It is not a coincidence that the golden age of Chinese philosophy took place during a period of social and political upheaval. In the absence of a strong centralized government, and with the old aristocratic social order in disarray, scholars and thinkers had greater freedom to explore new ideas and to develop new answers to fundamental social and political questions. Responding to the chaos, misery, and destruction of the Warring States Period, Chinese philosophers engaged in a lively debate about the best solution to China’s problems. Of the Hundred Schools of Thought that emerged in this period, three proved the most important and enduring: Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism. As you read the documents included in this feature, ask yourself how proponents of each of these three schools defined good government. What qualities did each associate with ideal rulers and ideal states?