For over two millennia, Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism transcended mere philosophical debate to become the architectural pillars of Chinese civilization. These were not simply schools of thought but the operating systems of empire, molding both governance and scholarly tradition. Central to this enduring legacy was the ideal of “great unification” (大一统)—a vision of cosmic harmony where governance, culture, and society aligned under a unified moral-political order. Emerging during the Western Zhou dynasty, this principle served as the centripetal force in Chinese statecraft, perpetually drawing periods of fragmentation and chaos back toward unity, stability, and shared destiny.