王莽对"尧后火德"说的移植利用

“尧后火德”说本是为了证明汉家天子具有君临天下的本钱而炮制出来的,但在西汉末年,此命题为觊觎帝位的王莽所利用,不仅没有起到维护皇权的作用,反而成了瓦解社稷的催化剂。王莽的做法是:按“汉家尧后”说裁制“王氏舜后”说,再按“尧汉火德”说裁制“舜新土德”说,然后以五行相生说为据,制造“火德销尽,土德当代”的舆论,最后在“符命”帮助下,一步一步接近权力顶尖,最后以“受禅”方式篡夺了汉祚。

Wang Mang's Transplanting and Exploiting of the Theory that Emperors of the Han Dynasty Were Yao's Descendants and that the Han's Attribute Was Fire as Yao's

The theory that " emperors of the Han Dynasty are Yao's descendants and that the Han's attribute is fire as Yao's" was originally made to prove the Han Dynasty's "orthodox". Contrary to the rulers' expectations, this proposition, instead of defending imperial's power, functioned as a catalyst of breaking up the empire at the end of the West Han Dynasty because of Wang Mang's transplanting and exploiting. Wang Mang asserted that the Emperors of the Xin Dynasty were Shun's descendants and that the Xin's attribute was earth as Shun's, which was in accordance with the precedent theory. Thus, the public opinion was established that "the fire dynasty will be replace by the earth dynasty according to the theory of "the Five Elements". He approached the highest position of power under the help of "order of God" step by step. Finally, he usurped the West Han Dynasty's power by " accepting the throne present".