而諸侯共(拱)之。封建制度不就是立於機械論宇宙觀 ?
為何孔子開宗明義，"為政以德"，並以舜帝恭己正南面的"無為而治"為範例 ?
孔子不認同封建制度 ?
封建諸侯有其自主性，幾近完全自治。
孔子不就這麼說 :
天下有道，則禮樂征伐自天子出。(註1)
周王室只管禮樂征伐，封建諸侯行政財政等獨立，而擁有重兵與謀士。
孟子也這麼說 : 天子適諸侯曰巡狩，諸侯朝於天子曰述職。(註2)
天子每十二年巡視其封疆諸侯一次，而諸侯每五年回朝廷向天子報告施政情形。可見，封建制度不行中央集權，也不行地方分治，是寬鬆的邦聯制。
孔子為什麼不認同封建制度 ?
孔子不認同其世襲制，因為欠缺為政以德之仁德。
故謂 : 大道之行也，天下為公，選賢與能........... 。(見禮運大同篇)
孟子也不認同封建制度的主權觀念。
故謂 : 天子不能以天下與人。....天與之，民與之 ; 天受之，民受之(參考孟子萬章上)
(註1) :
The Master said, "When good government prevails in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive militaty expeditions proceed from the son of Heaven. When bad government prevails in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive militaty expeditions proceed from the princes. "( Ibid., Ch. XVI, Ke She )
(註2):
Mencius said, "The five chiefs of princes were sinners against the three kings. The princes of the present day are sinners against the five chiefs. The Great officers of the present day are the sinners against the princes. The Sovereign visited the princes, which was called " A tour of Inspection. " The princes attended at the court of the sovereign, which was called " Giving a report of office. " It was a custom in the spring to examine the ploughing, and supply any defficiency of seed, and in autumn to examine the reaping, and assist where was a defficiency of the crop. "( The work of Mencius, English translation by James Legge, D. D., LL. D., BK. VI )
(取材自Alex Pan's Digest)
Alex Pan TheWalker