Governance of a state should be guided by virtue. Confucius expounded

this philosophy – which his followers in later eras promoted – on the basis

of the approach advocated by the rulers in the Western Zhou Dynasty that

prized high moral values and the virtue of being cautious in meting out

punishment. Governance based on virtue stands in contrast to rule by use

of harsh punishment as a deterrent. It does not, however, exclude the use of

punishment, but rather highlights the decisive role of virtue in governance, and

regards moral edification both as the fundamental principle and the essential

means for achieving good governance.