王道是先秦儒家政治思想中的核心理念。它既是儒者们的一种人文信仰，也是他们能希望在国家治理过程中落实的制度与方法。它的核心是以道德仁义为原则，从而达到实现国家长治久安的目标。从现有的文献当中可知，在孔子以前，“王道”思想就已经存在。《尚书·洪范》篇对此有明确的记载。对处于由宗法封建社会进入官僚地主社会大变之际的孔子来说，随着社会动乱不断的加剧，过去彰显于稳定统一秩序中的“王道”思想也变得幽暗不明，岌岌可危。孔子作为儒家的创始人，在对旧有的六经等典籍进行整理的同时，也依附六经灌注了自己的思想，寄托了自己的整套理想制度，从而为后来的儒生们重塑了对王道的信仰。司马迁曾说：“幽厉之后王道缺，礼乐衰，……仲尼悼礼废乐崩，追修经术，以达王道。匡乱世反之于正，见其文辞，为天下制仪法，垂《六艺》之统纪于后世。”孔子王道思想的核心是以仁修身，以德治国。在此核心思想的指导下，孔子认为统治者在选拨人才的制度上应打破血统论从而举贤任能，实行精英治国；在具体政策实行的过程中应该注重民生，富民而教，减轻民众负担；在宗教信仰上，主张“敬鬼神而远之”、强调“未能事人，焉能事鬼”的人本主义。从而建立一套名分（礼）与孝道（仁）为主的和谐稳定的贤能政治社会。孔子去世后，以七十贤人为代表的孔门弟子及其再传弟子，对王道思想从不同层面进行了深化与推进。在理想层面，它主要表现在对禅让制度的推崇以及对大同小康社会的展望；在实践层面，孔门后学特别是曾子学派对孔子的“孝”治思想进行了深化；在心性论层面，孔门后学对对诚的论述、对以情应物的心物关系、对大体小体等问题的探讨，为孟子性善论的提出提供了思想、理论上的准备。孟子在吸收前人思想的基础上，通过以情论心、以心论性的方式，论证了人性为善的本质。孔子之后，由曾子、《大学》、《中庸》、《五行》到孟子，孔子构建的王道信仰的心性层面，表现出了一个由外到内、由性到情、心的内向转折。心性之学看似是向内发展，实质上是为向外的王道大同社会的实现提供了价值基础与教养的本源。除此之外，孟子在对历史事件的分析以及对具体政策的探讨上都贯穿着他仁义至上的王道理念。并在王道与霸道的关系上表现出尊王贱霸的态度。随着简帛《五行》篇的出土问世，荀子对子思、孟子的批评逐渐明朗。荀子并不是要批评“仁义礼智圣”等具体德目，而是批评思孟将“仁义礼智圣”五种德目引入到传统五行相生相克的观念当中。这种引入使得“甚僻违而无类，幽隐而无说，闭约而无解”等神秘主义开始在学术理论界流行。邹衍即是这方面的代表。因此，荀子在反对孟子的同时，走向了与孟子对王道论证的不同道路。虽然论证方式不同，但是他们在仁义至上的王道理念是一致的。荀子通过对“天人之分”与“性伪之别”的分析论证认为王道理念的推行必须建立在圣人教化的基础上以及礼义制度的保障中。于是，荀子对如何将王道理念落实到现实中做了详细的设计。正如一国国家的君主有“圣君、中君、暴君”等区别，荀子将国家治理的好坏也分为三个等级：一个是实行礼义的王道国家，一个是讲究信用的霸道国家，一个是搞权术阴谋的必然走向灭亡的国家。对于荀子来说，他认为君主在治理国家时采用什么样的治理之道就会走向相应的社会。因此现实社会中，人们必须要效法师儒，从而为王道社会的实现提供相应的理论指导。

Kingcraft is the core idea of pre-Qin Confucian political thought. It is not only a kind of the Confucian humanistic beliefs, also they hope to a system of governance in the country during the implementation.Its core is based on moral righteousness principle, so as to achieve the goal to achieve stability of the state. Known from the existing literature which, in Confucius before, "Kingcraft" thought it already exists. There is a clear record of it in "Shangshu Hongfan". In patriarchal feudal society entered by landowners bureaucratic social change on the occasion of the Confucius, along with the endless social unrest intensifies, the last symbol of a stable and unified "kingcraft" thinking has also become the dark unknown, be placed in jeopardy. Confucius as the founder of Confucianism, finishing the old six of the classic books, also attached to it filled his ideas. Most importantly, he placed his own set of ideal system in which to rebuild the Confucian scholars of later Kingcraft belief. The core of Confucius’ Kingcraft thought is based on cultivate one's morality, managing state affairs by ethics. Under the guidance of this idea, Confucius considered rulers on the pageant talent system should be broken which replaced by appoint people on their merit,thus can implement the rule of the elite; In the process of implementation of the specific policy should pay attention to people's livelihood, enriching and teach, to alleviate the burden of the people; On the religious beliefs, advocated respect ghosts and gods, but away from it. So as to establish a set of members and filial piety for the moral content of a harmonious and stable society. Represented by seventy sages Confucius' disciple to Kingcraft thought after Confucius's death from different aspects to deepen and promote. In the aspect of ideal , it is mainly manifested in the ceding of the esteem and the prospect of utopian society. In the aspect of practice, Confucius students in particular schools of Zeng Zi for his "filial piety" rule thought was deepened; In aspect the Theory of Mind, after Confucian school of "honesty" and on the "relationship between mind and matter," right "in general, bodies," and a series of questions to explore and research, for goodness Mencius proposed theory provides theoretical preparation. Mencius on the basis of predecessors' thought, by "emotion" inference "heart", to "heart" reasoning "human nature"approach, demonstrates the essence of human nature is good. After Confucius, by Zeng Zi, and the University, and the doctrine of the mean, the five elements to Mencius, By Confucius rebuilding kingcraft belief in the disposition aspect,showing a from outside to inside, from nature to emotion, the heart of the transition process. About Xinxing knowledge seemingly inward development, essentially provides the value basis and nurturing source to achieve utopian society. In addition, Mencius in the analysis of the historical events, as well as to discuss the specific policies are permeated with the concept of his righteousness . And shows on the relationship between kingcraft and domineering praised kingcraft criticizes domineering attitude. Along with the Wuxing of Jianbo unearthed, Xun Zi's criticism of Zi SI, Mencius slowly became clear. Xun zi is not to criticize "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, Saint" represented by the virtue, but criticized the Zisi-Mencius putting these five qualities into the five for the traditional ideas which reinforce each other. The introduction makes a series of mysterious thoughts became popular in the society. Zou Yan is representative of this area. Therefore, while Xun Zi opposed to Mencius, road to Mencius is different. Although they differ in the Kingcraft idea way, but their pursuit of the supremacy of righteousness is the same. Xun zi through the analysis and argumentation about "the difference between the day and people" and "natural and artificial boundaries",think the Kingcraft idea implementation must be based on the sage edification and protection system of propriety. So, Xun zi on how to apply the Kingcraft idea into reality has made the detailed design. As a country's national monarchs have "sage-king, the gentleman, the tyrant"distinction, Xun zi will be the national governance quality is also divided into three levels: one is the implementation of ritual kingly state, one is overbearing countries pay attention to credit,one is to make politics a plot the inevitable end of the country. As for Xun zi, he believed that the monarch by what kind of way of governance in the governance of the country, then to the corresponding social. Therefore, in the realistic society, It must be based Confucian for teachers to provide theoretical guidance for the realization of the corresponding utopian society.