- the nine schools of thought, philosophical schools of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods (770-220 BC), viz Confucians 儒家【Rú jiā】, Daoists 道家【Dào jiā】, Yin and Yang 阴阳家【Yīn yáng jiā】, Legalists 法家【Fǎ jiā】, Logicians 名家【Míng jiā】, Mohists 墨家【Mò jiā】, Diplomats 纵横家【Zòng héng jiā】, Miscellaneous 杂家【Zá jiā】, and Agriculturalists 农家【Nóng jiā】